X Factor finalist Philip Magee has just signed up with a new management compnay who are currently in talks with a record label about a recording deal for the Larne singer.

Philip is already working on the single that he wants to release and it seems that Devon based Star promotions have faith in Philip’s future.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph Philip said: “It’s still early days but hopefully this will lead to better things.

“I can’t say exactly what the single will be but it will appeal to young and old.”

If this article in the Scotsman is aything to go by, those of us who didn’t manage to get tickets for the X Factor tour aren’t missing much.

The journalist claims that runner up Nicholas Dorsett and Philip Magee “floundered in the spotlight”, while “an audible groan greeted the arrival of the Conway Sisters”

Even the finale with all 8 of the X Factor finalists failed to impress him and was described as “an anaemic, anticlimactic rendition of You’ve Got A Friend”

Thankfully though not everyone was a let down. Andy Abraham was described as “a class act, despite having to compete with two fake candelabras and an unintentionally comical interpretative dance routine during his version of Stevie Wonder’s Lately.”

If anyone else out there has seen the show we’d love to know what you thought!

Phillip Magee is a 21 year old student from Larne in Northern Ireland. Phillip is the eldest of three children and is currently dating girlfriend Linzi McFaul.

It is obvious from Phillips performances that he is a huge Elvis Presley fan and the performance of one of ‘The King’s’ songs got him through bootcamp into Louis’ final acts.

Phillip has been singing for as long as he can remember. Saying that when he was 4 he used to get up early in the morning, put on a CD and sing along to it, waking the whole house in the process!

Phillips songs to date have been:

Week 3: Johnny Be Good
Week 2: Wind beneath My Wings by Bette Midler
Week 1: Amazed by Lonestar

Well it wasn’t unexpected but it’s sad all the same. Tonight we have just said goodbye to Phillip Magee from X Factor 2005.

Phillip is a fellow Irish man (well I’m not a man but you know what I mean!)and I would have loved to see him get further in the contest, but it was obvious from the start that it wasn’t to be. He is talented, but not entirely comfortable on stage. He also has no idea of what the record buying public want to hear…I’ll give you a hint…it’s not ‘Johnny Be Good’

Whoever wins this years X Factor has to be marketable and be able to sing and perform songs that are popular with the public now, not 30 years ago.

Hopefully this isn’t the end for Phillip, he may be able to maintain a successful career locally, but I just don’t see him ever hitting the global stage.

Louis Walsh has revealed that he would not be above voting one of his own acts out of the competition if he didn’t think they were performing well enough.

Louis wasn’t impressed by Phillip Magees performance this week and told The Sun that If he doesn’t improve on Saturday I’m going to vote him out myself.

“He’s not listening – and if they don’t listen they go the old Ronan Keating route.

“I’m going to let Phillip do rock ‘n’ roll on Saturday, like he wants, so we’ll see how he does.”

Louis added: “I think any of my acts can win and Shane is going to be a really big star win or lose.

“I also love Maria and Andy in Sharon’s group and Simon’s Journey South.�

Last nights Xtra Factor 24/7 saw Phillip facing up to the fact that if he doesn’t raise his game on this weeks live show he could well be following 4Tune and Addictiv Ladies out of the competition.

He admitted that at this point in the competition he is “hanging in by a thread” and that “this week is do or die for me, it’s make or break”

Lets hope that Louis’ song choice of ‘Johnny Be Good’ allows him to showcase his talent more than last weeks crooning version of ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’.

Phillip Magees mum Ann is furious with Louis Walsh and believes that her son’s mentor is jeopardising her son’s chance of winning the X Factor.

She believes that Louis is trying to win Phillip the sympathy vote by delcaring him a ‘nervous little boy’ and is adamant that Phillip does not need this kind of help and can get through to the next round without it.

“I’m really upset with Louis Walsh,” she said.

“He’s supposed to be Phillip’s mentor but he didn’t stick up for him at all. To tell everyone he was nervous was wrong and made it look like he was after the sympathy vote.

“But Phillip doesn’t need sympathy. He’s a man and not some little boy.

“He’s performed two ballads now and they’re not the type of songs he’d normally go for. I talked to him about it after the show and he said that he’d talk to Louis and sort it out.

“Look at Chico, he’s being allowed to show the real him. But Phillip’s not. He was sent out there the other night to sing a song that didn’t suit him and wearing clothes that didn’t suit him.

“I really hope Louis comes to his senses because he very nearly got Phillip voted out on Saturday.

“The public are thankfully the ones who are voting to keep the contestants in, and it’s not down to those three clowns.

“Phillip told me he wasn’t nervous during his performance, but he was worried afterwards when the results were being called out.

“He’s delighted to be back in again and as he said, he just wants to be able to prove to everyone what he can do.”

Next week Louis has promised to turn Phillip into a young Cliff Richard….I’m not sure that’s what Phillip meant when he said he wanted to to a bit more ‘rock n roll’ Louis!

Ireland’s biggest music mogul Louis Walsh told Ulster’s only X-Factor finalist that he would be a star when the Larne singer auditioned for him four years ago.

Phillip Magee made it through to the final rounds of the Song for Europe contest but Louis Walsh, one of the judges, felt that at 17, Phillip was too young to be one of the four finalists.

However, Louis, who masterminded the careers of Boyzone, Westlife, Samantha Mumba and Girls Aloud, was so impressed by Phillip’s performance that he told him to keep practising because he had the talent to succeed in the music industry.

Ironically, four years later, Louis has been made a mentor for 21-year-old Phillip as he prepares to battle for a £1m music contract in the UK’s biggest talent competition.

Even before Louis was put in charge of the under-25 group, he publicly backed the Larne singer, saying “he has a better voice than Ronan Keating”.

And speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Phillip’s proud dad, Jim, joked: “If Phillip does half as well as Ronan Keating, I’ll be happy.”

He went on to explain that Louis has been extremely supportive of Phillip.

“After Phillip’s audition in the first round of X-Factor, Louis called him back and asked him where he had met him before and Phillip reminded him about the Song for Europe contest and Louis was really pleased to see he had kept going,” he said.

“Although Louis thought Phillip was a bit too young when he saw him four years ago, he told him not to give up because he said Phillip had a fantastic voice and that he should keep practising – because one day he would be a star.

“It is great that Louis is looking after Phillip’s group because he seems to really be behind him – On the Late Late Show the other night, he was saying what a good voice he has.”

The Magee family have had limited contact with Phillip as he has been so busy rehearsing for the first live show this weekend, but in snatched phonecalls home, Mr Magee revealed that his eldest son says he is looking forward to Saturday night.

“I think Phillip will do really well on Saturday and Louis certainly seems to think that Phillip has what it takes and although he believes that he is a bit raw, he says that can be worked on and he would like to be Phillip’s manager.”

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Fellow Northern Ireland singer Keith Semple is putting his money behind Philip Magee as winner of The X Factor 2005.

Keith, one of the finalists on 2002′s ITV’s Popstars: The Rivals knows Philip’s capabilities more than most as he revealed that he used to help him with his singing.

Keith stated “Philip used to be in a band when he was younger and he came to me to get some tips on singing.

“He’s got a great attitude, the right kind of attitude to get on in the music industry. He’s very respectful and if I offered him advice or pointed out where I thought he was going wrong, he would listen and take it all on board.

“He’s got a very good voice and seems to enjoy being in the spotlight, so I think he should cope quite well with the pressure of singing live on television and in front of so many people.

“I’d really like to see him pull it off and win the show,” said Keith.

“It would be great for him and for Larne as well.”

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