Oooohhh. These charts are getting harder to do. You’d think with less contestants, it’d be easier. Nope.

Let me just start by saying that everybody’s game has been raised to professional levels at this point. Much better than last year’s finalists if you ask me. Andy’s taken a bit of flack in recent weeks, but mostly suffers on song choice. When he stays in his comfort zone, no problems. So here we go:

1. Brenda Edwards: Simply the strongest and best performer in the show. This bubbly lady has bags of personality and really puts on a performance. Compare with pretty-but-stationary Shayne. What a shame she went tonight.
2. Journey South: Growing on me. The long(ish)-haired one still looks like he’s bricking it on stage, but their song choices tonight were good, as well as that polished performance on the second song.
3. Shayne Ward: I’m not fussed on the fella, particularly after he murdered I Believe In A Thing Called Love. He’s got the looks, yes – but his performances are stilted and he doesn’t yet know how to command a stage. However, he is definitely improving and I can see a career for him post X-Factor.
4. Andy Abraham: Andy’s got a great voice, but too late into the competition he started taking risks with his song choices. Phil Collins? Show your diversity at the start, when it’s safe, not when the competition’s at it’s hottest. Plus, I don’t think he’s marketable as a recording artist in his own right. It should have been Andy this evening.

That was tough. Now, let me hear your X-Factor chart for this evening’s show….