X Factor 2009 Judges House’s: Show 2 Highlights
Last week, the Judges whittled down their choices from the 200 successful contestants who made it through auditions to the bootcamp stage of the competition. The Judges selected the 24 successful acts who have now journeyed on to Judges Houses, visiting the Judges in exotic locations across the world, to impress their mentors with their singing talents once again.
The Judges and their friends made some tough choices on Saturday nights show, on Sunday it’s time to reveal the twelve finalists for The X Factor 2009 …which acts out of the 24 did enough to secure their place in the coveted live finals?
Highlights from Sunday Night:
* Louis feels the gods are angry with his decision as a heavy rain downfall pelts the roof of the Villa at Lake Como, when he reveals he changed his mind overnight
* Will Harmony Hood’s second chance pay off?
* Cheryl Cole reveals her sleepless night mulling over her choices and the difficult decisions she has made
* Cheryl shares the pressures she experienced starting her career at a young age – will the younger contestants be able to handle it?
* Cheryl needs to stop filming, to step away and take a break whilst discussing her decision with Daniel Fox. Has she changed her mind?
* A teary Duane Lamonte reveals how he fears emotions got the better of him in his performance
* Simon Cowell describes the difficulty of telling contestants ‘it’s a no’
* Has Danyl Johnson’s confidence impressed Simon?
The contestants share their feelings…
Stacey: Wouldn’t it be nice to be good at something and make everybody proud of you?
Lucie: If I get a no I’m just going to be so gutted.
Graziella Affinita (Miss Frank): We started this competition solo but we all had the same dream.
Harmony Hood: We want to prove to Louis that bringing us back was the right decision.
Olly: I don’t want to go back to the office job of nine-to-five I want to be there on Saturday night.
Jamie: One song one moment one chance and it all rides on this.
It’s decision time for the girls as Judge Dannii Minogue talks to each contestant to tell them her choice.
The girls share their nerves with Dermot…
Dermot: Today’s a big day so how are you feeling?
Stacey Solomon: I’m actually like proper scared but even though I’m always happy and I’m always smiling I do still want this more than anyone – more than anything, I just want to be like successful at something that I really love doing.
Stacey McClean: I’m so scared I can’t eat or drink anything.
Dermot: Did you sleep at all?
Stacey: No, not a wink.
Lucie: It really is so close and just hoping and praying that I do get a yes.
Dermot chats to Dannii in Dubai…
Dannii: It has been beyond difficult but I’ve made a decision now and I’m really, really excited about these three.
Dannii: You’ve had some really great performances and there have been moments that are so brilliant that all of the judges were just taken. What I need is to go into the first live show and know that somebody has not only got beautiful looks like you have, but a beautiful voice that has that X Factor.
Nicole Jackson
Dannii: It was really hard to make the decision overnight I’m sure you will agree it wasn’t a great day for you. I’m sure that must have been beyond difficult, what I can definitely say about you is that you have the most unique talent. What you are lacking, is being confident and calm. So after yesterdays audition the only question in my head was, are you ready?
Dannii: The performances have been beautiful. You have such a nice voice, my concerns for the competition are your strength as a solo artist up against the other contestants.
Dannii: You’ve put in a lot of fantastic performances vocally. I thought yesterday you had arrived, but what’s hard is there are four people who I think are worthy to go through into the competition but I’ve only got three places.
Dannii: You’ve done fantastic performances since the first audition. You’re the one I’ve been going back and forth about. With one other girl, you’re the one that has kept me awake all night. You tick the boxes you’ve got the looks, you’ve got the voice and my only concern is just the connection when you are performing.
Dannii: From the first performance, you have blown us away with your personality and you’ve blown us away with your voice. You have to know that in the three months of the competition, it takes such strength and it’s not just the voice and I would not want to put anyone through the intensity of it that didn’t have that self belief.
Now it’s time for Louis Walsh to reveal his decision regarding the Groups…
Louis discusses his thoughts with Dermot as a heavy rain downpour pelts down at Lake Como…
Louis: I think the Gods are angry, maybe at my decision, I changed my mind over night.
Dermot: You said you were not going to do that last night.
Louis: I thought long and hard about it. I’m taking a bit of a gamble on one of the acts but I hope it pays off.
De Tour
Louis: How are you feeling?
De Tour: Absolutely nervous.
Louis: Guys you’ve been really, really great right through the competition, I saw something in you in your first audition and I think you’ve really, really good voices and a way of likability about this act.
Louis: Graziella, when you first auditioned you know I loved your voice. I thought you were very unique then when you came together as a group, I thought there was something very good, and very likable about the three of you girls.
Louis: I’m really glad I gave you a lifeline to come back because there was something about Harmony Hood that was different.
Louis: You know from the first audition I loved the look of the group I thought you were sexy, I thought you were sassy, I thought you had so much energy
Louis: On your first audition I saw something in you guys that none of the other judges saw. I saw great, great potential. You reminded me of the early days of Boyzone and everybody said they were never going to make it. They made it, and there is a little bit of that with you guys.
Louis: I like Project A from the very first audition. You’ve always been consistently good.
Which of the Boy acts have what it takes? Cheryl reveals her choices in Marrakech…
Dermot: You looked quite stressed Cheryl.
Cheryl: I feel quite stressed Dermot.
Dermot: This must be the least enjoyable part of the job.
Cheryl: The worst bit, horrible because you do think about it over night and you thin, have I made the right choice?
Cheryl: How you feeling – alright?
Joseph: Sick
Cheryl: OK I think you know when I first met you, I instantly felt a spark there and a connection. Almost like I felt that I knew you and for me. During the whole competition I think vocally you’ve probably been the most consistent, but as you know this is a massive, massive competition and there is going to be some really big performances in it and that is something I need to get from one of my boys, because I want to win this again this year. So when I came to the choice I had to put my head over my heart this time, and put this sentiment that I feel towards you to one side.
Cheryl: I’m going to be really honest with you. Yesterday, I think your performance wasn’t as good as they have been previously, and that kind of threw a spanner in the works because up to then you have been amazing. I think you’ve got sex appeal, I think the chicks would love you and you know you have the qualities of a pop star. I had to base my decision on everything that I have seen so far so I made that decision last night with Will.
Cheryl: When you came in yesterday and sang, I was shocked. You really delivered but I think what concerns me with you is mostly your age. I was nineteen when I was given my opportunity and I struggled to cope with it. It involves a lot of maturity and there is a massive responsibility. I feel the responsibility because you’re only sixteen and I can feel your nerves when you perform. I can only take three people through, who I think have the potential to deliver each week.
Cheryl: OK, I know this has been unbelievably intense and difficult for everybody. I really want you to know that it’s not an easy decision for me at all. I have to take into consideration who I think in my heart I can bring the best out of, and when I look at you I think you’re probably the most passionate we have got here and I believe you really want this so it really makes it a difficult choice.
Daniel: I understand
Cheryl wants to take a minute so she has break and she says ‘it doesn’t feel right’. Cheryl steps away, leaving Daniel on the sofa.
Cheryl: I’m sorry about all that, this has been the hardest decision a hundred percent. I have to feel like I can do the best by the three that I put through.
Duane (to Dermot): I was quite emotional as I’ve never actually performed as if I’ve really, really believed, and it was very overwhelming. Literally the emotions got the best of me. My life at the moment is difficult as I have so many people who don’t really believe in me and I’ve really had to find the strength in myself. I think now I have to be proud of myself because if I don’t, someone like Cheryl my mentor, is going to think to herself ‘if you don’t believe in yourself I’m I going to believe in you’, I need it so much. It’s just like I’m standing right at the edge of the cliff and I’m so high that I don’t really want to fall down. If I got a no I think I would break down.
Cheryl delivers her verdict: I’m going to be straight with you…I feel sometimes you can over-analyse your passion a bit, and it can make you a bit rigid. But I do think you have a star quality.
Rikki (to camera): Leaving bootcamp last year it took me a good while to get over that. But I think something clicked and I though no I can’t give up and this is where it’s brought me. It’s took me so long to get people to believe in me and it means so much and I was given a second chance to be here today. You wake up every day and all you want to do is sing and perform and I just want to change my life, I just want this chance.
Cheryl: I’m really proud of you and think coming back was the right thing to do.
Finally, we travel to LA, to hear Simon Cowell’s decision regarding the Overs…
Treyc: I’m so close I can feel it, I just want it so bad now so bad.
Jamie: This is it, this is my moment this is everything I’ve always wanted in life.
Simon discusses his thoughts with Dermot…
Simon: It’s absolutely hideous when you’ve actually got to sit in front of somebody who has trusted you and you’ve got to say to them ‘now it’s a no’.
Danyl (talking to camera)l: I had more pressure on my shoulders because of that first audition, everyone said you can be confident but you can’t be, nothing’s a given especially in this category. I think it’s the hardest Over category there has ever been. I think I showed them everything I’ve got. Even though I’ve done so good to get here, it’s that last bit you have to get to and I know that so I just hope I’ve done enough.
Simon: You out of everyone, were the one I was looking forward to most and I, in a way, was more disappointed here yesterday with you Danyl than I was other people. You over thought it. The frustrating thing is, when you’re good you’re brilliant. You know that I stand by what I said – it was still the best first round audition I’d ever seen.
Daniel (to Dermot):All I’ve ever wanted to do was to be a successful musician. When I quit the band having had a taste of you know the fame it was really, really difficult. X Factor has reignited the dream in me, that’s why today is so massive because the dream you know is burning strong in my heart again. I think everyone does deserve a second chance in life.
Simon: You’ve been down this road before. You’ve had a taste of success and you’ve got the guts to come back to a competition like this and give it another go. I’m trying to put myself in your shoes, what that must feel like. So I take this responsibility and this decision very, very seriously because it’s your life.
Olly (to Dermot) :Being in this competition for me it’s like going round a track at Silverstone or something like that, it’s like really quick then it slows down and your like another bend comes and you don’t know what’s coming round the corner next.
Simon: We had a long conversation about you, Olly, and I had to make a decision, and it’s important for you to know this, on the three people who I thought gave us the best chance of winning the competition. And that’s the decision I’ve had to make. You’re a risk, it’s as simple as that.
Treyc Cohen
Treyc (to Dermot): I’ve put everything on the line for this X Factor experience. It’s the one thing I truly, truly want. If I get a no, I’ll be gutted for a long time. I don’t want to do my call centre job anymore. I don’t want to struggle. I want to be fulfilled doing something I enjoy.
Simon: This is where I sit – I didn’t know much about you other than you’re a little powerhouse, but do I believe that you have the personality to shine in a twelve full of some quite big characters.
Jamie (to Dermot): I’m 34 years now – if I don’t make it here than I probably never will. If I get a no, I’ll have to go back to pubs and clubs, and that’s a really hard thought. It really is down to whether Simon believes in me or not, and if he doesn’t believe in me, then no-one else will
Simon: I think you’re one of those guys, what it says on the tin is what you are. I think you will try week after week to do your best. The not so good news, Jamie, is you fall into this trap of wanting to be a rock star, listening to other people and I think you’ve kind of forgotten who Jamie is.
Nicole (talking to camera): It’s the biggest day in my life I could really, really do with a yes today. When I first performed in front of the judges although obviously I got three yes’s I did get a no from Simon, but I went away and worked really hard. I just really,
really hope that I’ve done enough and that Simon can see the potential in me. To think that it could possibly end today, just be horrible I want this more than anything.
Simon: When you’re on it, Nicole, you are a great, great singer. No question of a doubt. But it worried me because you fell back into your bad habits with your ad libs and stamping of foot, and it’s almost like I’m seeing you back in the clubs again.
The decisions have been made. The Judges have revealed their acts. Who will be performing at next weeks live shows?
