X Factor: Semi Finals Night
I can’t believe how devastated I am that Ben was kicked off last night. Admittedly, I don’t feel it was his best performances - but he was still 3000 times better than the gurning Scouser. (Is Ray lining up toothpaste sponsorship? Or perhaps tissue sponsorship after his murdering of You’ll Never Walk Alone.. I’m not surprised he cried, I was too.. nothing to do with any ‘emotion’ he showed in the song, more that a travesty was being perpetrated in front of my eyes)
I’ve linked to a couple of my favourite Ben tracks here: See Ben Singing One More Time
Perhaps its time for the hordes of tone deaf teenage voters to be removed from the equation? Or at least for their faddish effects to be toned down. Its time that the ‘judges’ were just that - impartial judges, with no tie to the mentoring process (from what I’ve seen, I doubt they actually do that much mentoring to begin with). Their comments SHOULD count for something - perhaps something similar to Strictly Come Dancing, where the judges votes count for half of the final vote - hopefully that would have prevented the ridiculous situation of the MacDonald Brothers being in so long - or for Ray being through to the final two.
Leona sang her heart out last night - probably the best I’ve ever seen her sing, and Simon Cowell must be rubbing his hands in glee at the thought of her being his million pound contract winner. Sharon must be bewildered and amazed that her star talent has gone out (although hopefully this could be a good thing, especially if the rumoured interest from EMI pays out, and Ben doesn’t now have to suffer a year’s ‘management’ from Simon, whose track record with X Factor winners isn’t really that great). I’ve still got my fingers crossed from two weeks ago, when Louis promised he’d get the Eton Road boys a record contract.. and I still maintain that the finallists (if Simon hadn’t done a shock two act eviction) should have been Ben, Leona and Eton Road.. At least I got one of the finallists right (makes a change) 
I can’t begin to imagine just how smug Mr Cowell will be feeling this morning - guaranteed a winner, with both of his ‘rival mentors’ left high and dry - lets hope that something with integrity can be dragged out of this whole sorry affair, and that Leona emerges as a true winner.
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December 10th, 2006 at 7:24 pm
It should have been a final with all three of them in. I don’t particularly like Ben but everyone else seems to… Ray and Leona are great. I think maybe Ben lovers are going to turn against Ray.
Me and my family (my mum and dad aren’t ‘deaf teenagers’ by the way) really like ray! It’s quite funny listening to people slating him because they only regurgitate what the judges say. People only started saying he doesn’t have a recording voice once Sharon said it! Then when her insult was you’re a panto boy everyone started going ’see I’ve been calling him a panto boy from his first audition don’t you know!’.
In the first two weeks, no one minded Ray, it was as soon as the judges started giving negative comments that people turned against him. I think he has a nice voice - at least he doesn’t shout at you (*cough* Ben *cough*)!
People often say he’s out of tune on the forums but I disagree - he’s only ever been out of tune in the verse of ‘livin’ la vida loca’ because it was too low and in ‘never walk alone’ because he was crying. At least he stays in tune when he’s dancing.
Plus, even if all Ray’s fans WERE ‘deaf teenagers’ it wouldn’t matter because it’s got him to where he is now and it will sell him records! Artists don’t have to be liked by EVERYONE to be successful.
Would just like to finish by saying X Factor is fab this year and STOP BEING TEENAGER-IST EVERYONE!!! Love Sabrina xxx
December 10th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
Sabrina, are you honestly saying that ray wasn’t off key this week during ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’?
I do like Ray, i think he is a good singer with heaps of stage presence, but he just doesn’t strike me as a credible artist. However I do think he has a great career ahead in musical theatre.
December 11th, 2006 at 12:31 am
Hey, very interesting. I’ve liked Ray from the very start. He has got a stage presence and confidence in what he does that most people would die for. Leona has an amazing voice but unfortunately lacks any presence at all. If vision were irrelevant, she’d be perfect. As for Ben, well he’s never been my cup of tea. His voice is fine until he starts wreching and shouting, if you look at the immense effort he is putting in, it’s clear he needs to learn how to use his voice. I honestly think the best two acts are in the final. Go Ray
December 11th, 2006 at 9:41 am
Sabrina - Ray ruined You’ll Never Walk Alone - and Ben’s version of Smile a few weeks ago was far superior to Rays. I quite like Ray in himself - but he’s outdated, out of his depth, and out of tune. I don’t really mind that the thing he does best is swing, but on the Swing theme night he wasn’t even the best act. I love swing music, I loved the way that Robbie Williams made it relevant in today’s market, but to be honest, Ray doesn’t look like he aspires to be Frank Sinatra, on Saturday night singing a football anthem, he looked like a bad Robbie Clone.
If he wins, it would be like if Chico had won last year.
Tabby, I agree - I think he would be great in the West End, although that would be merciless on his slightly inferior singing voice, perhaps in a way, in a recording studio they could do more to help him vocally. Ray should have left the competition weeks ago
Even if you don’t like Ben (and I know a rocky style voice doesn’t appeal to all) I don’t think anyone could say that Ray was better than say, Robert, who had stage presence, emotion AND a great voice. The Public are too easily led by a cheeky smile and a pretty face (if cherubic teenagers are your thing..)
December 11th, 2006 at 2:59 pm
Totally agree Tabby Katt - Ray does not possess the same high calibre and talent of Ben & Leona, and I do think that all the teenagers are ‘in love’ with him and voting for him because they think he’s cute! Fair play if they are going to go out & buy all his records if he wins, but I don’t think he is worthy of being in the semi final.
I also appreciate that not everyone loves a rock voice, but Ben has heaps of talent & I’m hoping he’ll go far.
I do think also that Ray’s cuteness (although personally I don’t get it) may actually lead him to winning the show - I sincerely hope not tho…
December 11th, 2006 at 3:01 pm
Sorry typo above, should have said that I don’t think Ray is worthy of being in the semi-final let alone the final
December 11th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
It maybe isnt necessarily a fix in the real sense of the word but ‘all’ seems engineered and geared to gain the absolute maximum of opportunity by all means to the detriment of others to ‘mould’ a Leona win, however, Simon never believed Ray would be in the final and it could well be Rays mass alleal as singer and actor over all age groups could even beat the Simon machinery rolling out all for Leona.Rod.
December 11th, 2006 at 4:18 pm
I wouldnt say I was crazy for Ray, Id rather he win than Leona, however, swing singers and crooners generally do sing or appear to sing a bit off key, even Frank Sinatra did,Ray did great on You’ll never walk alone,Its a song that requires an emotional performance, he did great.Rod.
December 11th, 2006 at 6:40 pm
i know who il be voting for in the final…ray!! he deserves it more than any of them.yes leona is amzing and has a brilliant voice but she is so predicatable.i was so pleased witht he result on saturday.people say that people vte for ray because of his cute ness, which may be partly true as no one can deny he is cute and has a cute smile but the reason i will be voting for him is that he is by far the best performer, and he is the one that has kept me most entertained.leona will get a record contract anyway because she is the one that everyone has gone on about since the start and it will be a much better final if ray wins and gets the chance to have a record deal as he hasnt got that guarantee if he doesnt win! people also say that he has being flat in some of his performances,that is properly due to the fact that he sings emotional songs.i say fairplay to him for going for the more difficult songs to sing as even though the odd key maybe ‘flat’ but he always manages to pull it off.he will definately have my vote, and many off them!!
December 11th, 2006 at 10:48 pm
I did say he was off key in you’ll never walk alone - but only because he was crying which is understandable.
Yes, Ray could make it easily in musical theatre but his passion is obviously music, thats why he chose to go on X Factor! He could easily get a job in the west end if he wanted to (he’s been offered a job there before actually) but this is what he chose and what he wants to do.
Leona’s a bit boring - beautiful voice though my mum always wants me to switch channels when she sings because its always a ballad except for when she absolutely has to do an upbeat song (she’s done a grand total of two) and its always the same hand on hair, lip quivering, bent knees.
I think Ray’s doing too many ballads at the moment. Haven’t seen that industrial strength pelvis out for weeks (LOL JOKE).
Can’t wait to see what they’ve both got in store next week! I’m really pleased with the people in the final this year.
December 14th, 2006 at 8:05 pm
ray doing you’ll never walk alone was amazing. so maybe it wasnt his best performance vocally but the emotion in it made it so much more special. He has a really good personality too he does seem genuinely a really nice person. And hes got really good stage presence, hes always so confident. Leonas got a good voice and i really like her but she doesnt have the stage presence that rays got. I like them both - i liked ben too but i want ray to win coz hes more original and his performances are just more interesting tbh.
March 10th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
hey most of you dnt no wat you are talking about, i went to the xfactor tour and belive you me ray was well better then leaona and ben put together, all leona did was stand and sing all ben did is jump of the stage an ray well he did it all so as eton road leona has a amazing voice but ben he just shouts and we will see whos the best on momnday!!