X-Factor cabaret final a shipwreck

The 2007 X-Factor final was a shambles. It was a seaside town variety show. Same Difference, with their thin voices and attractive smiles, waft through another set of pretty and sweet and unchallenging songs. Leon sings the same old croon, one key, one note, one song that appears no different to another. Rhydian tries to put a manly front on a cultured and precious and closeted voice.

ITV realised the trouble they had, probably along with Simon Cowell, and so they ramped up the cabaret elements to the hilt. Duets with the finalists from Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue and Katherine Jenkins were astonishing, but more from the gulf that was revealed.

This is probably the worst final in X-Factor history. Look, all the finalists come across as great people and very determined to succeed. But Leon is a one song pony. If you want smooth hotel bar music, he's the man. But no eXtra factor. Same Difference were overshadowed by Jason, who is no powerhouse. But his one voice has 5 times the power and tone of the two put together.

And the whole series was blown into the distance the minute Katherine Jenkins sang just one note. There is the power. There is the talent. There is X factor to the XXXXX degree. Poor Rhydian could not stay in the same song, let alone be on the same stage. He has a good voice, probably the best in this series in terms of consistency. But Katherine was awesome, spine-tingling, and made up for the many low spots in this series.

It was so bad, they couldn't even find a bunch of highlights. Instead they went for the most serious problem of the show. We cringe and we switch off as they parade out some of the worst moments from the auditions. This is not funny, or uplifting. It is sad and mean.

The money must be really hurting ITV by now. To have to pay for Jason and Kylie and Katherine to try to boost audience figures must have really stung. And I hope so. They have consistently refused to tell the truth about the voting, and my guess is that would reveal how poor this series has been received.

So, a mediocre series became a shipwreck after the best talent was pushed off by the judges and the secret voting shambles.

Leona Lewis smashes sales records

Not only is Leona Lewis number one in the charts, she is also outselling other acts by up to 10 to 1 in all ways!

For example, in First Week sales of Albums:
375,872 _ Leona Lewis - Spirit
227,922 _ Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
151,000 _ Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly Angry Mob
135,685 _ Foo Fighters - Echoes Silence Patience & Grace
132,315 _ West Life - Back Home
117,966 _ James Blunt - All The Lost Souls
94,501 _ Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight
73,517 _ Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long
70,500 _ Kings of Leon - Because Of The Times
66,000 _ White Stripes - Icky Thump
60,500 _ Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing
58,756 _ Kate Nash - Made of Bricks
53,540 _ Sugababes - Change
49,012 _ Stereophonics - Pull The Pin
39,191 _ Enemy - We'll Live And Die In These Towns
too low _ Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
too low _ Mika - Life In Cartoon Motion

The situation is the same in First Week sales of Singles:
218,805 _ Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love
55,144 _ Sean Kingston - Beautiful Girls
51,500 _ Sugababes vs Girls Aloud - Walk This Way
37,500 _ Beyonce & Shakira - Beautiful Liar
36,804 _ Kanye West - Stronger
34,164 _ Rihanna featuring Jay-Z - Umbrella
34,068 _ Sugababes - About You Now
33,578 _ Timbaland - The Way I Are
30,693 _ McFly - Baby's Coming Back / Transylvania
30,500 _ Mika - Grace Kelly
too low _ Robyn - With Every Heartbeat

The music press and radio and tv all fall into the same trap. They confuse posturing with talent. They give acres of space to Mika and Winehouse, pretending they understand style and interest, when all they pick up on is shouting and self-promotion.

Fortunately, the people who spend their own money make the most sense, choosing talent and skill and technique. The presenters spend other people's money and get it wrong. Just look at the annual roundups that will be appearing this month and you will see so-called celebrities and other drunks or stoners being lauded as 'the best'. Meanwhile Leona and other people with REAL talent will continue to sell.

For chart information, see: http://www.theofficialcharts.com/

X-Factor now loses faith of contestants

Following on from the wholesale defection of viewers, and the widespread distrust of their secret 'voting', X-Factor contestants have also lost faith. Bookie favourite Rhydian Roberts is reported as saying the acts were not given enough time to practice their songs because of the extra non-music focus of the lame spin-off show, the Xtra Factor.

Again, music is forced into the back seat while ITV tries to prop up its ailing digital channels. As the singer explains, "It doesn't seem to matter that we are all here because we are passionate about music. All they want is footage and drama to fill their show. This show is not all it's cracked up to be."

ITV melt-down continues

Another X-Factor contestant has leaked more damaging information. This time it's the bookie's favourite Rhydian, explaining how the ITV producers treat the contestants like s**t and are only interested in melodrama. He is reported as saying, "This show's not all it's cracked up to be."

He explained they were up at 6am "to record this stupid thing called X in the City" which will be used for the boring spin-off, Xtra Factor. "It's completely s*** and not what I signed up to do," is his apparent feeling about it. Go Rhydian!!!

Musical musings

There is no 'bad' way for a musician to be recognised. Whether gigging, battle of the bands, reality shows or mass marketing, some will succeed and some fail. For the following reasons:
TALENT
This could be voice or looks or enthusiasm or any mix of a dozen features. Technique is not the only thing. Passion is also important. And that passion may come from life as well as music.
LOOKS
Again, very important. Take the current X-Factor in the UK. Would much rather look at Hope than Same Difference. Or, worldwide, rather look at Mariah than Alicia. But that is not just physical. Hope and Mariah put far more passion into their performances, but Same Difference and Alicia look like puppets following a routine. The Stones and Tina Turner are far better performers than U2 or Kelly Clarkson, but that does not mean they are better musicians.
OPPORTUNITY
Not just finding opportunities, but taking them when they occur. Look how many contenders fall by the wayside, their personal baggage causing problems or the pressure proving too much. Three cheers for the ones who take the opportunities to learn and grow!
LUCK
Leona Lewis was unlucky that record companies turned her down when she was younger. Some record companies were unlucky when they turned down The Beatles. But both Leona and the Fab Four persevered in their own ways and achieved great success. We don't need ten bands all sounding like Westlife or N-Sync. So it is just bad luck if you happen to be a boy band full of talent, but trying at the same time as Westlife or N-Sync.
GRIT - or the DRIVEN people
Look at Lewis Hamilton or Michael Schumacher. They have talent, just like all the other F1 drivers. But they also have that extra something which makes them winners over the others. So also with Tina Turner and Bruce Springteen and Christina Aguilera and dozens more.
LOVE REALITY SHOWS
Some great talent does surface.
SWITCH OFF REALITY SHOWS
When the people you like/love get voted off.
UK X-FACTOR PROBLEMS
Because they don't tell us the votes, and because they always say "in no particular order" it is clear the result is suspect. Because I don't believe more people voted for Same Difference than for Hope, I won't watch the show any more. Like millions of others, we are turning off the show. NOT because of the music, but because of the suspicions about ITV. It is our money and we should know the true results from an independent arbitrator.

ITV and X-Factor disasters

After the disaster of the 14 year olds being included, and falling by the wayside in all sorts of shambles, the show has gone from bad to worse. Sharon has lost the plot, and seems obsessed with emotions rather than talent and skill. Louis is becoming more and more a grumpy old man, making snide comments with no relevance to the music.

Only Danni and Simon still care about the music, and continue to be supportive to all acts, not just their own. Whatever the outcome, Simon will again come across as the person with the most knowledge and understanding of both music and the artistic temperament.

HIDDEN VOTING
ITV also have an increasing problem as the show continues. By refusing to tell the truth about the votes, they are in danger of losing confidence - and money. They take our money but appear to have no requirement to reveal the truth. Therefore more and more people are questioning whether to pay any more. Many blogs are saying similar things - tell the truth or lose the audience support.