Like a few regulars in the Sofabet comments, I couldn’t resist some long-odds dabbling on Andrea in the next elimination market before tonight’s show. And when I saw Stevi trading at 1.03 in the singoff, I couldn’t resist laying him a little, in the spirit of the lyrics Stevi sang in his swansong: “This is the moment, damn all the odds”. I suspected that if Andrea had happened to be below Stevi in the public vote, they would somehow have found a way to take it to deadlock.
But while the odds demanded a speculative small stake, it always seemed more likely that Stevi would be bottom – it will be intriguing to see if the voting stats, released after the final, confirm this – and that this would portend the moment of the series where they graciously waved goodbye to the novelty act. Stevi has served them well in this role, and got a fitting sendoff. Meanwhile, after his recent treatment, poor Andrea must have connected with the lyrics he had to sing: “You’d better stop before you tear me all apart”.
There are plenty of questions to mull over now. Do commenters who believe that leaving Only The Young hanging for 20 minutes the last two weeks was intended to motivate their fans (as opposed to plant the subliminal thought that they are one of the three least popular acts, the explanation we favour) still hold to that view regarding Lauren? Or do we believe that the three acts called safe without that agonising wait – Stereo Kicks, Fleur and Ben – represent producers’ favoured final?
There is a long tradition of acts who survive the week 7 singoff bouncing to the final, and in James Arthur’s case to the win. But producers have done a good job of suppressing bounces this season with Steph Nala, Jay James and now Stevi. Do we trust that Andrea will be out before the final?
On the generally-shared assumption in the comments that Fleur and Stereo Kicks are the acts in whom producers are most invested, who do we think is polling best? Which do we believe producers would rather push to the win, if they could?
As always, do please share your wisdom, thoughts and theories in the comments.
Personally I do Believe Ben Haenow has this in the bag. If you look closely and the previous running orders it will make sense. Also along with the Announcement they are called. Dermot never calls the acts that has polled the most votes first. Most of the time it goes in reverse order. Also twice now Simon has said to ben, when his name has been called out, that “why do you look so surprised2
Interesting theory. How do you know who has polled the most votes? The figures haven’t been released yer.
I think I saw on DS (so let’s not take this as gospel) a direct comparison from 2012 and 2013 between the weekly vote stats and the order in which the acts were called safe by Dermot. The act who topped the vote never was called out safe first. Make of that what you will – it’s a limited pool with only 2 years data so we can’t make an assumption that this year will be the same without seeing the votes, but if you wanted to make bets based on that it’s not massively unfounded.
There’s a lot of unfounded speulation and bullshit being talked on the forum at the moment. Sometimes I think it’s just one person with a bunch of different usernames. Anyway, I’m pretty much done with x factor betting for this series unless something very tasty pops up. I’m going to take a rest from the forum for a while although I may post in the I’m A Celebrity thread.
Fwiw I see no reason why Andrea will bounce. VT, song arrangment, stage production and comments can put a stop to that when voting is free. His singing and physical movement in Saturday Night’s All Right For Fighting was out of time. Was that because he hasn’t got rhyth? Maybe the earphone mix had a tiny delay on it. Whayever he looked and sounded awkward compared to the rest. Regardless of the reason there are a million ways for next week to be a deramp. I expect him to b2 next week.
Given Bens treatment in last 2 weeks I believe he is the one whose vote they are trying to tame. Yesterday Andrea’s was about not motivating sympathy rather than a full in deramp suggesting they had his under control and why many had speculative bets this morning. Ben has had lots of harsh stuff these past 2 weeks but nice enough VTs suggesting a finalist.
Lauren I am sure is the target next week. Could they give her 2 dirges
I agree with Andre’s comment https://sofabet.com/2014/11/22/x-factor-2014-week-7-drowned-young/comment-page-2/#comment-49768
that the desired result this weekend was for Stevi to finish last and go out on Saturday, leaving a sing off between OTY and Andrea. This would’ve made it easy to dump Andrea, even if OTY polled lower.
They really would have struggled to justify saving Stevi ahead of Andrea, unless Andrea had been bottom of the vote. THen they could have just blamed the public.
That was actually me who first said that10 minutes earlier.
Fleur hitting evens for the win now
If only they’d have pushed OTY a bit more this weekend, stevi may have been bottom of the vote and they’d have had their chance to give Andrea the boot without it seeming too silly.
Along those lines I think we will see a hatchet job on lauren ben and Andrea over the next few weeks. I have to say i am surprised their Andrea games have worked – I think they may allow him a bounce of sorts next week and have him out on the semi final. It seems probable that Lauren will be at risk next week – with all the pimping id say that SK aren’t doing as well in the votes as tptb would like so they may be in trouble. I think ben will get a rough deal next week too.
on Xtra factor they mentioned one of the 2 songs performed next week is chosen by the public from 3 of the acts favourite songs…
They raced though it… but what I got for Andrea, Ben and Fleur was…
Ben – Thinking out Loud by Ed Sheeran…
Fleur – Family Portrait (Pink) an Alicia Keys song and something else a bit random (which I can’t recall)…
Andrea – Hero (Mariah), Respect (Aretha), Heartless (Kanye)…
link to XF web site with full details…
http://www.itv.com/xfactor/app/contestant-jukebox-vote-week-eight
The full list of song choices for the “Jukebox” are on the X Factor website:
Andrea
Respect – Aretha Franklin
Heartless – Kanye West
Hero – Mariah Carey
Lauren
Ain’t Nobody – Chaka Khan
Don’t You Worry Child – Swedish House Mafia
Story of My Life – One Direction
Stereo Kicks
Run – Leona Lewis
Fix You – Coldplay
Against All Odds – Phil Collins
Ben
Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
You Are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker
With A Little Help From My Friends – Joe Cocker
Fleur
If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys
Family Portrait – P!nk
If You Love Me – Brownstone
Run by Leona Lewis! Bless them
Hope Andrea gets Heartless. My all-time favourite X Factor act Samantha Jade performed my all-time favourite performance with Heartless: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwdBGvKqWv8
Lauren and DYWC would work quite well I think. Anything but sodding 1D please!
Stereo Kicks are all boring. Fix You and Run are so overplayed, but they’ll probably get Run as their Six CC Song
As for Ben, some good choices here, but he sung With A Little Help From My Friends at the Arena auditions did he not? So I think that he’ll get that.
Fleur will probably get If I Got You, but we shall see. I don’t think any choice would be particularly unhelpful.
Ha you beat me to it! My thoughts exactly Re: Samantha Jade. I think that is exactly the route they may go down!
don’t think you can beat the original talent show performance of Heartless from 5 and a half years ago on AI…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6zmyCEroqw
Had a speculative small stake bet on Andrea to go at 22/1 but was always a long shot. Still way in profit for the series. His performance last night was a textbook example in dampening an audience reaction though. I didn’t buy the idea they were trying to get rid of him ASAP – he’s talented and would make the final a better shoe, they just don’t want him to win it.
I can’t see past Lauren for next week. Ben at an absolute push.
Have a look at the jukebox choices and you’ll see who they want to go all the way…
Please elaborate
What are they em?
Can’t copy from app but I believe someone’s posted a link elsewhere on the comments
Im just interested to know where you think the producer favor is. I can only see one peach and its heartless by kanye West for andrea, which I’ve voted for on the app 🙂
Stereo Kicks, not a bad option in there, Ben all up his street, Fleur all up hers
Andrea and Lauren not so
Yeah Lauren has bad choices for her style it’s hilarious really
Fleur’s song choices are odd, there was a song I didn’t know by Brownstone, one of Pink’s lesser known hits and an overdone Alicia Keys song. Does the Brownstone one allow her to dance? The other two don’t. Ben and SK’s choices are all borig but will be done well. Lauren had Story Of My Life, Ain’t Nobody and something else and Andrea has a Kanye West song sandwiched between two diva songs?! I hope to god he gets Heartless!
No dancing to Brownstone! Great song though – would be to Fleur what Don’t Let Go was to Little Mix
Just remembered that Brownstone song. That would be a great choice for Fleur. Is it well known enough to be picked tho?
It would suit her right down to the ground but I’m with you and not sure it would get picked. However I’m not going to even try and second guess a song vote, that way leads to empty wallets very quickly
Yes I agree I voted for brownstone. Massive demo delighting song this would be.
Lauren should end up with the 1D song. fleur with Alicia Keys do we think? Any views on the others?
Yep, Lauren in the firing line lol. Swedish House Mafia as an option??!! Ah well, my bet is down anyway, may as well go out on a giggle!
Hey guys, based on those jukebox choices I’m pretty sure Ben will get the Ed Sheeran song since it is a big hit right now. For anyone who is interested here is Ben singing the Ed Sheeran song Lego House:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIhTMb3raDo
I think it’ll suit him, can only see a two horse race now of Ben vs Fleur. I’m still not convinced by Fleur but I’ve seen the hype and it has shaken me to the bone! Only Ben can defeat her.
Fleur 2/5 to outlast Ben
Andrea must get the Kanye West song, surely? There’s enough mischievous people to make this happen by voting for it.
Andrea has Hero (standard, predictable diva ballad), Respect (again slightly predictable) and Heartless (could this work?) I do think he could bounce just simply because of his likeability.
Fleur has If I Ain’t Got You (vocal coach said she sounds amazing doing this), Family Portrait (could be a game changer for her) and a song I’m not familiar with.
Stereo Kicks have Run (did it at bootcamp, would be good for them), Fix You (that would be a disaster for them) and Against All Odds (cheesy).
I assume there will be a sing-off next week? Lauren vs Andrea, Lauren vs Ben, Andrea vs Ben?
On the face of it the 1D song for Lauren isn’t the worst
Looking at those choices, I would say that they’re most helpful to Stereo Kicks. “Fix You” and “Run” are songs with a good X Factor history – Fix You being a very popular Janet Devlin performance, and Run a memorable sing-off performance by Luke Friend last year.
Lauren’s choices are not awful – I think she’ll be the target next week but I don’t think those songs make that obvious. If she were to get the 1D song for example she’d probably do a nice version of it that would of course motivate 1D fans.
Two of Andrea’s songs are very predictable and set him up to be pigeonholed as a “diva” who can only do one thing. The Kanye song is a bit of a wildcard, and I don’t know how he’d do that!
Ben’s songs are fairly dull – looks like his deramp will continue to me.
Fleur, I don’t know, an ok selection of songs but not inspiring.
Fleur could kill the Brownstone song… it could be her ‘Don’t let get love’…
there are enough different versions of Heartless to allow it to give Andrea a moment… assuming TPTB want to go with the bounce and not against it…
I see all Ben’s choices as positive, and demo delighting… the 2 growly Joe Cocker songs play to his voice… he did 1 at Judges Houses… and doing a current Ed Sheeran love song… will certainly make the ladies (and a few men) swoon…
agree that they want SK to do well with these choices… esp as they have already done Run to positive results at bootcamp…
Lauren seems to have the most potential for luke warm results… and Andrea if he gets Respect or Hero…
New poster here but I think I have an idea of how they will style and construct the general tone for Andrea if ‘Heartless’ was to ‘win’ the jukebox vote. Aussie X Factor winner in 2012 Samantha Jade sang a version in her semi-final which saw a great amount of praise (and the first full judges standing O of her series!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvPrayjoLHA.
Cheryl’s comment during the sing off about Andrea not being particularly diverse/singing the same sort of thing sets up this storyline of a strong vocal while adding in some much-needed freshness and dare I say, ‘swag’ for the Italian. It steps away from the uber-diva direction they have pretty much enforced upon him and creates this classy and innovative vibe which is bound to pick up straying voters.
However in saying that I don’t know how or why that would fit into the general concensus discussed above and in other threads about the grand scheme of booting Andrea ASAP in order to ensure the success of Fluer, SK and Ben. It would most definitely grant Andrea a bounce while also countering the idea that he doesn’t make songs his own *insert other Cowell/Walsh cliché’s here*. That said a lot of people seem to be picking up on the fact the show is imploding in on itself and making a hash of genuine talent over controversy and cliché’s so it wouldn’t particularly surprise me if this was to actually happen.
May be an off-topic and ill informed ramble but knowing how the X Factor franchise too often recycle themes, judges, styling and song choices I thought it may be worth alerting you all.
I’d say we can probably get a clear picture of how the voting went this week:
1st: Ben/Fleur
2nd: Ben/Fleur
3rd: Stereo Kicks
4th: Lauren
5th: Andrea
6th: Stevi
Starting from the bottom, I think it is obvious Stevi polled lowest since the producers would clearly have found a way around kicking Andrea out if he finished bottom. I think Lauren just scraped through due to her being announced as safe last. The act called safe last is either being kept on stage because everyone expects them to be bottom two or because they are third from bottom (past series provide evidence for this). I think Stereo Kicks aren’t able to break the top 2 (yet!) so I think they must have finished 3rd. Plus the vote topper is never called first. The one thing I am unsure on though is where Ben and Fleur are polling. Maybe the huge shift in bookies odds suggests Fleur topped the vote? I remember Alexandra claimed bookies favourite the first time she topped the vote.
I doubt being last act safe really means she was the last act safe. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lauren finished higher than SK in the votes. Still comes down to the brother thing for me, that bought her a lot more votes IMO.
Also next week I don’t believe the running order is that big a deal. Its all about how they control the acts, because from here on in they already know where they are in the vote and how much they can control it. Obviously going last with great production help will not help, but I don’t believe the running order counts for a great deal once the acts have to sing twice anyway. So I expect Lauren to finally get a later slot in the order perhaps 4th and 8th or 9th, but with more lukewarm comments, poor staging and perhaps bad arrangements of the songs. They will try not to strike sympathy though. This is with the assumption that Lauren is the target (but called last is not good for me)
last with great production help will not hurt* that should have said
Also I am probably talking crap as there are few exceptions such as Tamera, but in general the contestant eliminated has gone either 1st or 2nd and 6th or 7th. Just decided to do some research, I guess just like any other week, running order counts to an extent, but treatment tells all aswell
Loved that sing off. Andrea going home for Stevi would have been the money shot but even so it was worth a tenner just for the emotions and excitement aI went through.
If you continually punt on odds that are too long you’ll get your win someday. I have no regrets about the small amount of money I lost on Andrea to go!
A fun weekend really. no profit on weekend but it was good experience, plenty hedging, Stevie must have been bottom of the vote, it was all set up for deadlock with the comments if Louis wanted to.
Now while I am a bit biased re Lauren and I was worried last night enough to cover my bet for safety, she must be voting well, has not been treated great recently and has had no pimp slot so maybe deserves more credit than has been getting recently.
Lauren fits a pop star market and is most current and relatable for a younger audience. two songs next week could help her. good odds now for a top up bet at the minute, easy cover after if needed.
I still think Fleur and SK being pimped to keep them in and get as far as possible. Don’t think an act pimped that much really deserves to be favourite just yet.
They have started what seems a Ben de ramp. They are good at it this year but they haven’t got Lauren even though they seemed to have tried.
Got an un expected pay out today for SK top group.
Still think Lauren and Ben have a chance of victory if TPTB allow so firmly holding station with my book position. Should have laid Andrea more.
If they decide to push either for the win they can do it as no real pimping etc. so far.
Well done to all on Sofabet who picked Andrea bottom two.
Middle of the show seems to be the danger spots for some reason.
based on possible song choices for next week… the B2 tonight… recent treatment by TPTB… and gut instinct…
I expect Lauren & Andrea to exit in 4th and 5th… and a final 3 of SK, Ben and Fleur…
Didn’t they save Luke twice in a row last year to get him to the final? I guess same again for SK if we assume Andrea bounces and Ben and Fleur are up at the top.
4 saves to make a final though would be a bit much, but not out of TPTB’s armour.
Well, almost cashed in on Andrea – it was well worth a punt at 66/1.
Meanwhile, it’s time for the VT photo of the week – and early production tests of a 24 spin-off show, starring Ben Haenow and his best mates look promising…
http://goo.gl/Pyb7vV
LOL…
will Andrea be the ‘foreign’ super villain?
Personally I’d like Andrea to get Heartless. He’d never do it Kanye style but The Fray’s version would be brilliant. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBTdJHkAr5A
Other choices are boring, boring, boring. Same ol’ for him.
I read Lauren’s Swedish House Mafia and I think Kye Sonnes. I’m on the team who thinks they want her out. I think desired bottom today was Andrea and Lauren. “Big shock!”
Just a curiosity: my 8 year old absolutely hates her. She’s been very annoyed that Lauren has not in the bottom 2.
SK could get Run. It could help them if they show improvement from the chair’s crapfest. Hasn’t someone done fix you this year? Maybe it was last year…
I’d hope to see something else from Ben and Fleur, even though they could do those songs well, they wouldn’t be my choices… Grumpy me!
Ok it *should* be a lot easier to call bottom two this week now that there are only 5 acts left. I would be extremely surprised if Ben and Fleur weren’t the top two last night (although maybe SK could have possibly clinched the #2 spot due to their pimp slot). The past few years have seen a sing-off in the Top 5 week. Could Andrea bounce from (presumably) 5th place to 3rd? Very possibly. I’m sure a lot of his fans got complacent with their support and if TPTB really come down on him hard next week, it will provoke a lot of sympathy. A soft blow is the way to go but it may take a bounce first. I’m sure producers will do all they can in order to bring down Andrea though. Maybe an Akister-style take down i.e. pimping everyone bar him – even Lauren and Ben… As long as they can get Andrea comfortably in the bottom two, it doesn’t matter who joins him because then they can bounce into the final. A bottom-two appearance for Fleur wouldn’t be completely ridiculous at this stage. If she polled 2nd this week, she only needs to drop two spots to fall into the sing-off. A James Arthur-style outrage from the judges that she ever fell into that position could ignite a lot of sympathy for her… The most likely scenario for me though is TPTB keeping Fleur safe and (because they’ve already been tainted with a sing-off appearance) putting Stereo Kicks up against Andrea in a sing-off. The justification for saving Stereo Kicks over Andrea could be “well both acts have landed in the sing-off more than once, it doesn’t really matter who I save at this stage”.
I was out tonight but followed social media etc. continuously and went in with a small, but potentially very profitable, bet on Andrea to go. I agree that if he had polled de facto bottom, deadlock would have been engineered. It would have been a massive water cooler moment, and he could go under the bus next week instead. However, there was no way in a million years that the judges could have credibly saved him off their own bat.
Down this weekend, largely due to the bet on Andrea to go but it was well worth a punt at the odds on the table. The fact that Andrea was so long and Stevi so short makes me wonder if someone knew something I didn’t?
We’re now into the business end of the competition. The quarter finals of 2011 was Janet’s famous Death Of A Thousand Cuts. I see Lauren or Andrea as the target next week; it depends entirely on whether or not Andrea can bounce to the semis.
Either way, another victory for followers of the Red and Black and Fire theories.
Glad that people are seeing what I’ve seen for a long time: that Andrea isn’t running away with the vote. My little bet of Ben/Fleur final two looks good now.
You wasnt alone believe me
I said in the week 5 comments that the possibility of Andrea getting a pimp slot is because he is not voting as well as people think.
Monday morning odds
Winner
Fleur East 11/10 (various)
Ben Haenow 7/2 (various)
Andrea Faustini 9/2 (boylsports) surprised he is still this short
Lauren Platt 10/1 (various)
Stereo Kicks 12/1 (various)
Next elim – only Paddies have prices up as yet
Lauren Platt 6/4
Stereo Kicks 7/4
Andrea Faustini 5/2
Ben Haenow 6/1
Fleur East 10/1
Well for me that 6/4 on Lauren will get snapped up, I expect her to be shorter by Saturday. She hasn’t been in B2 yet of course, but well only 5 acts left and I think she will be one put to the sword to ensure Fleur and SK continue on their rise. Honestly do not think TPTB would mind Lauren being the 3rd finalist, and only they will know how she is doing in the votes compared to say Ben, but the treatment of Ben the past 2 weeks makes me believe he is the danger to Fleur. He is the Matt Cardle of this competition. Nice guy, likeable, versatile in the song choices, older women love him, your every day bloke likes him. He is picking up votes from many sources. I also know a few people who have had Ben as their 2nd choice from the first week, so contestants eliminated, their votes are going to Ben, or now possibly Fleur.
I also think a possibility they try their utmost to stop an Andrea bounce, but I think Andrea has more of a core support than Jay or Stevie and may just be able to bounce. We have to consider the difference in votes between Andrea and 2 or 3 above him was minimal meaning a bounce is more likely.
Lauren’s treatment this week 7 was good, but still enough deramping signs to show she is not producers favourite. It almost felt like this week was a week where Lauren was allowed to show her true ability, to set her up for a deal (probably not with syco) after the show, but also the end of journey week. X Factor does sometimes do this. Their target this week was Andrea as they knew they could get him, with Lauren as a possible back up. Ideally I am sure TPTB would love Andrea to go this week keeping Lauren around a week longer now, but they would settle for Lauren going in the quarter-finals. They definitely want SK and Fleur around for longer.
We have to look at what they did for Lauren in week 7. Dancing with her brother, showing she can actually dance, sing and perform at the same time. Yes its an end of journey feel, however in the comments after the show many were saying its an end of journey for that night, which I disagreed with (stubbornly) as she did enough to ensure she got votes, producers knew this too, they knew her end of journey was in week 7, but it was a vote pleasing end of journey meaning she would pick up more votes, but I expect her VT now in week 8 to signal that end of journey feel, everything about this week will be ‘I have completed my dream, I can go quietly now’.
So this week for me is Lauren to go, they will roll with Andrea’s bounce, and possibly allow SK to fall into the bottom 2 with Lauren, saving them and setting them up for the final.
Only other option is to do their best to ensure SK survive without another B2, so that their save in the semi-final will just be their 1st save since week 4, ensuring it doesn’t look ridiculous if they are saved twice in a row in week 8 and week 9 meaning 2 saves. However to ensure Andrea doesn’t bounce above SK it would have to be a nuking of epic proportions next week and they would have to eliminate him instead of Lauren.
All I can garuntee is I wouldn’t touch SK’s 7/4 to go, they would only go against Fleur.
Sorry for the long post, but can’t wait for the voting figures to come out, would love to know how Ben, Lauren and Fleur are all doing at this stage.
At this moment I sense a definite end to Lauren’s journey. In fact, her journey ended in big band week when we saw clear evidence of vote transfer tactics from TPTB by featuring Fleur as big sister in Lauren’s VT. We saw Fleur represented as a role model and guardian to Lauren – someone who cares and provides for her, offers advice, makes cups of tea and meets her family (house visitor and World Championship Street Dancer, Lewis).
The family theme has become more prominent with Lauren recently, especially this saturday with Lewis on stage and the full Platt clan looking on from the audience. Also, the word ‘tiny’ was used more than once with Lauren which not only suggests vulnerability and weakness but also distances her in viewers’ minds from the grand spectacle of a big arena final.
It was no coincidence that Fleur also had a strong family theme this week, but there was a definite contrast.
Lauren ‘tiny’ Platt was joined on stage by someone even smaller than herself, who arguably overshadowed her in both performance and interview. Grouping Lauren with her younger brother helps to remind us that she’s still a child, a small fish out of water – not voting for her is actually a feel-good decision because she will ultimately be returned to the warm and protective bosom of her family.
Fleur, on the other hand, is the mature and capable driving force of her family. The feeling we get is that they are inspired by her, respect her and look up to her – similar to her earlier portrayal as guardian to Lauren.
With Only The Young now out of the equation, it’s very likely that much of Lauren’s vote will transfer to Fleur after she leaves the competition. The big sister VT and this week’s joint family appearances are good indicators and I fully expect these transfer tactics to continue into next week. The question is, how strong is Fleur’s vote? The answer will determine if Lauren goes this week or in the semi-final – if she wasn’t well clear Andrea, which I suspect to be the case, then Lauren may be sacrificed this week to ensure Fleur’s safe passage to the final.
If instead they choose to shoot down Andrea this week, they’ll need Fleur to out-poll Lauren in the semi-final which I suspect she hasn’t done so far this series.
Either way, with Lauren dispatched before the final and Fleur making it, her chances are significantly improved with a successful and significant vote transfer and the backing of Cheryl.
http://goo.gl/QokxVe
Haha just said similar above
Great analysis on the whole Fleur big sister thing, its actually quite amazing how they do it, the producers.
Agree on everything you said apart from Fleur not polling higher than lauren at any stage in the competition. Fleur topped the vote this weekend I guarantee.
Stoney, can you elaborate on why you think Fleur topped the vote this week?
The social media metrics don’t point to Fleur topping the vote or establishing herself as winner. As a youth-centric act, she should be performing a lot stronger on Facebook and Youtube, but this week, both platforms suggest she’s not breaking through.
On twitter, she still lacks the following of Stereo Kicks, Lauren and Ben.
This weekend, she was one of two acts to drop places on i-tunes on Sunday. Ben & Stereo Kicks gained places.
If she can’t sell records or top the stats with the full weight of the show behind her, can we logically assume she’s topping the vote?
Answer me this in statistics. How many favourites at this stage of the competition have gone on to lose?
I gave up trying to convince people to back fleur ages ago. But clearly lots are as shes touching odds on now.
Fleur is plan A, I can’t disagree with you there. I even backed her 40+ before live shows, but felt for the same reasons I do now, that she might fail to break middle England when it matters. I have no problem with her winning, I just can’t see it in the stats as they are now.
When Andrea hit the bottom 2, the market was desperate to find another winner. I think the market has naively overlooked the middle-England magnet and a potential Little Mix.
Dont start trying to come along and taking the credit for Fleurs rise through the ranks now pal. Everyone knows I called her as winner first 😉
Good on you if you got them odds though.
Also I’m only on fleur every one else is red
I have been happy to take6/4 on Lauren going next weekend. Great odds
Votes closed for the jukebox songs, any idea when they get announced?
I love what it says on the x factor website though
‘The contestants have put forward three songs that they would LOVE to sing and all you have to do is use the Fifth Judge feature on the app and make the choice for them.’
Err yeah :p
I think last year they were announced with the song choices as usual weren’t they?
Also they’re doing two songs – any ideas on the second theme?
Being announced throughout day
Ben has Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud – demo pleasing obviously
Andrea has got Hero
Fleur gets If I Ain’t got you
Don’t you worry child for Lauren
Andrea got Hero? Welp, if it’s not a dubstepped uptempo version he’ll be called out for playing it safe again. Def. a target.
If ‘Don’t You Worry Child‘ doesn’t illustrate my earlier points about Lauren – I don’t know what does.
There was a time
I used to look into my father’s eyes.
In a happy home
Oh dear. I can’t stop myself.
Beware of confirmation bias.
That song also contains the lines
“Don’t you worry, don’t you worry child
‘Cos heaven’s got a plan for you”.
They can surround Lauren with her trademark angelic lights and look and give it the same or even more emotional weight than she had with “Happy”.
The lyrics in the Ed Sheeran song can also be interpreted as end of journey.
“Baby we found love right where we are”.
*shrugs*
The real question is, which third person in the final do tptb think will benefit them most.
Imo that person is Lauren, but obviously the presentation on the night is everything. The one thing we can be fairly sure of is that they have already made their mind up, and it aint Andrea. Why people think he’s not vulnerable next week I don’t know. Stevi’s performance, although not on his level, was emotional enough to make Andrea very disposable. Even the worst singer in the competition can evoke a profound response.
Pah. Don’t need him any more.
I would also be very wary of assuming that Fleur needs votes. The girls at my work love her.
“Fleur’s beautiful”
“Fleur’s amazing”
“Wasn’t it amazing when she was up on stage with her mum and her sister”
“Her sister looks like her, so pretty. Even her mum, she was so young looking”
“It was lovely”
“Fleur’s got a lovely body”
“Fleur deserves it”
“If anyone deserves it Fleur does”
“She’s worked so hard all these years as a backing singer and everyone knows it’s the backing singers that are the best singers”
These are the sorts of things I was hearing today.
Do you work in a Fleurists?
Welcome to team fleur jess 🙂
Hey. I’ve been of Fleur for a while when I took some B2 combos involving OTY, SK and Fleur. Sad OTY have gone because I was into them at 250/1 but I’ve still got 50/1 on a Fleur / SK top 2 in no particular order.
You did write her off originally 😉
Most people wrote her off, in fact nearly everyone bar yourself (and I also recognised from about week 2 that she was definitely at least 1 of the main plans, if not plan A, I thought it was between her and Lauren and I made the wrong choice at the time)
However its not over yet, but like you said most of the time TPTB plan A at this stage is the eventual winner by hook or by crook
Exactly. Just hoping stereokicks ain’t favoured slightly more. I don’t believe they are but they can’t be far behind in their wishes
I don’t think Stevi completely served his purpose on the show. I still reckon they were hoping to save him in a sing-off over one of the fodder acts like Lola or Paul to generate some controversy. Not that it would have been anything like the days of old, as the public at large don’t seem as invested in the show nowadays.
The way he performed in the sing-off though….
That, for me, was one of the most memorable moments of any X-Factor. There was Andrea, with the voice of an angel, and there was Stevi, ordinary bloke, call-centre worker with his estuary accent and all his vocal limitations.
And for a brief while, when he sang about his moment, there were millions thinking “oh my God! He’s going to do this”. It wasn’t about the money for me. I wanted him to win it just to show that some days a huge heart counts for more than anything else. He sang his great heart out and it was beautiful. He moved me more than Andrea and for tptb that was a massive bonus. For that sing-off he was the one with the X-Factor.
After all the criticism he’s had as being neither a proper joke act nor a proper singer I suspect he’ll now be right up there in the pantheon of never to be forgottens.