X Factor 2017: Live Show 3

Tonight’s next elimination betting is headed by Leon Mallett, hoping to ‘Get Lucky’, having managed to ‘Stay’ after an unimpressive first live show. His closest rival is fellow member of the boys category, Sam Black, who remains stuck in 1961 for ‘La Lamba / Twist & Shout’. According to the market, the other act in the mix is Jack & Joel, with their take on current number one, ‘Havana’.

Among the more feted contestants, last week’s prize-fight runners-up, Rak-Su, give us another Latin original with ‘Dimelo’. The Cutkelvins’ rendition of ‘Reggaeton Lento’ is much anticipated, while we expect to see Lloyd continue to be portrayed as the ‘Hero’ of his weak category. Sean & Conor Price hope to improve on last week’s effort with ‘Cheap Thrills’.

We think the market has tonight’s elimination odds about right, and prefer to wait and see how the acts are treated. There’s no news yet suggesting it’s anything but a single elimination, but we’ll be watching Dermot’s introduction closely just in case. Do let us know your thoughts on the show as it pans out, below.

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182 comments to X Factor 2017: Live Show 3

  • Alan

    Would lump on Leon or Sam but my concern would be a potential desire on TPTBs part to even up the categories and dump a group out.

  • On ITV this afternoon the voiceover man confirmed it’s a single elimination for tonight’s show.

  • Where are Reggie N Bollie when you need them? The Macarena would’ve gone down a storm with this theme…

  • India Marie

    Based on that running order, bye bye Leon? plus a little on one of the duos in case the market becomes overconfident

  • Rose

    Why do I think being smart enough to sing in Spanish isn’t all that smart on the X Factor?

    • Plinkiplonk

      With two guys that are probably sh*gging and singing about another guy they fancy – singing in Spanish is probably not the biggest of their problems, considering that their ‘mentor’ has just been the only judge to critisise them as well…

      • Rose

        I don’t think the audience is as homophobic as you imply. We have gay marriage and an increasing number of openly gay performers. Studies show that over half the people sampled support gay rights and gay marriage. This has been a true revolution In recent years. The Conservatives would never have stolen the Liberal’s policy to promote gay marriage if it hadn’t been recognised as a policy that would appeal to a wide audience including Tory voters. I never meant to imply that singing in Spanish was their worst problem but I think it’s only the really very much older population like my mother who still balk at gay men performing and, indeed, having sex. And I don’t think the 80+ year olds make up a huge proportion of the vote. While j&J probably aren’t going to go far in the competition, they opened the show because they are fun. Their evident gay status isn’t going to be what brings them down imo. However their mentor’s comments are much more pertinent. I’d rather not read homophobic comments on here if I am frank.

        • India Marie

          I don’t think voters are outright homophobic, but the show may be playing with implicit biases people have re: LGBT folk when dealing with JJ

          • Alan

            There’s nothing homophobic about suggesting being gay and singing about a guy might be off-putting to some viewers. Its simply reflecting a fact of life, however unpleasant.

        • Plinkiplonk

          I am at a loss to see how my comment was supposed to be homophobic. This is the show that over the years has persistently shoved openly (and not so openly) gay male performers back into the closet, presumably in order to make them eligible to the teenage girl vote. It’s either that or the Rylan / Diva Fever campfest, and being gay myself, that’s not the way I would like to be portrayed on TV.

          • Rose

            Fair enough Plinkiplonk. I take your point and apologise as you evidently did not come at it from a homophobic viewpoint. But I honestly think that while J&J are pretty evidently gay, it is neither being concealed and closeted nor pushed into the foreground and turned into pantomime, They’re not the only male performers to sing a song about love without changing the pronoun from he to she this series and I do think that people in general are more open and accepting of gay performers now. It’s far less true in other areas such as sport of course. It just didn’t strike me that the likelihood they are gay and singing about having sex with men would be the instant reaction of viewers and that this would put viewers off. While there are huge areas in the LGBTQ community that are still extremely difficult to accept to the older cisgender heterosexual person, this performance didn’t strike me as a likely candidate to join them. And clearly people are voting for them – maybe not in huge numbers and their time is limited but they’ve come through two weeks unscathed and their sexuality is not being used to deramp them. Neither, I feel, despite all our debate last year, was the fact that one of our finalists was a lesbian used to bring her down. I may. be being naive but I’d like to think that some small progress has been made now right wing politics has made gay marriage a long awaited reality.

          • Martin

            ITV’s policy with homosexuality seems to always be “if we don’t mention it, it’s not our problem”. They often tread a tightrope between not making a song and dance about it, but also not denying it. It’s good in a way – why should it be treated any differently than a straight contestant singing a song about the opposite sex?

            It shouldn’t – but not all viewers will be comfortable with it. I don’t expect the show to use sexuality as a stick to beat homosexual contestants with, but similarly I don’t expect that all viewers will be comfortable to hear two male contestants singing about waking up next to another man after a wild night of passion.

  • The winner gets to record with a great “producer”. This “producer” isn’t going to give away any good song of his/hers to an xfactor winner of week 2/3. Hopefully they have a good song of their own that this producer likes.

  • Alan

    Terrible comments for J & J, Dermot turning the knife but the worst ever VT for Leon. So much deadwood to work through.

  • jimortz1980

    confirmed running order…

    Week 3 (Saturday 11/4)

    1. Jack & Joel
    2. Leon Mallet
    3. Sean & Conor Price
    4. Lloyd Macey
    5. The Cutkelvins
    6. Rak-Su
    7. Sam Black

  • Plinkiplonk

    Predictably, he has been totally shafted with the song, and the comments are hanging him out to dry, poor guy.

  • Hammo

    Anyone reckon they want to stress that Leon was out of his comfort zone!?!

  • Nice turn of phrase from Dermot there: “Obviously in this category… you’re out of your comfort zone.”

    The judges claimed the song was out of his comfort zone but he twisted that nicely.

  • James Martin

    Leon dead man walking

  • Phil

    This must be the worst show they’ve ever done. Everybody awful so far.

  • Rose

    I thought the Price’s VT was fun and suitably young but I wasn’t so sure of that song for them and some distraction from the judges just to muddle things up a bit

  • Stoney

    Oh dear looks like Raksu need all the help they can get.

  • Plinkiplonk

    Just how badly fitting is Lloyd’s suit? That shoulder…

    • India Marie

      It fits with his “awkward-ish boy who sings well” shtick fwiw

      Will they do Rak-Su and The Cutkelvins side by side? This feels like a Battle Round from The Voice, if ever

  • Rose

    Well the fishfinger sandwich seems to have taken its place alongside the prawn Skips in the food references in this series

  • India Marie

    Doing a Latino week in a country whose most memorable run-in with the Spanish is destroying their navy more than 400 years ago is starting to sound like a bad idea

  • Rose

    Ha ha ha they’ve walled in the woo woo brothers this time!

  • James Martin

    This is the gift that keeps on giving!

  • Still boxing the brothers off from the sister. They’re really keeping a lid on The CutKelvins.

  • So… The CutKelvins.. discuss

    or are they being setup for ‘the moment’

  • Plinkiplonk

    Do we think that next week, the CutKelvin bros will be actually left backstage? This was an unholy mess.

  • India Marie

    I just realised: what’s the prize this week? i missed the opening

  • I assume this is lining up for a comment to Rak Su about them “really being a group”?

    Simon’s cold “I’m not really interested” says a lot though.

  • There’s a risk of going down the rabbithole but what was that lego moment about, with Simon being thrown by Dermot asking him to introduce his final act?

  • The trouble with RakSu is, they sound like a Chinese or Japanese meal

  • Phil

    Did Rak-Su not sing this song last week?

  • David Cook

    Whatever you think of Rak-su does anyone still think there is even the remotest chance that Cutkelvins can beat them after that back to back performance and comments.

    • Ben Cook

      No, not now. The Cutkelvins girl isn’t a strong enough vocalist. And Rak-Su still come across as a bit cheesy but very likable. I think they’ll overtake Grace in the betting this week.

  • Alan

    Stoney’s gone quiet…..

  • Alan

    Sam getting the same VT as Leon -Surprised to get through, doesn’t deserve to be there, struggling with the song.

  • Rose

    It’s hard to look at Sam’s set – way too much going on – he is doing a lot better than last week but being associated with Rod Stewart is hardly pitching him as current

  • Plinkiplonk

    Right, so we are meant to believe that Rak Su are the second coming, I take it? They are about as talented as Reggie & Bollie and will have about as much longevity as Rough Copy, but sure…

    As For Sam, his voice actualy suited the songs, but he’s being killed with the comments. As if that was his choice.

    And of course Louis is twisting the knife as usual.

    • We’re meant to try and make money… 20s down to 5/4 is a good start, but still a long way to go… Reggie ‘n’ Bollie finished 2nd, they didn’t have a ready made album nor were they attractive or ‘current’

      Think about it… are you honestly saying that Reggie ‘N’ Bollie are equally talented than Rak-Su… or do you have a deeper hatred of certain ‘types’ of acts/confirmation bias/book talk?

    • India Marie

      Don’t get too invested emotionally with the acts, positive or negative. Regardless of your thoughts on Rak-Su, the show loves them and the public seem to as well.

      • That’s my point… people seem to be getting emotionally involved with their betting, due to the music they like or the way an act is. That’s a dangerous game.

        When betting in these kind of markets we need to look at things from what the producers want to happen, then the wider public, then a few other things… finally what we want. Not put what we want to happen at the top of that list

        Personally I’d love it if they didn’t top the vote tonight as they’d become a backable price

        • James Martin

          Don’t get emotionally invested. I fell into that trap with Holly Brewer at Eurovision You Decide, when with hindsight it was fairly obvious that Lucie Jones, already having a Musical Theatre career to her name and a song penned by a former ESC winner, would come in.

  • Alan

    Almost as if TPTB have been reading Sofabet the way they’ve handled the acts tonight. Every tactic highlighted pumped up to the max.

  • Louis didn’t exactly twist the knife with Sam then plunge it in and out continually. Sam wants to be dated. He doesn’t want to be current.

  • Alan

    Throwing my app votes Leon’s way. Poor sod.

  • David Cook

    At least Sam’s backing dancers have reached the 1980’s – it’s the Addicted to Love video.

  • India Marie

    My impression is that all the acts were incinerated, save Rak-Su.

    • But from the point of the show (apologies as this is moving away from betting for a moment), as they’re revealing the winner of each night, having the same one be victorious over and over again is going to kill it? It needs some variation. One thing they got right last year was we entered final night without knowing which way it was going to go.

      Though in fairness I think they gave Lloyd a fair swing at it last week and he missed.

  • Tpfkar

    My reading of all that was that Rak-Su will win easily – massive reaction in the room – and they are surely looking like Alpua Group at present?

    I thought they were trying to contain Lloyd and Cutkelvins – did they poll too well last week? And give Sam Black all the help they could.

    And I thought they didn’t care about Leon, J&J or S&C. Think they all look disposable. Possibly S&C value to go?

    • India Marie

      Worth a punt tbh but my overall pick to leave is still Leon

    • Plinkiplonk

      Sorry… ‘give Sam Black all the help they could’??? It that was giving him help, I don’t want to see what they’ll do if they want to hamper him. He was totally slated, and then his ‘mentor’ claimed this was all Sam’s own doing.

      • Tpfkar

        It’s how I saw it: pimp slot, celebrity duet week 2, comfort zone performance of well known song, over the top criticism generating sympathy. Let’s see in a few moments…

  • James Martin

    The interval act budget has been cut I see.

  • Alan

    Does anyone think Tokio is gonna sell records? Really don’t get it at all.

  • Sagand

    Everything about tonight’s show was directed towards RakSu. The theme, the running order, Cutkelvins lack of unity, Sam not wanting to be current. The only possible downside is this the treatment you want in week two? Is it a little desperate? Can they keep it up? That performance was better than last week and will be internet popular. The question is it an Uptown Funk moment or a real game changer?

  • James Martin

    Clean hit from the producers but weeks on end of Grace vs Rak Su is going to tire very quickly. It’s Ryan in the lifeline vote all over again.

    • India Marie

      When you put it this way, I expect a deramping of Grace tomorrow… but her song is so good so I’m confused now

      • Alan

        Maybe the plan is for Grace and Rak-Su to win every week. Maybe the plan is for them to look head and shoulders above the rest, ready made stars, sign both after final, sell records and make loads of money. Maybe the record label comes before the franchise this year. Its a very strange decision and its flaws were obvious from day one.

        • James Martin

          That’s the only logical explanation.

        • India Marie

          Given that the show is about to die soon, choosing Syco over the TV show makes sense.

          THAT SAID, haven’t they always been record label over show? It seemed the case during the show’s peak and, save a few years here and there, it has been during the decline?

          • Alan

            I think last year was about making the series unpredictable. They werent overly bothered about who won. They signed 5AM anyway.

  • 360

    Boom target taken down. Yawn.

  • Plinkiplonk

    It’s tricky, isn’t it? Because the price sing off is the only time Rak Su will face Grace before all acts perform in one show. Coming to think of it, that may be a very welcome side-use of that underwhelming sing off…

    Text book kill tonight, with various acts being not so much dampened then smothered in wet towels. Let’s see if the chosen ones are up against Grace again tomorrow, in which case they simply HAVE to win, otherwise this show is dead and buried.

    Also, I wonder why they changed the order, last week the winner of the evening was announced at the very end, surely? Simply tweaking the format, or a way to isolate Rak Su more clearly from the pack?

  • Uzair

    What was the order for who got saved?

  • India Marie

    “We didn’t see that coming!” Clearly the show’s social media team isn’t privy to the inside track https://twitter.com/thexfactor/status/926932710559506432

  • The show needs Rak-Su and Rak-Su need the show. It is the perfect joint venture between an act saving a brand and a brand helping an act make it big.

  • James Martin

    Can we see Grace doing a cover as a minor dreamp?

    • India Marie

      If anything, I see it as room for her to do her thing. She probably doesn’t have Latino influences in her songs, and people have been complaining about her ceaseless use of original tracks (something Rak-Su gets less hate for tbh)

  • Chatterbox5200

    If they were doing things equally, it would be Groups/Girls next week, with Boys/Overs the other night. That would give us an opportunity to see who tops the public vote – Grace or Rak-Su. However, if an Over gets eliminated tomorrow, that would make for really lopsided shows – one with 8 acts and the other having only 4 acts. That would give TPTB an ideal excuse to keep the Girls and Groups on different nights.

  • George

    iTunes update

    36. Rak-Su (Mamacita also getting a boost at #17)
    182. Lloyd
    582. Sean & Connor
    921. The Cutkelvins

    I’m surprised Lloyd is doing relatively well.

    • India Marie

      Lloyd has a solid voice that works for some people, regardless of the actual song

      • David Cook

        I voted for Lloyd tonight – based mainly on the fact that I couldn’t bring myself to vote for any of the other rubbish we were presented with. As a viewer I thought the whole night was dreadful.

    • Lloyd was obviously second in the vote tonight, as he was last week. It’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for 😉

      • George

        Though worth mentioning the original versions of Havana and Reggaéton Lento have got a huge boost, so perhaps doing an older song is working in Lloyd’s favour on the chart.

        Dimelo up to #9 and Mamacita #5, more evidence if we needed any that they ran away with it tonight.

    • India Marie

      may I ask: what’s the source? most of the ones I see go only to 200

    • fused

      Lloyd is one of my least favourite acts to be honest, because frankly I find him incredibly boring, but I’ve also always thought he will do well in the vote, certainly the phone vote. He has that “nan’s favourite” vibe to him. In some series, he might be the default winner, though that doesn’t appear to be the case here as he hasn’t topped the vote either week. But I expect he’s quite high up.

      I can see him getting signed if he does get far in the contest, probably just releasing one of those Mother’s Day albums, but still.

    • Anglia Chu

      Seeing Rak-Su do so well now makes me think the show missed an opportunity to demonstrate their strength when the show was at its peak. I can imagine 1D/Cher/Matt/Rebecca/Mary and even the others to do well on iTunes circa 2010;

      It’s now
      3 Rak-Su
      94 Lloyd
      340 Sean & Conor
      341 The Cutkelvins
      595 Sam
      1395 Jack & Joel

      and last week’s songs
      4 Rak-Su
      34 Grace
      223 Lloyd
      266 The Cutkelvins
      370 Matt
      568 Kevin
      579 Jack & Joel
      1097 Sean & Conor
      1332 Tracyleanne

      Interesting to see what will happen after tonight’s show.

      • Anglia Chu

        to add, The Voice (US) had an incentive structure where you get a boost in your vote count if your track gets top 10 on iTunes. Not sure if it’s still on today but with the right nudging, XF could have filled in the iTunes charts 7-8 years ago, even without a vote boost incentive

  • David Cook

    I’m still confused by the treatment of S&C. The VT was really favourable coming across as very likeable. The performance was poor again, with really weak vocals, yet again the comments were OTT in relation to what we heard. However both seeks they seem to have been set up to fall by giving them song choices that just don’t suit them. It can’t be coincidence that both songs are originally performed by really strong vocalists that they can’t possibly compare with. It seems very mixed treatment.

  • The Juan

    I’m going to put it out there… raksu are gash.

    The wobbly head singer, the one with glasses who couldn’t pull in a brothel and the dancer who looks like an unemployed gym bunny..coupled with lyrics a gnvq studying, justeat advert watching individual would vote for…maybe that’s the demographic now?

    I thought all the acts were pretty awful tonight. Lloyd has a good voice but class, unfortunately, is an unnoticed quality.

    I think the cutkelvins polled well again, with the awful staging, slot after the break and song choice arguement with the mentor.

    It’ll be interesting when they do the girls v groups and stick Rak-Su and grace on as the first acts with cutkelvins in the pimp.

    • Panos

      That will never happen.

      • Alan

        It’s as clear as day that TPTB favour Rak-Su and that with that support Rak-Su will get more votes. Its pointless talking about running order and staging. It ain’t gonna happen. Cutkelvins backers should abandon all hope. If you can’t see that you’re in denial.

        • 100% agree. Denial is not a river in Lanark, nor in Belize. At every single stage of the competition, the claim to the throne by Cutkelvins fans/backers was less by TPTB provided right and more by hope for glory (oh Mans).

    • Tim B

      I agree to some extent. When Simon(?) commented on them being good looking I actually laughed out loud.

    • Uzair

      I’m a cutkelvins backer but after tonight I can’t help but think all that the cutkelvins can manage is 3rd best right now unl3ss there is a huge change next week. Raksu r the chosen one and there is nothing stopping them now. With only 6 weeks theres no dark horse for them to bring it grace vs raksu tonight. Raksu could be good for syco esp3fiallt since they do so well on iTunes Same with grace. They kept the lid on Lloyd and the cutkelvins tonight and everyone else seems like goners next week or the weel after. Looking forward to tomorrow who’ll get pimped my guess is Tracey Leanne or grace

    • Chris

      Possibly the worst week in history to open your comment with a misogynistic slur – lets keep it civil.

  • Uzair

    What a bad show tonight. Multiple red signs with the cutkelvins first no backup dancers both boys trppaed up high shereen left byherself with a bad vocal arragngement. Compare that to last week its a complete opposite it most likely means the cutkelvins polled well last week way out of the producers control. They wete last revealed safe tonight much like Leon from last week and he was eliminated today if all guns out on cutkelvins next week i think the Scottish vote can survive a week maybe 2 but with treatment similar to tonight’s or worse they won’t make the final. Its clear raksu r their chosen one im expecting a change up next week tongith was too similar to last week also what happens if they have to do a cover will it have the same effect they do have a lot of support and momentum. Lloyd seems a possible third place but they dont seem to keen and I’m expecting a week or 2 of good treatment before his hometown shrinks and he’s sent on first. Its a scorched earth alright not for grace but for raksu the only act tonight with a 4 judge standing ovation. Unless stuff changes in a week o think we’ve already got out winners

  • Andy

    I had to smile when the silent assassin introduced Tokio, ONE OF THE MOST ORIGINAL WINNERS THEY EVER HAD !!!!!!
    Emphasising Original.

  • Alen

    Lloyd was probably second last week and this week too. Simons sandwich comment was planned, remember all the food comments about Andrea Faustini?

    Think they just want to make sure he is not in the final for a surprise.

    • Uzair

      I think the poll went like this
      Raksu
      Lloyd
      The cutkelvins
      Sean and connor
      Sam black
      Jack and Joel
      Leon
      They really are holding the lid on Lloyd and the cutkelvins raksu for the win

  • David Cook

    Simon said something about the short series making it difficult to fully develop the Cutkelvins – which should be ringing alarm bells in itself. However its clear that rather than developing that last night they went backwards. To me it was almost as if someone had carefully analyzed last weeks performance, identified what was wrong and worked on those aspects to ensure that this week was worse. And then just in case anyone had missed it, they got Louis and Nicole to tell us all about it.

  • Plinkiplonk

    Doing away with the bottom 2 really leaves this wide open to speculation. With the outright winners now named first, and the loser being named last, I think the brain automatically assumes that the in-betweens are in descending order, while they are, of course, nothing of the sort. ‘In no particular order’ is actually an outright lie, since the order will in fact be very carefully curated to support the assumption above. For all we know, Leon last week and the Cutkelvins this week could have polled second, but the impression is that they just about scraped through.

    Also regarding the Cutkelvins; the one prominent common reaction everywhere was ‘why are the guys up in a box?’. So this week they put them in the same boxes, but with less light, and then they pile on that fact with judges comments. This is either setting up one almighty turn around next week when the guys take centre stage, or they are toast.

    • David Cook

      The one way they could really justify putting the boys at the back last week was the way it left the stage open for a performance with backing dancers. They could have chosen to develop that aspect into bigger performances. Instead they decided to remove the dancers and leave Shareen alone in the middle of a big empty stage.

    • Anglia Chu

      It’s the same setup as last week, but it’s more pronounced now because the brothers actually contributed significantly to the song. The comments now are a 180 from Sharon’s comment when the trio auditioned and it casts aspersions on the theories here that Syco want Shereen but not the others.

      • Uzair

        So from this year the three acts they want to sign are grace raksu and shereen. If they wanted shereen why not push her as a solo artist. Anyone else see the headlines this week a lot of mention of the cutkelvins. Their dead father their link to John Lennon their little brother possibly joining tjem
        Also there performance this week was like Emily week 6 the judges r trying to help them but Simon is being stubborn expecting them to be cased off again next week and shereen is given every opportunity to shine
        Or they decide to give them a fair chance and go back to them performing together and bouncing off each other. Also did anyone else hear the comment about all the judges wanting to mentor the cutkelvins. I mean raksu r gonna win but maybe theyll push cutkelvins a bit. This is the first time we’ve ever had 4 groups in week 2 now in week 3 im guessing 2 groups in the final. Interesting to see if grace beats raksu again if she does will they start her deramp. The problem is with grace is they can easily deramp her as she gets boring same with raksu they cant keep repeating performances. Its good that if one of them flop they can rely on the over.
        Hoping for a cutkelvins ballad next week with rihannas and Eminem love the way you lie or monster. That will fit them perfectly

        • Anglia Chu

          to be clear: I never peddled the idea that the show *seriously* wants to pluck Shereen from the family group. That sounds bollocks, to be honest.

        • Alan

          Its a stupid idea. Launch someone’s career by putting them at the front of a unsucessful group on the XFactor! They would be signing someone who looked like damaged goods. I dont think that’s how Cowell operates at all.

          So much confirmation bias in the comments this year. People dont like Grace so they dont rate her chances. People dont like Rak-Su so they cling to misguided hope for the Cutkelvins. Its as clear as day its a two horse race.

          The only question now is whether TPTB still want to sign Grace. They definitely want to sign Rak-Su. If they want to sign both I cant see them de-ramping Grace too much. Why damage the long term prospects of someone you hope to make money from? If they want to sign both I think things will continue as is with both acts getting pimped and TPTB letting the public decide the winner.

          We should have a much clearer idea after tonight’s show.

          • Anglia Chu

            I think they will want to sign Grace regardless, but next few weeks will tell if they prefer her as the show’s winner over Rak-Su.

  • The Juan

    Agree with plinkiplonk’s last comment

  • Martin

    Just caught up with last nights show – was busy with fireworks related things.

    Running order is interesting when they’re only interested in one act. It was alarmingly obvious last night how much they were doing for Rak Su and it’s working, clearly. The rest of the acts, including Cutkelvins, won’t get a look in. As a side note, are the dancers on strike this weekend?! All the performances felt flat and lacking – if they’re going to go nuclear, they could at least make things interesting to look at.

    Leon going was painfully obvious. His VT was rotten – clearly out of his depth and sulky, an uncomfortable performance, all of which was picked up by the judges in their comments, and masterfully by Dermot at the end.

    I think last nights show put Jack and Joel and Sam Black firmly in the cross hairs for next weekend, depending on what the categories are. J&J had all their charm from last week taken away and Sam Black is fortunate that there’s been one act worse than him each week so far. It’s all been said here already about his comments and Louis blaming it all on him, but Simon’s comments all clearly referenced making music which is going to be successful and Sam clearly has no interest in that himself. he doesn’t need to nuked when he can turn the gun on himself so competently.

    • Alan

      I liked how the judges made sure everyone knew Leon wasnt happy about the song choice and then proceeded to tell him what a great song choice it was about three times. So not only is he sulky he doesnt know what he’s talking about either. Simon then re-emphasised the point when commenting on S & C by saying he liked how they didnt complain about the song choice.

      There are take-downs where there are vital negatives within an overall positive tone but Leon’s was just an unrelenting wave of negativity all of which they managed to make look like he was pretty much in agreement with. Brutal.

      My daughter was jabbering away during Dermot’s interview with J&J but I thought I caught him tell them that “everyone was out of their depth” with the Latin theme. Funny how he mentioned that to J&J but not Rak-Su.

      • Martin

        Yeah – it didn’t feel like too much of a battering on Leon overall, because he was raining on his parade just as much as everybody else. It makes you wonder just what the people who build these VTs are whispering in the contestants ears to get the footage they need.

  • David Cook

    Maybe the blew the budget hiring Robert Palmer’s backing group for Sam.

  • Anglia Chu

    I missed last night and I’m watching back now. Not shocked that Leon’s gone.

    PRIZE. A little mining through the information given should tell us who it is, but I’m not really bothered.

    JACK & JOEL. It was so messy until they did Hasta El Amanecer. Staging was messy again; they look like singing tourists in old Latin America. The “geeky J-Lo” comment; as if it needs more reminding that they’re Oxford grads. Getting pilloried by Simon, their own mentor, tells me their journey is wrapping up.

    LEON. VT suggesting he shouldn’t even be here. They Latino-fied Talia’s staging. The song ate him alive; someone could have taken him mid-performance and you wouldn’t hear the difference. Simon’s comment hit hard but doesn’t elicit sympathy, something sorely missed by the show when he was gone. Balls. Dermot’s interview is brilliant.

    SEAN & CONOR. Song’s not friendly but the VT is very friendly. Performance and staging feels like dressed-up busking, if that makes sense; it’s growing on me but I can see how people won’t like it at first touch. Louis probably likes them more than he does his own acts (esp. Leon). Everything feels positive yet there’s a sense of deramping from an unknown place.

    *Leon was buried with the comparison of how he handled being out of the comfort zone and how these two did. RIP.

    LLOYD. I love his nan. VT will make Middle England love him, had he not been Welsh. Singing lacks Enrique’s sex appeal but the staging is so angelic I’m surprised there’s no choir. Simon’s comment suggests the future won’t be as bright and shiny, but doesn’t dent his standing now.

    *Nicole’s Spanish lessons are cringe.

    THE CUTKELVINS. They practiced two songs and took a risk. My darling Shereen is wearing Gifty’s Room 101 outfit and she had an off day. The brothers stood out, especially that they added so much while being caged. The feedback asking more involvement from the brothers is a reversal from what they’ve asked leading to the week; Nicole’s suggested staging is actually what I thought would happen on the night. Overall, this kills any speculation that they will be Alpha group, but will help them consolidate being Beta group.

    *The last three acts are a non-English hat-trick: Ireland (yes I know the tension between them and Northern Ireland but it’s close enough), Wales, Scotland.

    RAK-SU. The Cutkelvins also went to Pride of Britain, but they’re the only ones having it on their VT (confirming that they’re *stars*?). The lyrics can be worked on when they get their record deal (it’s like a Latino Moves Like Jagger, a song I detest), but this stood out as a star performance on the night. The producers’ manipulations are clearly working because for a moment, I thought this can work post-show. I feel more and more comfortable with my predicted number 1 in the Sofabet predictions.

    SAM. Difficulty with Spanish. Rod Stewart. Awkward Spanish more audible vs the others (elephant?). A dud compared to Rak-Su, but actually fairly fun; had I watched this on the night, I would definitely think he’ll be safe. Staging screams “this dude is dated” again. Simon hits hard again; Louis throws Sam under the bus.

    Voting is 14 minutes long. How do these lengths work?

  • Anglia Chu

    I snickered when Dermot said “Not expecting that, were they?” after calling JJ safe. Week 3 is starting early

  • R

    It’ll be interesting to see how Grace is treated tonight.

    With Rak-Su being confirmed as Alpha group and singing an over praised original, the likelihood is that they’ll be up against Grace doing a cover.

    I feel that tonight could see a deramp for Grace to give Rak-Su tonight’s prize, and possibly pointing to them to being TCO.

  • The Juan

    Interesting to note on a rewatch, that all acts sang in Spanish and sams vt showed him struggling with learning it…. Rak Su had an almost all English song….

  • Stoney

    I’m willing to accept defeat on the Cutkelvins now. For some reason Cowell has come to the conclusion that Raksu are going to be successful and is giving them every bit of help possible. To be honest if Raksu are the best winner this show can produce it really is time to knock it on the head. They would be hands down the worst winner the X Factor has ever had. Most years they wouldn’t have even made the lives.

    • Uzair

      Yeah raksu aren’t a credible winner at least little mix could do heartfelt performance and had a story raksu dont have much. They will be successful but for his long all of them r 25 thats old for a postar much older then 1D and little mix.
      They can clearly pill well and have support and do great on iTunes. A big up from 5am but in q week or 2 they’re gonna have to do something different and jamal is their only singer and they’re more rap so i cant see then having a moment. Also they r pulling out all the stops to get them over the line a week 1 pimp slot (when has an act with a week1 pimp slot ever won) and now a great week 2 scorching everyone els3 down. Eliminating all the competition. Also on Twitter ove noticed a lot of people saying mustifah does nothing. Compared to all the other winners there is really no story. The audience dont connect with them. No wonder grace does so well cus shes relable. Raksu r gonna need a push not so they can top the vote but show why they should win this show besides the fact they can pull out a good song. Even though they do originals i see them as novelty.

      • Stoney

        They wouldn’t have been so easy to get to the top of the vote when it was phone vote only. But a few hundred thousand people using 5 free votes will be led to vote for any old crap that is put in front of them. Would be a different story if it involved spending money to vote. Free app voting has been just 1 of the many bad decisions the show has made over the years.

  • Stoney

    There are still a few small glimmers of hope for Cutkelvin backers. The Liam Payne name drop last week. The judges saying they all wanted to mentor them. Next week is last chance saloon they need to address the divide on stage. Will Simon allow this to happen, who knows.

    • The Juan

      Completely agree on this.

      If they get the pimp slot next week they can get the right amount of momentum to get to the final on a high.
      Staging, togetherness and then their own song just in time for the final, but if not next week then they’ll be dumped out before the final.

      • Stoney

        I still have to believe the producers will be looking to throw a curve ball in before the final. In the same way they dragged matt into the bottom 2 last year. The final will be lucky to get 5 million viewers at this rate.

    • David

      I wouldn’t be surprised if they were close to the bottom this week. Practically everything was horrible and vocally they were not good (I found it very uncomfortable to listen to at some points – I think she was out of sync with the music and the brothers)

      Groups can lose support very fast in this competition, as their support tends to be less stubborn and forgiving as they are for individuals. In particular, I think they are now the group with the least personal connection with the audience and we really don’t know much about them compared to the others (certainly no more than we did pre-lives)

      Another week like this and I think they could be a shock departure next week (which would probably help a push for RakSu)

      • Uzair

        Umm I think they r fine till jack and Joel and sean and connor leave. I’m guessing they polled muddle of the vote either 3rd or 4th. They r Scottish and the Scottish vote may not be as popular as it was but is still strong. It carried boring Emily so why not the cutkelvins. But last night was a weak performance. They definitely polled too high last week. Agree with the idea we dont know kuch about them. We know about their father and mother and kyles son. If the producers wanted them they would focus on their lives but atm I think theyll last till week 4/5

  • Nick

    Grace up first tonight…..

  • Alan

    Cutkelvins could be ditched at any time. No reason for TPTB to prefer them to leave after J&J or S&C. They’re all on the disposable list.

    • Anglia Chu

      They’re considerably more interesting and relevant, IMHO, so in this frame, TPTB would prefer, for the sake of TV, to keep them longer, even if there is no end game of picking them up post-show.

      • Stoney

        Yep. The only 1 single thing that Raksu have over the Cutkelvins is producer support.

      • Alan

        I tend to think TPTB just pick off whoever’s nearest the bottom of the vote. Could easily be TCK after two so-so performances.

        • Stoney

          You are deluded if you don’t think Cutkelvins would be in the same position as Raksu if given the same support.

          • Uzair

            No doubt raksu have won but the cutkelvins would be in the same posting they were pushed and whats a bigger vote Scotland or Watford this is why lots if people backed them cus a commercial group from Scotland a bigger regional vote then watford. Not only that Ashley sticks out from raksu just like shereen.

        • Anglia Chu

          I think this boils down to how we see TPTB. I’ve always seen them having a multi-layer hierarchy for the acts (maybe not in the Alpha/Beta/… mould, but there are tiers), you don’t. For example, in the old days of “top X go to the tour”, it was

          – acts they want to sign
          – acts they want on the tour
          – eh, whatever

  • Stoney

    Not forgetting Raksu have a member of the band who is nothing more than a dancing inspector gadget lookalike. There an odd group in general really. Again I will point to the level of talent left if these guys are the best we have to offer.

  • Alan

    He’s probably the one with the P.A. and who’s garage they rehearse in.

  • David Cook

    Well if we were still in any doubt about TPTB intentions after last night I don’t think we are now.

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