BY LUCY CAULKETT
X factor was as dramatic as ever last Sunday, with some questionable decisions coming from the judges, some of which were disappointingly influenced by the audience. Simon once commented that he has ”learnt to listen to the audience”, but does this not take away from the independent professionalism expected of judges? The show has become comfortable with the idea of booting contestants off the show only to bring them back often when the audience cries ”bring him/her back”.
There is nothing wrong with a judge changing their mind because this not only makes the show interesting but also highlights the well known fact that everyone can make mistakes. What is sometimes bothersome though is when a judge decides to replace a sitting contestant on the weak grounds of support coming from the audience. After all every contestant has supporters in the audience.
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Cowell himself admitted it felt like “torture” as he repeatedly changed his mind about the fates of several contestants. Singer Vicky Ann Nash from Birmingham was granted a chair, only to be unseated, seated again before being unseated for the last time in this very grueling and engaging showdown. She was replaced by a singer not as good her and who did not deserve the chair.
The process of choosing six contestants and awarding them chairs only to displace them for a better singer makes the show compelling to watch. However, that process is ultimately ruined when the judges bow to pressure from the audience to include a contestant in the competition who has been booted out at the expense of another already seated in the chair of potential winners. Cowell changed his mind on Kent teacher Tonatha Raihan, who lost her chair, regained it, only to loose it again for singer Bupsi from Leeds. Repeated change of mind is not ideal for the quality of a show which will not lose its popularity on bad judgement, but could lose its credibility. Raihan was good but not good enough to remain in the competition. She also displayed spells of arrogance, claiming to ”have the looks” in a show of confidence that did not wash considering she loos as ordinary as any other ordinary girl one can find. Nevertheless, nobody deserves to be sent back and forth off a chair that ostensibly spells the road to their perceived success.The judges need to consider the emotions of the contestant to some extent and should not be seen to be messing anyone around, even if unintentionally.
27 year old Max Stone was given a chair after performing Bob Marley’s Turn Your Lights Down Low.However, the Londoner lost his seat before regaining it after Cowell changed his mind end of the episode.
“Max, I want to apologize. I don’t think I was fair to you. I think you have got a voice and I have learned to listen to the audience,” he told the relieved singer songwriter. This admission from Cowell is worrying because he is expected to be fair at all times considering the emotional impact the competition can have on the contestants as well as their prospects. And why listen to the audience, when you are the expert judge?
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Cowell many times has a respectable and admirable way of being blunt and speaking his mind, even going against the crowd sometimes. Yet, in the latest series of x factor, the judges seem to be allowing too much leverage for the audience to sway their opinions, thereby compromising their autonomy of judgement in the process.
Anton Stephens was impressive in his performance and out up a real show for the crowd. Cowell had earlier pointed out that the 45-year-old Londoner, who sang Luther Vandross hit A House Is Not A Home, pulled “weird faces” when he performed. Stephens reply was hilarious ” if you’re a bit poor like me, and your friends are poor, and you can’t afford Botox, your face kind of moves.” The judges were left in stitches , and though Stephens was granted a chair, he was visibly in panic each time any of the judges made it clear they were going to replace someone from the chair with a new act
Backing singer Stephens will compete against Ebru, Jennifer Phillips and Kerrie-Ann Phillips at Judges’ Houses for a place in the live shows.
Compared to Cowell and his Overs, judge Fernandez-Versini’s only real dilemma centred around two gospel groups in her category.As if that was not enough, it was also sibling versus sibling.
Silvertone’s Rachel McIntosh was up against her brother Nathan, a member of Bekln.
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