List of The X Factor finalists (UK series 5)
Encyclopedia
The fifth UK series
of The X Factor
was broadcast on ITV1
. The series began on 16 August 2008 and finished on 13 December 2008 with a grand finale. After the audition process, 12 finalists were selected and split into four categories. Each category was mentored by one of the show's judges. Simon Cowell
mentored the Boys, Cheryl Cole
mentored the Girls, Dannii Minogue
mentored the Over 25s and Louis Walsh
mentored the Groups. In the final, Alexandra Burke
was declared the winner, JLS
were the runners-up and Eoghan Quigg
finished in third place.
After winning the show, Alexandra Burke
released her debut single "Hallelujah", and in October 2009, she released her debut album Overcome
. Despite finishing second, JLS
signed a record deal with Epic Records
and released their debut album JLS
in November 2009 and their second album Outta This World
a year later. They are currently writing their third album. Eoghan Quigg
was signed to RCA Records
, however, after poor sales he was dropped from the label. Ruth Lorenzo
has been signed to EMI Records
and is set to release her debut album in 2011. Diana Vickers was signed to RCA Records
and released her debut album Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree
in May 2010, which reached number 1, as did her debut single, Once. Her follow-up singles achieved similar success and she is currently writing songs for her second album, due for a summer 2011 release.
Series 5 has been one of the most successful UK X Factor years, with Alexandra Burke
, JLS
, Diana Vickers
Ruth Lorenzo
and Laura White all having careers after the show and becoming some of the most notable X Factor contestants of all time.
, Thurrock
. Drage first started singing when he was very young and, whilst still at school, took part in musical theatre and amateur dramatics. Having signed up with an agent, Drage made acting appearances in the 2000 movie Snatch
as well as a number of TV shows including The Bill
and Casualty
. After a spell in boy band 5Boyz, who supported Girls Aloud
and Blazing Squad and took part in the Soccer 6 competitions, he auditioned and won a place in E4's gender-swap reality show Boys will be Girls
, aired in 2006. Drage has also been lead singer in a glam rock band called The Gunners. Simon Cowell commented that Drage is "just what this competition needs".
On the first live show, Drage sang "Every Breath You Take" and got positive comments from the judges, with Simon Cowell stating that he believed that the public had seen only 60% of Austin's ability. He was eliminated on the fourth live show on 1 November 2008 after being in the bottom two with Rachel Hylton. In the sing-off he performed "Don't Stop Me Now" and then "Leave Right Now". Drage's mentor, Simon Cowell, voted to keep him, but the other judges — Cheryl Cole, Louis Walsh and Rachel Hylton's mentor Dannii Minogue — voted in Hylton's favour.
He has since appeared on many TV programmes and turned on Stevenage
town Christmas lights on 20 November 2008 where he performed fifteen songs, three of which he had performed on the live shows.
Drage made a brief appearance at Butlin's Holiday Park in Skegness on New Year's Eve 2008 to sing two solo songs and a duet with Simon Cowell
.
He recently appeared as an X Factor expert on Five's magazine show Live from Studio Five
.
Since then Drage has appeared in multiple magazines either naked or skantily clothed. He appeared in Attitude magazine's pornography edition 2009 and Now magazine's Sexy Santa edition. Drage also made appearances and performed in Maspalomas Pride 2010.
, Northern Ireland
. He has two younger brothers, and a baby sister, born during Quigg's participation on the show.He is the youngest contestant out of the 12.
In the first live show he sang "Imagine
". In week two he sang "Ben
". Week three's song choice was "L-O-V-E
". In week four he sang "Could It Be Magic
". Following Scott's elimination in week three and Austin's in week four, he was Simon's only remaining act in the competition.
He then in week five sang "Anytime You Need A Friend
". Week six saw Eoghan sing "One More Try
". In week seven he sang "Never Forget". During Britney Spears week, he sang "Sometimes
" and, for his second song, "We're All In This Together
". These performances carried him through to the semi-finals of the competition.
In week 9 Quigg's first song was "Year 3000
". He got excellent praise for this song. His second song of the evening was "Does Your Mother Know
". Judges Walsh, Cowell and Cole all enjoyed the song, though Minogue thought that the song choice "tended towards cheesy". He achieved third place overall.
On the last edition of spin-off show The Xtra Factor, presenter Holly Willoughby
announced that out of the finalists Quigg had placed first in viewers' votes in six episodes of the series, while Alexandra Burke had won two (including the final), and Diana Vickers
and JLS had each won one. Quigg was, along with finalists Burke, JLS and fourth-placed Diana Vickers, signed to Simon Cowell's label Syco after the series ended. Cowell withdrew his offer and Quigg was instead signed to RCA Records
.
. Bruton initially wanted to be an actor but decided on a career in music after taking part in karaoke. In the first live show Bruton received harsh criticism for his performance of "Yeh Yeh
". His mentor Simon Cowell
accepted responsibility for the bad song choice. In week 3, on 25 October, he sang "That's Life
" but was eliminated after a bottom-two showdown against Daniel Evans. Cheryl Cole, Louis Walsh and Evans' mentor Dannii Minogue voted in Daniel's favour. Bruton's mentor, Simon Cowell, voted to keep him in the competition.
He is currently playing the role of Bobby in Dreamboats and Petticoats
.
singer Melissa Bell
.
On the first live show, Burke performed "I Wanna Dance With Somebody", in which she was compared to Whitney Houston. For the second live show, Burke covered "I'll Be There" for which she was again criticised by Simon Cowell, who called her a copycat. In week three, Big Band week, Burke performed "Candyman
" for which she received her first standing ovation. For the disco-themed fourth live show, Burke performed "On the Radio
". During Mariah Carey
week on 8 November, Burke and the other finalists met for an individual masterclass. Mariah Carey complimented Burke on her voice. Burke performed "Without You" and received a standing ovation from the judges. All the judges gave her positive comments following her performance; Simon Cowell commented that "by any standard, that was just outstanding". Following the show Burke's performance was praised by Mariah Carey who commented that her rendition of "Without You" was "absolutely amazing".
In weeks 6 and 7, Burke received positive comments from the judging panel for her performances of "You Are So Beautiful
" and "Relight My Fire
". Week 8 was Burke's best week so far, seeing her replace Diana Vickers
as the bookies' favourite after performing "Toxic
" and "Listen", for which she received yet another standing ovation. In week 9, Burke performed "Don't Stop The Music
" and again received positive comments, with Louis Walsh calling her "the English Beyoncé" and Cowell commenting "...We may be seeing the birth of a star here [...] you've got it all, that was a great performance". Diana Vickers
was eliminated in the semi-final, meaning Burke was the last remaining girl and Cheryl Cole's last hope of winning The X Factor.
In the final show, Burke's Christmas song was "Silent Night
". For her duet, Burke sang with Beyoncé, performing "Listen" for the third time in the series (previous performances were in the "Judges' Houses" round and the eighth live show). Burke's favourite performance was "You Are So Beautiful
". Burke was the eventual winner of the competition, defeating JLS in the final two.
, Lancashire
. She had taken singing lessons and participated in local competitions, but had never sung professionally.
Vickers began her X Factor journey by singing "The Blower's Daughter" at audition. She went on to sing "Chasing Cars
" at the first stage of bootcamp and "Hallelujah" at the second stage, receiving positive reviews from all four judges. In the sing-offs for the three final places in Cheryl Cole
's group, Vickers sang "Nothing Compares To You" and "Carry You Home
". After the first song, Cole noticed Vickers' disappointment, thinking this could be her downfall. However, she chose Vickers for her final three.
On her first live show Vickers sang "With or Without You
". On the second live show she covered "Man in the Mirror
", for which she received nothing but praise with Dannii Minogue describing it as "box fresh" and Simon Cowell remarking she is "the one to beat". The following week she performed "Smile" which again received much praise, and the judges were even more impressed with her version of "Call Me
".
In week five, Vickers was excused from performing due to a severe case of laryngitis
. She had wanted to perform "Always Be My Baby
" up until a few hours before the show, but her doctor advised her not to, saying she could do permanent damage to her vocal chords. This was the first time the producers had excused any act from performing. She was said to be devastated not to meet Mariah Carey, who guested on that week's show. However on The Xtra Factor show afterwards, footage was shown of Diana at a bonfire night
party earlier that week, screaming and cheering with the other contestants. This created some speculation as to the legitimacy of her illness. However, Vickers released a statement to contest the claim: "I felt under the weather all last week but didn't want to miss out on the fireworks display. On Thursday I saw the doctor and was given antibiotics and the following day was diagnosed with laryngitis by a Harley Street
specialist. Up until Saturday afternoon, I was still hoping and praying that I would be well enough to perform but the producers spoke to the doctor who made it clear that I could risk long-term damage to my voice. I was absolutely devastated to be told I couldn’t perform on Saturday night and disappointed not to be able to meet Mariah Carey. I am due to see the doctor again on Friday so fingers crossed I will be able to take part in this Saturday’s show".
Vickers returned in week six and performed "Yellow
", prompting Cowell to remark that he believed she was still unwell because she had so many "off-notes". In week seven she sang "Patience
" commenting that she felt 100% once again and hoped to deliver her best performance to date. During the show, guest Gary Barlow
offered to sign her if Simon Cowell didn't, to which Cowell responded "We will not be accepting Gary Barlow's kind offer for a recording contract. Leona has done fine with me, thank you Gary".
In week eight, she performed "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
", which received a muted reaction from the judges, with Simon Cowell telling her it was the first week where she was in danger. She returned for the second half of the show with a version of "Everybody Hurts
", which kept her in the competition at the expense of Ruth Lorenzo.
In the week 9 semi-finals, Vickers performed "Girlfriend
" as her first song and received excellent comments from all the judges, Cheryl Cole saying that "she had got that sparkle back". She followed this with "White Flag
" but was subsequently voted out of the competition, to the shock and upset of her fellow semi-finalists Eoghan Quigg.
It was originally announced that Vickers would be signed up by Sony BMG under the Syco label but this plan was later dropped. Vickers has since been signed to the RCA label.
Vickers made her professional acting debut in the title role of a new West End
production of Jim Cartwright
's The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
in the autumn of 2009. Vickers' debut single, "Once
", was released on 19 April 2010 and went straight to number 1 in the UK charts and her album, Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree
was released on May 3, 2010, also debuting at number 1. Her follow-up singles The Boy Who Murdered Love
and My Wicked Heart
also achieved chart success and on the second live results show of Series 7 of The X Factor
, Vickers performed Wicked Heart live. Vickers has been writing material for her second album since mid 2010, the album expected to be released in summer 2011.
, Wigan
. She had been singing and playing the piano since she was a young girl. Despite never having had a professional singing lesson, White began singing in jazz bars at the age of 15. She attended Fred Longworth High School in Tyldesley
, the same school as actors Anthony Quinlan
, Leah Hackett
and Oliver Lee
, and went on to study creative writing at The University of Bolton.
On the first live show, White was the final act to take the stage, performing "Fallin'
." White was the only act to receive a standing ovation
from the judging panel for her dramatic and original rendition of the song. She received high praise from the judges, especially Simon Cowell, who said: "... that was outstanding. You have something very, very special. This is why I still like doing this show, in this country, so that you can discover people like you. You have a fantastic future, potentially, ahead of you young lady."
White progressed through to the next live show, Michael Jackson week, taking on "You Are Not Alone" with her powerhouse vocals, again distinguished by her jazzy and groovy style. In Big Band week, she displayed a more mature and soulful side with her performance of "God Bless the Child", for which she received another standing ovation. Judge Louis Walsh praised White's performance as "world class" and "better than Diana Ross's" version. The final word was from judge Cowell, who claimed "by any standard that I've ever heard, that was incredible." In the fourth live show, Disco week, she delivered her version of "Somebody Else's Guy." Judge Danni Minogue commented, "You shouldn't be able to do that at your age... That was a really hard song... you made it effortless." In her final performance on the show, she was again praised by the judges. Despite those accolades and being one of the favourites to win the competition, Laura was voted off the show in week five, November 8, after a performance in which she accompanied herself on the piano (or mimed an accompaniment). Her elimination caused some controversy.
, London
, had never gotten around to applying forThe X Factor altlhough he had the papers to do so, but this was the first year that he had actually auditioned. Evans decided to participate this year following the death of his wife after she gave birth to his daughter. Throughout the live finals, he repeatedly received criticism from both Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh. He was in the bottom two with Scott Bruton in week three but won through to the next round by virtue of a passionate performance of "To Where You Are
" in memory of his wife. Along with Ruth Lorenzo, he did not appear when the finalists sang "Hero" in week three because of a technical problem. In week five a campaign started by Radio 1
DJ Chris Moyles
urging his listeners to vote for Evans seemed to have saved his skin. Evans was voted out despite having more public votes in the sixth round, after a sing-off with Rachel Hylton. Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell all voted for Hylton, and with that his departure from the competition was confirmed. Daniel later released his debut download only single Open Arms
. In March 2010 he also released a fully independent, critically acclaimed and emotional easy listening album called No Easy Way which is available from iTunes. Despite its positive reviews it failed to chart in the UK due to lack of publicity. With no support from the industry whatsoever (Daniel was quoted as saying "radio stations would not play an xfactor contestant that was not signed to a major label") and no publicity or distribution the album has been a surprisingly good performer in Asia.
Evans is now singing for corporate clients in Spain where he now lives with his daughter. He is also writing music for other artists.
Hylton after her first audition was hugely tipped as a contender this year following her pitch perfect performance of "You Know I'm No Good
".
In weeks one and two, she received harsh criticism from many of the show's judges, but in week three, Simon Cowell described her rendition of 'Feeling Good' as 'the best performance of the night.' Week four Hylton was in the bottom two with Austin Drage after a disco themed show, in which her performance was described by Louis Walsh as 'very average.' Only Drage's mentor, Simon Cowell, chose to save him, whilst the remaining judges kept Hylton in the competition, progressing her to week five. During the week five show Hylton performed "Against All Odds
" and survived the public vote, progressing to week six. In week six Hylton was once again in the bottom two with Daniel Evans but was saved by Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell. In week seven Hylton was in the bottom two for a third time, this time with JLS. Despite drawing praise from the judges for her sing-off performance, she was voted out by a majority of the judges because they believed JLS would progress further in the competition. In interviews after her departure from the competition, Rachel claimed she was judged on her past not her vocal ability in which has always been praised by all four judges.
Hylton revealed to Digital Spy
that she had been offered a recording contract, but, like the other contestants, could not sign it until her contract with The X Factor expired. Hylton was also rumoured to have been working with US singer John Legend
and his record label but this later turned out to be false. On 4 May 2009, she appeared alongside US stars Mary Mary
, CeCe Winans
and Kirk Franklin
at the Oraclez Gospel Festival at Wembley Arena
.
Since this, Hylton has gone on to launch a charity single "Only the Good Die Young" with other celebrities such as Darren Day
.
In 2011 Hylton revealed on her Facebook page that she will be releasing her debut single and album in the year. Her single will be released in the summer, with her album following later.
, South East Spain, now living in Ashtead
, Surrey
, was working a PR Consultant at the time of the show. In week two, Lorenzo fell into the bottom two, along with Girlband. Her choice of sing-off song was "Purple Rain
". Lorenzo's mentor Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole voted for her to stay, with Simon Cowell and Girlband's mentor Louis Walsh voting the other way. The result thus went to "Deadlock", and the public vote was consulted. Lorenzo had received more votes from the public than Girlband and therefore survived. It was announced after the show that the telephone number that appeared on screen for fans to call and vote to keep her in the competition had a digit missing. Many people complained saying that when they called to vote for Lorenzo the number had a "busy" tone and their votes did not count. Lorenzo was in the bottom two again in week five (November 8), this time in a sing-off against Laura White. Her rendition of "Knockin' On Heaven's Door
" saw her survive by three votes to one, with White eliminated from the competition. In week 6 Lorenzo sang "Angels" and got through to the next week. In week 7 she sang "Love Ain't Here Anymore
" which thoroughly impressed the judges, especially Cowell, who described it as 'sensational'.
Lorenzo, by this stage Minogue's last remaining act, was eliminated by public vote on November 29, despite receiving excellent feedback from the judges for her performances of "I Love Rock 'N' Roll
" and "Always
". With Lorenzo's departure, Minogue had lost all three of her acts in successive shows.
According to a report in The Sun newspaper, Lorenzo has been offered several record contracts. However, she cannot sign up to any of them until her X Factor contract expires.
Lorenzo will release her debut single and album in 2011, with the single "Burn" been released in August 2011 and the Album been released shortly afterwards. she has been writing for two years as an Independent Artist and is finally becoming close to finishing her first studio album.
Reported on April 23, 2009
Lorenzo had signed a 1.5 million pound recording contract with EMI
.
, made up of Emily McNamee (born 30 June 1989) from Newcastle upon Tyne
, Sophie Wilson (born 21 November 1984) from Hartlepool
, Samantha Bennett (born 26 April 1987) from Durham
, and Stacey Lincoln (born 24 October 1987), also from Durham. In the first live show, they received mixed reviews from the judges, attracting praise from Cheryl Cole, but harsh criticism from Simon Cowell, who compared watching their performance to 'eating water.' They were the first act to be eliminated in the live shows when, on 11 October, they found themselves in the bottom two with other girl group Girlband: the judges' votes were split at 2-2, so the result of the public vote was revealed and Bad Lashes were announced to have polled the least votes from the viewers and were sent home. In the judges' vote, Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue voted in their favour, with Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh voting against them.
Bad Lashes have since released their cover version of Wonderwall in November 2009 as a single.
(born 13 February 1988) who is from Peterborough
, and Marvin Humes
(born 18 March 1985), Jonathan "JB" Gill (born 7 December 1986) and Oritse Williams (born 27 November 1986) who are all from London
. Aston previously played "Cookie" in CITV
's Fun Song Factory
and Marvin used to be in the group VS
, which was created by Simon Webbe
of Blue
.
Following Bad Lashes' elimination in week one and Girlband's in week two, they were Louis Walsh's last remaining act in the competition. In week seven JLS were in the bottom two along with Rachel Hylton. However, they survived thanks to the votes from Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell. In week 8 JLS performed "...Baby One More Time
". They received negative comments from the judges, with Simon Cowell saying "At the moment you're out". After their second performance, You Light Up My Life
however, Cowell commented that they were "back in the race".
In week 9, JLS performed "Umbrella" and received positive comments from the judges. Walsh said "All I can say is, I'm so proud of you". Their second song was "I'm Already There
" and Walsh had tears in his eyes.
JLS made it to the final show, becoming the fourth group to do so, the others being G4
in the first series, Journey South
in the second series and Same Difference
in the fourth. After surviving the first public vote of the night, in which Eoghan Quigg
was voted off, they were able to perform their own version of the winner's song, "Hallelujah", which the other remaining finalist Alexandra Burke
also performed. The public voted for the second time that night and JLS ended up coming second.
All the judges said that JLS were the best band that had ever been on the show, and it was widely predicted that they would be offered a contract by a record company shortly after the show's end. It was announced on 20 January 2009, just one month after the final, that JLS had signed with record company Epic Records.
The X Factor (UK series 5)
The fifth UK series of The X Factor was broadcast on ITV in 2008. The series started on 16 August and was won by Alexandra Burke on 13 December, with new judge Cheryl Cole emerging as the winning mentor. Auditions in front of producers were held in April/May, with callbacks in front of the judges...
of The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
was broadcast on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
. The series began on 16 August 2008 and finished on 13 December 2008 with a grand finale. After the audition process, 12 finalists were selected and split into four categories. Each category was mentored by one of the show's judges. Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
mentored the Boys, Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
mentored the Girls, Dannii Minogue
Dannii Minogue
Danielle Jane "Dannii" Minogue is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress, television personality, radio personality, fashion designer and model...
mentored the Over 25s and Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
mentored the Groups. In the final, Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke is a British R&B and pop recording artist who rose to fame after winning the fifth series of British television series The X Factor in 2008...
was declared the winner, JLS
JLS
- Music :* JLS, an English boyband** JLS , debut album by JLS* JLS a Spanish Rock band based in Zaragoza , Spain formed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by lead Leo Susana.- Organizations :...
were the runners-up and Eoghan Quigg
Eoghan Quigg
Eoghan Quigg is an Irish pop singer and occasional actor from Dungiven in Northern Ireland, who finished third in the fifth series of the British television music talent contest The X Factor in 2008...
finished in third place.
After winning the show, Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke is a British R&B and pop recording artist who rose to fame after winning the fifth series of British television series The X Factor in 2008...
released her debut single "Hallelujah", and in October 2009, she released her debut album Overcome
Overcome (Alexandra Burke album)
Overcome is the debut studio album by British pop/R&B singer Alexandra Burke, released October 19, 2009 on Syco Music. The release of the album came a year after Burke won the British talent show, The X Factor, with the recording process taking place between 2008 and 2009...
. Despite finishing second, JLS
JLS
- Music :* JLS, an English boyband** JLS , debut album by JLS* JLS a Spanish Rock band based in Zaragoza , Spain formed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by lead Leo Susana.- Organizations :...
signed a record deal with Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
and released their debut album JLS
JLS (album)
JLS is the debut album from English boy band JLS. The album was released in the UK on 9 November 2009 by Epic Records. It was preceded by the lead single, "Beat Again" on 13 July 2009. The album debuted at number-one in the UK and Ireland. It has been certified four times platinum in the UK, where...
in November 2009 and their second album Outta This World
Outta This World
The album has received generally mixed reviews from music critics. In his review for The Independent, Andy Gill reviewed the album poorly and said "For most of its 14 tracks, Outta This World is boy-band R&B at its most formulaic, tracks like "That's My Girl" and over-autotuned opener "The Club Is...
a year later. They are currently writing their third album. Eoghan Quigg
Eoghan Quigg
Eoghan Quigg is an Irish pop singer and occasional actor from Dungiven in Northern Ireland, who finished third in the fifth series of the British television music talent contest The X Factor in 2008...
was signed to RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, however, after poor sales he was dropped from the label. Ruth Lorenzo
Ruth Lorenzo
Ruth Lorenzo) is a Spanish singer notable for coming fifth in the fifth series of the British TV talent show The X Factor in 2008.Lorenzo's debut Single "Burn" entered the Spanish Singles Charts at number 16 when she released the single on the 27th of June 2011 in Spain...
has been signed to EMI Records
EMI Records
EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
and is set to release her debut album in 2011. Diana Vickers was signed to RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
and released her debut album Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree
Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree
Upon its release, Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree generated mixed reviews from music critics. Mayer Nissim of Digital Spy awarded the album five out of five stars, stating that Vickers and her collaborators "have crafted an album that's drenched in accessible pop melodies while never sacrificing...
in May 2010, which reached number 1, as did her debut single, Once. Her follow-up singles achieved similar success and she is currently writing songs for her second album, due for a summer 2011 release.
Series 5 has been one of the most successful UK X Factor years, with Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke is a British R&B and pop recording artist who rose to fame after winning the fifth series of British television series The X Factor in 2008...
, JLS
JLS
- Music :* JLS, an English boyband** JLS , debut album by JLS* JLS a Spanish Rock band based in Zaragoza , Spain formed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by lead Leo Susana.- Organizations :...
, Diana Vickers
Diana Vickers
Diana Vickers is an English singer-songwriter, stage actress and fashion designer who initially came to public attention as a semi-finalist on the fifth series of British talent show The X Factor in 2008...
Ruth Lorenzo
Ruth Lorenzo
Ruth Lorenzo) is a Spanish singer notable for coming fifth in the fifth series of the British TV talent show The X Factor in 2008.Lorenzo's debut Single "Burn" entered the Spanish Singles Charts at number 16 when she released the single on the 27th of June 2011 in Spain...
and Laura White all having careers after the show and becoming some of the most notable X Factor contestants of all time.
Austin Drage
Austin Leigh Drage (born 29 June 1986) is a singer from GraysGrays
Grays is the largest town in the borough and unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex and one of the Thurrock's traditional parishes...
, Thurrock
Thurrock
Thurrock is a unitary authority with borough status in the English ceremonial county of Essex. It is part of the London commuter belt and an area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The local authority is Thurrock Council....
. Drage first started singing when he was very young and, whilst still at school, took part in musical theatre and amateur dramatics. Having signed up with an agent, Drage made acting appearances in the 2000 movie Snatch
Snatch (film)
Snatch is a 2000 crime film written and directed by British filmmaker Guy Ritchie, featuring an ensemble cast. Set in the London criminal underworld, the film contains two intertwined plots: one dealing with the search for a stolen diamond, the other with a small-time boxing promoter named Turkish ...
as well as a number of TV shows including The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
and Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
. After a spell in boy band 5Boyz, who supported Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
and Blazing Squad and took part in the Soccer 6 competitions, he auditioned and won a place in E4's gender-swap reality show Boys will be Girls
The Honeytraps
The Honeytraps was the 'girl band' featured in the 2006 reality TV show Boys Will Be Girls, aired on E4.The programme starting by auditioning male singers for a brand new band, to be managed by Olivier Behzadi - ex - Head of A&R Sony Music Intl and Nathan Moore, ex-lead singer of Brother Beyond...
, aired in 2006. Drage has also been lead singer in a glam rock band called The Gunners. Simon Cowell commented that Drage is "just what this competition needs".
On the first live show, Drage sang "Every Breath You Take" and got positive comments from the judges, with Simon Cowell stating that he believed that the public had seen only 60% of Austin's ability. He was eliminated on the fourth live show on 1 November 2008 after being in the bottom two with Rachel Hylton. In the sing-off he performed "Don't Stop Me Now" and then "Leave Right Now". Drage's mentor, Simon Cowell, voted to keep him, but the other judges — Cheryl Cole, Louis Walsh and Rachel Hylton's mentor Dannii Minogue — voted in Hylton's favour.
He has since appeared on many TV programmes and turned on Stevenage
Stevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
town Christmas lights on 20 November 2008 where he performed fifteen songs, three of which he had performed on the live shows.
Drage made a brief appearance at Butlin's Holiday Park in Skegness on New Year's Eve 2008 to sing two solo songs and a duet with Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
.
He recently appeared as an X Factor expert on Five's magazine show Live from Studio Five
Live from Studio Five
Live From Studio Five was an early evening, British magazine programme which was produced by Sky News for Channel 5. The show was presented by Kate Walsh and a line-up of other co-presenters during its run. It consisted of interviews and discussing topical issues, with an emphasis on showbusiness...
.
Since then Drage has appeared in multiple magazines either naked or skantily clothed. He appeared in Attitude magazine's pornography edition 2009 and Now magazine's Sexy Santa edition. Drage also made appearances and performed in Maspalomas Pride 2010.
Eoghan Quigg
Eoghan Karl Christopher Quigg is from County LondonderryCounty Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. He has two younger brothers, and a baby sister, born during Quigg's participation on the show.He is the youngest contestant out of the 12.
In the first live show he sang "Imagine
Imagine (song)
"Imagine" is a song written and performed by the English musician John Lennon. It is the opening track on his album Imagine, released in 1971...
". In week two he sang "Ben
Ben (song)
"Ben" is a song written by Don Black and composed by Walter Scharf for the 1972 film of the same name . It was performed in the film by Lee Montgomery and by Michael Jackson over the closing credits. Jackson's single, recorded for the Motown label in 1972, spent one week at the top of the U.S. pop...
". Week three's song choice was "L-O-V-E
L-O-V-E
"L-O-V-E" is a jazz song written by Bert Kaempfert and Milt Gabler for American singer-pianist Nat King Cole's 1965 album L-O-V-E...
". In week four he sang "Could It Be Magic
Could It Be Magic
"Could It Be Magic" is a song by Adrienne Anderson and Barry Manilow. It was included on Manilow's 1973 debut album, Barry Manilow.Due to its popularity, it was released as a single in 1975, two years after it had originally been recorded, where it reached #6 in the United States.Manilow's...
". Following Scott's elimination in week three and Austin's in week four, he was Simon's only remaining act in the competition.
He then in week five sang "Anytime You Need A Friend
Anytime You Need a Friend
"Anytime You Need a Friend" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, for her third studio album, Music Box . It was released on May 31, 1994 through Columbia Records, as the fourth and final single from the album. The...
". Week six saw Eoghan sing "One More Try
One More Try (George Michael song)
"One More Try" is a U.S. number-one hit song written and performed by George Michael and released by Epic Records in 1988 as the fourth single from Faith.-History:...
". In week seven he sang "Never Forget". During Britney Spears week, he sang "Sometimes
Sometimes (Britney Spears song)
"Sometimes" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, taken from her debut studio album ...Baby One More Time . Written by Jörgen Elofsson and produced by Per Magnusson and David Krueger, the song was released as Spears' second single on April 30, 1999 by Jive Records...
" and, for his second song, "We're All In This Together
High School Musical (soundtrack)
* Are not on the first disc of the two-disc special edition version. ** Drew Seeley sang in several of the songs, his voice being mixed with Zac Efron's...
". These performances carried him through to the semi-finals of the competition.
In week 9 Quigg's first song was "Year 3000
Year 3000
"Year 3000" is a pop punk song performed by English boyband Busted, released as the second single from their debut album Busted. The song was co-written by Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones from the band McFly, and Busted lead guitarist James Bourne...
". He got excellent praise for this song. His second song of the evening was "Does Your Mother Know
Does Your Mother Know
"Does Your Mother Know", originally "I Can Do It", is the name of a song recorded in 1979 by Swedish pop group ABBA and was the second single to be released from their album Voulez-Vous. The B-side was "Kisses of Fire", also taken from the album.-History:...
". Judges Walsh, Cowell and Cole all enjoyed the song, though Minogue thought that the song choice "tended towards cheesy". He achieved third place overall.
On the last edition of spin-off show The Xtra Factor, presenter Holly Willoughby
Holly Willoughby
Holly Marie Willoughby is an English television presenter and model, known for her work in presenting children's TV and entertainment shows. In her early career she modelled underwear and went on to present CD:UK...
announced that out of the finalists Quigg had placed first in viewers' votes in six episodes of the series, while Alexandra Burke had won two (including the final), and Diana Vickers
Diana Vickers
Diana Vickers is an English singer-songwriter, stage actress and fashion designer who initially came to public attention as a semi-finalist on the fifth series of British talent show The X Factor in 2008...
and JLS had each won one. Quigg was, along with finalists Burke, JLS and fourth-placed Diana Vickers, signed to Simon Cowell's label Syco after the series ended. Cowell withdrew his offer and Quigg was instead signed to RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
.
Scott Bruton
Scott Paul Bruton (born 14 December 1988) is a former Pontins Bluecoat from ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Bruton initially wanted to be an actor but decided on a career in music after taking part in karaoke. In the first live show Bruton received harsh criticism for his performance of "Yeh Yeh
Yeh Yeh
"Yeh Yeh" is a Latin soul tune that was written as an instrumental by Rodgers Grant and Pat Patrick and first recorded by Mongo Santamaría on his 1963 album Watermelon Man . Lyrics were written for it shortly thereafter by Jon Hendricks of the vocal group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. This version of...
". His mentor Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
accepted responsibility for the bad song choice. In week 3, on 25 October, he sang "That's Life
That's Life (song)
"That's Life" is a popular song written by Dean Kay and Kelly Gordon for Frank Sinatra, and released on his 1966 album of the same name. Both the album and the song proved major successes for Sinatra...
" but was eliminated after a bottom-two showdown against Daniel Evans. Cheryl Cole, Louis Walsh and Evans' mentor Dannii Minogue voted in Daniel's favour. Bruton's mentor, Simon Cowell, voted to keep him in the competition.
He is currently playing the role of Bobby in Dreamboats and Petticoats
Dreamboats and Petticoats
Dreamboats and Petticoats is a jukebox musical based on popular songs from the fifties and early sixties. The musical, featuring those songs of the rock 'n' roll era, is set around the years 1957 to 1963 and was written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran....
.
Girls
Contestants in this category were females aged between 16 and 24. The eventual winner, Alexandra Burke, came from this category.Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewan Burke (born 25 August 1988) is a singer from London. In 2005 Burke auditioned for The X Factor and got through to the "Judges' Houses" stage. However, her then mentor Louis Walsh decided she was too young and did not put her through to the live shows. Burke is the daughter of ex-Soul II SoulSoul II Soul
Soul II Soul are a British group that was created in London in 1988. They are best known for their 1989 UK chart-topper and U.S. Top 5 hit, "Back to Life ".-Career:...
singer Melissa Bell
Melissa Bell (singer)
Melissa Bell is the former lead singer of Grammy winning R&B act Soul II Soul, and currently fronts the group Soul Explosion, which started in 1999. She has also worked with Liza Minnelli Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder...
.
On the first live show, Burke performed "I Wanna Dance With Somebody", in which she was compared to Whitney Houston. For the second live show, Burke covered "I'll Be There" for which she was again criticised by Simon Cowell, who called her a copycat. In week three, Big Band week, Burke performed "Candyman
Candyman (Christina Aguilera song)
"Candyman" is a swing jazz song written by Christina Aguilera and Linda Perry for Aguilera's third studio album, Back to Basics. It was released as the album's third and final American single in early 2007. It received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at 2008 Grammy...
" for which she received her first standing ovation. For the disco-themed fourth live show, Burke performed "On the Radio
On the Radio (Donna Summer song)
"On the Radio" is a single by Donna Summer released in 1979 on the Casablanca record label. It was written for the soundtrack to the film Foxes and included on Summer's first international compilation album On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes 1 & 2. It was released as a single and became, in...
". During Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
week on 8 November, Burke and the other finalists met for an individual masterclass. Mariah Carey complimented Burke on her voice. Burke performed "Without You" and received a standing ovation from the judges. All the judges gave her positive comments following her performance; Simon Cowell commented that "by any standard, that was just outstanding". Following the show Burke's performance was praised by Mariah Carey who commented that her rendition of "Without You" was "absolutely amazing".
In weeks 6 and 7, Burke received positive comments from the judging panel for her performances of "You Are So Beautiful
You Are So Beautiful
"You Are So Beautiful" is a song written by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher and Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys. It was first recorded by Preston and made popular in a version by Joe Cocker....
" and "Relight My Fire
Relight My Fire
"Relight My Fire" is a popular song which was written and released by Dan Hartman in 1979, when it topped the U.S. dance-music charts for six weeks...
". Week 8 was Burke's best week so far, seeing her replace Diana Vickers
Diana Vickers
Diana Vickers is an English singer-songwriter, stage actress and fashion designer who initially came to public attention as a semi-finalist on the fifth series of British talent show The X Factor in 2008...
as the bookies' favourite after performing "Toxic
Toxic (song)
"Toxic" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, co-written and produced by Bloodshy & Avant, from her fourth album, In the Zone. It was released on January 12, 2004, by Jive Records as the second single from the album. After trying to choose between " Boom Boom" and "Outrageous" to...
" and "Listen", for which she received yet another standing ovation. In week 9, Burke performed "Don't Stop The Music
Don't Stop the Music (Rihanna song)
"Don't Stop the Music" is a dance-pop song performed by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna from her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad. It was the third single from the album in most of Europe, the second single in Germany and Spain and the fourth single in the rest of the world...
" and again received positive comments, with Louis Walsh calling her "the English Beyoncé" and Cowell commenting "...We may be seeing the birth of a star here [...] you've got it all, that was a great performance". Diana Vickers
Diana Vickers
Diana Vickers is an English singer-songwriter, stage actress and fashion designer who initially came to public attention as a semi-finalist on the fifth series of British talent show The X Factor in 2008...
was eliminated in the semi-final, meaning Burke was the last remaining girl and Cheryl Cole's last hope of winning The X Factor.
In the final show, Burke's Christmas song was "Silent Night
Silent Night
"Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" were written in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber...
". For her duet, Burke sang with Beyoncé, performing "Listen" for the third time in the series (previous performances were in the "Judges' Houses" round and the eighth live show). Burke's favourite performance was "You Are So Beautiful
You Are So Beautiful
"You Are So Beautiful" is a song written by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher and Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys. It was first recorded by Preston and made popular in a version by Joe Cocker....
". Burke was the eventual winner of the competition, defeating JLS in the final two.
Diana Vickers
Diana Vickers (born 30 July 1991) is from AccringtonAccrington
Accrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. She had taken singing lessons and participated in local competitions, but had never sung professionally.
Vickers began her X Factor journey by singing "The Blower's Daughter" at audition. She went on to sing "Chasing Cars
Chasing Cars
"Chasing Cars" is the second single from Snow Patrol's fourth album, Eyes Open. It was recorded in 2005 and released on 6 June 2006 in the US and 24 July 2006 in the UK as the album's second single....
" at the first stage of bootcamp and "Hallelujah" at the second stage, receiving positive reviews from all four judges. In the sing-offs for the three final places in Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
's group, Vickers sang "Nothing Compares To You" and "Carry You Home
Carry You Home
"Carry You Home" is the third single from James Blunt's second studio album, All the Lost Souls. The single was released on March 24, 2008. The song peaked at #20 on the UK Singles Chart. The song had already debuted at #173 in September 2007, solely on download sales of the album All The Lost Souls...
". After the first song, Cole noticed Vickers' disappointment, thinking this could be her downfall. However, she chose Vickers for her final three.
On her first live show Vickers sang "With or Without You
With or Without You
"With or Without You" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track from their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree, and was released as the album's first single on 21 March 1987...
". On the second live show she covered "Man in the Mirror
Man in the Mirror
"Man in the Mirror" is a song recorded by Michael Jackson and written and composed by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett. It peaked at number one in the United States when released as a single in January 1988 off his seventh solo album, Bad. It is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed songs and...
", for which she received nothing but praise with Dannii Minogue describing it as "box fresh" and Simon Cowell remarking she is "the one to beat". The following week she performed "Smile" which again received much praise, and the judges were even more impressed with her version of "Call Me
Call Me (Blondie song)
"Call Me" is a song by the American new wave band Blondie. Released in 1980, "Call Me" topped the singles charts in both the US and the UK ....
".
In week five, Vickers was excused from performing due to a severe case of laryngitis
Laryngitis
Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds . Dysphonia is the medical term for a vocal disorder, of which laryngitis is one cause....
. She had wanted to perform "Always Be My Baby
Always Be My Baby
"Always Be My Baby" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her fifth studio album, Daydream. It was released by Columbia Records on March 9, 1996 as the third US single and fourth overall. The song was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri and Manuel Seal, who also produced the song...
" up until a few hours before the show, but her doctor advised her not to, saying she could do permanent damage to her vocal chords. This was the first time the producers had excused any act from performing. She was said to be devastated not to meet Mariah Carey, who guested on that week's show. However on The Xtra Factor show afterwards, footage was shown of Diana at a bonfire night
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in England. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding...
party earlier that week, screaming and cheering with the other contestants. This created some speculation as to the legitimacy of her illness. However, Vickers released a statement to contest the claim: "I felt under the weather all last week but didn't want to miss out on the fireworks display. On Thursday I saw the doctor and was given antibiotics and the following day was diagnosed with laryngitis by a Harley Street
Harley Street
Harley Street is a street in the City of Westminster in London, England which has been noted since the 19th century for its large number of private specialists in medicine and surgery.- Overview :...
specialist. Up until Saturday afternoon, I was still hoping and praying that I would be well enough to perform but the producers spoke to the doctor who made it clear that I could risk long-term damage to my voice. I was absolutely devastated to be told I couldn’t perform on Saturday night and disappointed not to be able to meet Mariah Carey. I am due to see the doctor again on Friday so fingers crossed I will be able to take part in this Saturday’s show".
Vickers returned in week six and performed "Yellow
Yellow (song)
"Yellow" is a song by English alternative rock band Coldplay. The band wrote the song and co-produced it with British record producer Ken Nelson for their debut album, Parachutes...
", prompting Cowell to remark that he believed she was still unwell because she had so many "off-notes". In week seven she sang "Patience
Patience (Take That song)
"Patience" is a song by British boy band Take That. It was released on 13 November 2006 as the first single from their comeback album Beautiful World...
" commenting that she felt 100% once again and hoped to deliver her best performance to date. During the show, guest Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow is an English singer-songwriter, pianist and record producer. He is frontman and lead vocalist of pop group Take That and is currently the head judge on the eighth series of The X Factor. Barlow is one of Britain's most successful songwriters...
offered to sign her if Simon Cowell didn't, to which Cowell responded "We will not be accepting Gary Barlow's kind offer for a recording contract. Leona has done fine with me, thank you Gary".
In week eight, she performed "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
"I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. The song was written by Dido, with additional writing and song production by Max Martin and Rami Yacoub for Spears' third studio album, Britney . It was released on February 5, 2002 by Jive Records, as the...
", which received a muted reaction from the judges, with Simon Cowell telling her it was the first week where she was in danger. She returned for the second half of the show with a version of "Everybody Hurts
Everybody Hurts
"Everybody Hurts" is a song by R.E.M., originally released on the band's 1992 album Automatic for the People and was also released as a single in 1993. It peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100, #7 on the UK Singles Chart and #3 on the French Singles Chart.-History:Much of the song was written by...
", which kept her in the competition at the expense of Ruth Lorenzo.
In the week 9 semi-finals, Vickers performed "Girlfriend
Girlfriend (Avril Lavigne song)
"Girlfriend" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. The song was written by Lavigne with her producer Dr. Luke for Lavigne's third studio album, The Best Damn Thing . "Girlfriend" was released as the lead single from The Best Damn Thing on 27 February 2007...
" as her first song and received excellent comments from all the judges, Cheryl Cole saying that "she had got that sparkle back". She followed this with "White Flag
White Flag (song)
"White Flag" is a song by English singer-songwriter Dido, released as the lead single from her second album Life for Rent on 1 September 2003. "White Flag" is the biggest hit of Dido's career. It is considered one of her signature songs, and helped Life for Rent sell over ten million copies worldwide...
" but was subsequently voted out of the competition, to the shock and upset of her fellow semi-finalists Eoghan Quigg.
It was originally announced that Vickers would be signed up by Sony BMG under the Syco label but this plan was later dropped. Vickers has since been signed to the RCA label.
Vickers made her professional acting debut in the title role of a new West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
production of Jim Cartwright
Jim Cartwright
Jim Cartwright is an English dramatist, born at Farnworth, Lancashire, England. Cartwright's first play, Road, won a number of awards before being adapted for TV and broadcast by the BBC....
's The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice is a 1992 play written by English dramatist Jim Cartwright. Sam Mendes directed stars Jane Horrocks and Alison Steadman at the Royal National Theatre before transferring to the Aldwych Theatre in London's West End....
in the autumn of 2009. Vickers' debut single, "Once
Once (Diana Vickers song)
"Once" is a song by the British singer-songwriter Diana Vickers, written by Cathy Dennis and Eg White for Vickers' studio album Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree. "Once" was produced and mixed by Mike Spencer and released as the album's lead single and Vickers' debut single in the United Kingdom...
", was released on 19 April 2010 and went straight to number 1 in the UK charts and her album, Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree
Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree
Upon its release, Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree generated mixed reviews from music critics. Mayer Nissim of Digital Spy awarded the album five out of five stars, stating that Vickers and her collaborators "have crafted an album that's drenched in accessible pop melodies while never sacrificing...
was released on May 3, 2010, also debuting at number 1. Her follow-up singles The Boy Who Murdered Love
The Boy Who Murdered Love
"The Boy Who Murdered Love" is a song written by Diana Vickers and Chris Braide and recorded by Vickers for her debut album Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree. The song was released as the album's second single as a digital download on 18 July 2010 with the CD single released the following day. The...
and My Wicked Heart
My Wicked Heart
"My Wicked Heart" is a song co-written and co-produced by English singer-songwriter Diana Vickers. It was supposedly released as the lead single from the re-release of her debut album, but plans were scrapped and it was revealed "My Wicked Heart" would serve as the first single from her upcoming...
also achieved chart success and on the second live results show of Series 7 of The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
, Vickers performed Wicked Heart live. Vickers has been writing material for her second album since mid 2010, the album expected to be released in summer 2011.
Laura White
Laura Jane White (born 30 August 1987), is a student from AthertonAtherton, Greater Manchester
Atherton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire. It is east of Wigan, north-northeast of Leigh, and northwest of Manchester...
, Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
. She had been singing and playing the piano since she was a young girl. Despite never having had a professional singing lesson, White began singing in jazz bars at the age of 15. She attended Fred Longworth High School in Tyldesley
Tyldesley
Tyldesley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It occupies an area north of Chat Moss near the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, east-southeast of Wigan and west-northwest of the city of Manchester...
, the same school as actors Anthony Quinlan
Anthony Quinlan
Anthony Quinlan is an English actor, known for his role as Gilly Roach in the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-References:Quinlan was nominated for sexiest male at the 2010 Inside Soap Awards.[29] He was also nominated in the category of "Best Serial Drama Performance" at the 2011 National...
, Leah Hackett
Leah Hackett
Leah Hackett , is an English actress, most notable for her role as Tina Reilly in Hollyoaks.-Background and personal life:...
and Oliver Lee
Oliver Lee (actor)
Oliver Lee is a British actor first known for his role as gay teenager Josh Jones in the television series Hollyoaks: In the City...
, and went on to study creative writing at The University of Bolton.
On the first live show, White was the final act to take the stage, performing "Fallin'
Fallin'
"Fallin" is a song recorded, written, and produced by American recording artist Alicia Keys for her debut album, Songs in A Minor. Released to radio and music video outlets in 2001, it is generally considered her signature song. "Fallin'" became Keys' first number-one single in the United States...
." White was the only act to receive a standing ovation
Standing ovation
A standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim...
from the judging panel for her dramatic and original rendition of the song. She received high praise from the judges, especially Simon Cowell, who said: "... that was outstanding. You have something very, very special. This is why I still like doing this show, in this country, so that you can discover people like you. You have a fantastic future, potentially, ahead of you young lady."
White progressed through to the next live show, Michael Jackson week, taking on "You Are Not Alone" with her powerhouse vocals, again distinguished by her jazzy and groovy style. In Big Band week, she displayed a more mature and soulful side with her performance of "God Bless the Child", for which she received another standing ovation. Judge Louis Walsh praised White's performance as "world class" and "better than Diana Ross's" version. The final word was from judge Cowell, who claimed "by any standard that I've ever heard, that was incredible." In the fourth live show, Disco week, she delivered her version of "Somebody Else's Guy." Judge Danni Minogue commented, "You shouldn't be able to do that at your age... That was a really hard song... you made it effortless." In her final performance on the show, she was again praised by the judges. Despite those accolades and being one of the favourites to win the competition, Laura was voted off the show in week five, November 8, after a performance in which she accompanied herself on the piano (or mimed an accompaniment). Her elimination caused some controversy.
Daniel Evans
Daniel James Evans (born 30 November 1969),the oldest of the 12 finalists a pool cleaner from LeytonLeyton
Leyton is an area of north-east London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, located north east of Charing Cross. It borders Walthamstow and Leytonstone; Stratford in Newham; and Homerton and Lower Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, had never gotten around to applying forThe X Factor altlhough he had the papers to do so, but this was the first year that he had actually auditioned. Evans decided to participate this year following the death of his wife after she gave birth to his daughter. Throughout the live finals, he repeatedly received criticism from both Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh. He was in the bottom two with Scott Bruton in week three but won through to the next round by virtue of a passionate performance of "To Where You Are
To Where You Are
"To Where You Are" is a song by American singer Josh Groban that appears on his 2001 debut album. It was written by Alan Menken, Richard Marx and Linda Thompson and produced by Richard Marx.-Commercial performance:...
" in memory of his wife. Along with Ruth Lorenzo, he did not appear when the finalists sang "Hero" in week three because of a technical problem. In week five a campaign started by Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJ Chris Moyles
Chris Moyles
Christopher David Moyles is an English radio and television presenter and author, who currently presents The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 and Chris Moyles' Quiz Night on Channel 4....
urging his listeners to vote for Evans seemed to have saved his skin. Evans was voted out despite having more public votes in the sixth round, after a sing-off with Rachel Hylton. Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell all voted for Hylton, and with that his departure from the competition was confirmed. Daniel later released his debut download only single Open Arms
Open Arms (Journey song)
"Open Arms" is a popular song originally recorded by American rock band Journey, and released as a single from their 1981 album, Escape. Co-written by band members Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain, the song is a power ballad whose lyrics are an empowering plea to a lover to forgive past wrongdoings...
. In March 2010 he also released a fully independent, critically acclaimed and emotional easy listening album called No Easy Way which is available from iTunes. Despite its positive reviews it failed to chart in the UK due to lack of publicity. With no support from the industry whatsoever (Daniel was quoted as saying "radio stations would not play an xfactor contestant that was not signed to a major label") and no publicity or distribution the album has been a surprisingly good performer in Asia.
Evans is now singing for corporate clients in Spain where he now lives with his daughter. He is also writing music for other artists.
Rachel Hylton
Rachel Shavon Hylton (born 26 November 1981) is a mother-of-five from London. She had the first of her five children at the age of 13. Problems with drugs led to a spell in prison and eventually three of her children were taken into care. Hylton was hoping to win The X Factor to make a better life for herself and her two youngest children, whom she still looks after.Hylton after her first audition was hugely tipped as a contender this year following her pitch perfect performance of "You Know I'm No Good
You Know I'm No Good
"You Know I'm No Good" a song by English recording artist Amy Winehouse, released as the second single from her second studio album, Back to Black. The track follows in the footsteps of Winehouse's previous singles of a mix of jazz and R&B with her soulful, raspy vocals and this time hip...
".
In weeks one and two, she received harsh criticism from many of the show's judges, but in week three, Simon Cowell described her rendition of 'Feeling Good' as 'the best performance of the night.' Week four Hylton was in the bottom two with Austin Drage after a disco themed show, in which her performance was described by Louis Walsh as 'very average.' Only Drage's mentor, Simon Cowell, chose to save him, whilst the remaining judges kept Hylton in the competition, progressing her to week five. During the week five show Hylton performed "Against All Odds
Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)
"Against All Odds " is a song by British singer Phil Collins recorded for soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. It is a power ballad in which its protagonist implores an ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds" while considering it worth trying...
" and survived the public vote, progressing to week six. In week six Hylton was once again in the bottom two with Daniel Evans but was saved by Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell. In week seven Hylton was in the bottom two for a third time, this time with JLS. Despite drawing praise from the judges for her sing-off performance, she was voted out by a majority of the judges because they believed JLS would progress further in the competition. In interviews after her departure from the competition, Rachel claimed she was judged on her past not her vocal ability in which has always been praised by all four judges.
Hylton revealed to Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
that she had been offered a recording contract, but, like the other contestants, could not sign it until her contract with The X Factor expired. Hylton was also rumoured to have been working with US singer John Legend
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
and his record label but this later turned out to be false. On 4 May 2009, she appeared alongside US stars Mary Mary
Mary Mary
Mary Mary is an American gospel music duo, consisting of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell and Tina Atkins-Campbell . The duo are often credited along with Kirk Franklin for broadening the fan base of urban contemporary gospel in the 2000s by introducing elements of soul music, hip hop, funk and jazz...
, CeCe Winans
CeCe Winans
Priscilla "CeCe" Marie Winans Love is an American Gospel singer, who has won numerous Grammy and Stellar Awards.-Early life:CeCe Winans was born in Detroit, Michigan, to David and Delores Winans, on October 8, 1964...
and Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
at the Oraclez Gospel Festival at Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
.
Since this, Hylton has gone on to launch a charity single "Only the Good Die Young" with other celebrities such as Darren Day
Darren Day
Darren Day , is an English actor, singer and television presenter, well known for his West End theatre starring roles.-Early life:His paternal grandfather was a support and warm-up act for George Formby...
.
In 2011 Hylton revealed on her Facebook page that she will be releasing her debut single and album in the year. Her single will be released in the summer, with her album following later.
Ruth Lorenzo
Ruth Lorenzo Pascual (born 10 November 1982) originally from MurciaMurcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
, South East Spain, now living in Ashtead
Ashtead
Ashtead is a village situated within the Metropolitan Green Belt of Surrey, England, and is just outside of the suburbia of London. It is separated from Leatherhead by the M25, and from Epsom by Ashtead Common.- History :...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, was working a PR Consultant at the time of the show. In week two, Lorenzo fell into the bottom two, along with Girlband. Her choice of sing-off song was "Purple Rain
Purple Rain (song)
"Purple Rain" is a power ballad by Prince and The Revolution. It is the title track from the 1984 album of the same name, which in turn is the soundtrack album for the 1984 film of the same name, and was released as the third single from that album. The song is a combination of rock, pop, gospel,...
". Lorenzo's mentor Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole voted for her to stay, with Simon Cowell and Girlband's mentor Louis Walsh voting the other way. The result thus went to "Deadlock", and the public vote was consulted. Lorenzo had received more votes from the public than Girlband and therefore survived. It was announced after the show that the telephone number that appeared on screen for fans to call and vote to keep her in the competition had a digit missing. Many people complained saying that when they called to vote for Lorenzo the number had a "busy" tone and their votes did not count. Lorenzo was in the bottom two again in week five (November 8), this time in a sing-off against Laura White. Her rendition of "Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Knockin' on Heaven's Door
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan for the soundtrack of the 1973 film Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid. It reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.-Story line and song structure:...
" saw her survive by three votes to one, with White eliminated from the competition. In week 6 Lorenzo sang "Angels" and got through to the next week. In week 7 she sang "Love Ain't Here Anymore
Love Ain't Here Anymore
"Love Ain't Here Anymore" is a song by boyband Take That. Released on 17 May 1994, it was the sixth and final single taken from Take That's second album Everything Changes. It peaked at number three in the UK Singles Chart, ending their string of consecutive number-one singles...
" which thoroughly impressed the judges, especially Cowell, who described it as 'sensational'.
Lorenzo, by this stage Minogue's last remaining act, was eliminated by public vote on November 29, despite receiving excellent feedback from the judges for her performances of "I Love Rock 'N' Roll
I Love Rock 'n' Roll
"I Love Rock 'n Roll" is a rock song written in 1975 by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker of Arrows, who recorded the first released version. The song was later made famous by the hit version recorded by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts in 1981....
" and "Always
Always (Bon Jovi song)
"Always" is a power ballad by Bon Jovi. It was released as a single from their 1994 album, Cross Road and went on to become their best selling single, with 1.5 million copies sold in the U.S. and more than 3 million worldwide. The song reached #4 in the U.S...
". With Lorenzo's departure, Minogue had lost all three of her acts in successive shows.
According to a report in The Sun newspaper, Lorenzo has been offered several record contracts. However, she cannot sign up to any of them until her X Factor contract expires.
Lorenzo will release her debut single and album in 2011, with the single "Burn" been released in August 2011 and the Album been released shortly afterwards. she has been writing for two years as an Independent Artist and is finally becoming close to finishing her first studio album.
Reported on April 23, 2009
Lorenzo had signed a 1.5 million pound recording contract with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
.
Groups
Acts in this category are vocal duos or groups. Contestants had to be aged 16 or over and thus eligible to enter the show.Bad Lashes
Bad Lashes are a four-piece girl band from North East EnglandNorth East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
, made up of Emily McNamee (born 30 June 1989) from Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, Sophie Wilson (born 21 November 1984) from Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
, Samantha Bennett (born 26 April 1987) from Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, and Stacey Lincoln (born 24 October 1987), also from Durham. In the first live show, they received mixed reviews from the judges, attracting praise from Cheryl Cole, but harsh criticism from Simon Cowell, who compared watching their performance to 'eating water.' They were the first act to be eliminated in the live shows when, on 11 October, they found themselves in the bottom two with other girl group Girlband: the judges' votes were split at 2-2, so the result of the public vote was revealed and Bad Lashes were announced to have polled the least votes from the viewers and were sent home. In the judges' vote, Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue voted in their favour, with Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh voting against them.
Bad Lashes have since released their cover version of Wonderwall in November 2009 as a single.
Girlband
Girlband were a four-piece girl band from South-West England. The group comprised sisters Tita Lau (born 30 July 1988) and Phoebe Jay Lau (born 2 June 1990), along with their friends Marisa Billitteri (born 20 May 1989) and Layla Manoochehri (born 1 May 1986). In the first live show, they received harsh comments from Simon Cowell, who called them a 'Girls Aloud bunch of rejects.' They were placed in the bottom two by the public vote and the decision was given to the judges, whose votes were split, with Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue voting against them, and Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh opting to save them. The result was then referred to the public vote and Girlband survived, having polled higher than other bottom two act Bad Lashes. They were in the bottom two again in the second show, and the judges' votes were once again split. With the result referred to the public vote, Girlband were revealed to have polled the lowest and were duly eliminated. They split up days after their elimination. They briefly reunited for the charity single "Hero".JLS
JLS (Jack the Lad Swing) are a four-piece boy band consisting of Aston MerrygoldAston Merrygold
Aston Iain Merrygold is a singer with boy band JLS who were the runner ups to Alexandra Burke on the fifth series of The X Factor in the United Kingdom in 2008.-Early life:...
(born 13 February 1988) who is from Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, and Marvin Humes
Marvin Humes
Marvin Richard James Humes is an English singer and actor. Humes is currently a member of the boyband JLS. JLS were the runners up to Alexandra Burke in the fifth series of The X Factor in 2008...
(born 18 March 1985), Jonathan "JB" Gill (born 7 December 1986) and Oritse Williams (born 27 November 1986) who are all from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Aston previously played "Cookie" in CITV
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
's Fun Song Factory
Fun Song Factory
Fun Song Factory is a British preschool children's show on CITV aimed at youngsters. It was one of the first songs-based shows to be filmed in front of a live audience of children , and is similar to Australian shows such as 'The Wiggles' and 'Hi-5'.It was originally created in 1994 by Will Brenton...
and Marvin used to be in the group VS
VS (band)
VS were a British R&B/pop group that had three hit singles in the United Kingdom. It was the brainchild of former Blue member Simon Webbe , Melody from DJ Pied Piper, and established singer-songwriter Ali Tennant, who came together to form the production company Love for Music.-Band members:*Jaime...
, which was created by Simon Webbe
Simon Webbe
Simon Solomon Webbe is an English singer-songwriter, actor and music manager. He is best known as a member of the British boyband Blue.-2001–2005: Early Career And Blue:...
of Blue
Blue (boy band)
Blue are an English pop vocal group, whose members are Simon Webbe, Lee Ryan, Duncan James and Antony Costa. Blue originally formed in 2001 before splitting in 2005. In 2009, it was confirmed that the band would reform. In April 2009, the group reunited and a Best of Blue Tour was announced...
.
Following Bad Lashes' elimination in week one and Girlband's in week two, they were Louis Walsh's last remaining act in the competition. In week seven JLS were in the bottom two along with Rachel Hylton. However, they survived thanks to the votes from Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell. In week 8 JLS performed "...Baby One More Time
...Baby One More Time
...Baby One More Time is the debut studio album of American recording artist Britney Spears, released on January 12, 1999, by Jive Records. In June 1997, while Spears was in a negotiation with manager Lou Pearlman to join female pop group Innosense, her mother asked family friend and entertainment...
". They received negative comments from the judges, with Simon Cowell saying "At the moment you're out". After their second performance, You Light Up My Life
You Light Up My Life (song)
Many artists have covered "You Light Up My Life" since 1977. The following year, Johnny Mathis recorded and named his album after the song. LeAnn Rimes released her version as a single in 1997, 20 years after Boone's version was released and on the same record label . Her version fared modestly...
however, Cowell commented that they were "back in the race".
In week 9, JLS performed "Umbrella" and received positive comments from the judges. Walsh said "All I can say is, I'm so proud of you". Their second song was "I'm Already There
I'm Already There (song)
"I'm Already There" is the title of a song recorded by American country music band Lonestar, written by lead singer Richie McDonald along with Gary Baker and Frank J. Myers. It was released in March 2001 as the lead-off single to the band's fifth album, I'm Already There. It spent six weeks at the...
" and Walsh had tears in his eyes.
JLS made it to the final show, becoming the fourth group to do so, the others being G4
G4 (band)
G4 were a four-piece British vocal troupe who first came to prominence when they finished second in ITV's talent show The X Factor in 2004. The members met at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, from which the name G4, standing for "Guildhall 4", derives.-The X Factor:G4 auditioned for the...
in the first series, Journey South
Journey South
Journey South are an English singing duo, consisting of brothers Andy and Carl Pemberton. They are originally from Middlesbrough, Teesside, and performed in pubs and clubs throughout the United Kingdom for over eight years, prior to achieving third place on the second UK series of television talent...
in the second series and Same Difference
Same Difference
Same Difference can refer to:* Same Difference, a British singing duo* Same Difference , an album by Swedish death metal band Entombed* Same Difference , a show which aired on Channel 4...
in the fourth. After surviving the first public vote of the night, in which Eoghan Quigg
Eoghan Quigg
Eoghan Quigg is an Irish pop singer and occasional actor from Dungiven in Northern Ireland, who finished third in the fifth series of the British television music talent contest The X Factor in 2008...
was voted off, they were able to perform their own version of the winner's song, "Hallelujah", which the other remaining finalist Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke is a British R&B and pop recording artist who rose to fame after winning the fifth series of British television series The X Factor in 2008...
also performed. The public voted for the second time that night and JLS ended up coming second.
All the judges said that JLS were the best band that had ever been on the show, and it was widely predicted that they would be offered a contract by a record company shortly after the show's end. It was announced on 20 January 2009, just one month after the final, that JLS had signed with record company Epic Records.
See also
- List of The X Factor (UK) finalists
- List of The X Factor finalists (UK series 1)
- List of The X Factor finalists (UK series 2)
- List of The X Factor finalists (UK series 3)
- List of The X Factor finalists (UK series 4)
- List of The X Factor finalists (UK series 6)
- List of The X Factor finalists (UK series 7)
- List of The X Factor finalists (UK series 8)