Why The X-Factor Needed Originality

Image by Tomodo Photography via Flickr

With this been the last blog for X-factor this weekend I thought I’d give you an insight to why maybe the show is where it is now. I nearly gave up on X-factor after season 4 when Leon Jackson won it, not only did I think that season was awful, but the winner was nowhere near to the standard to win it. And not only that it was turning into a show where people weren’t artists, they was just trying to sing pop to the best they could, they didn’t have anything new or different to them. The show, to me, had lost credibility, the only thing that might have kept me watching was the judges.

Then originality was introduced, Diana Vickers from Blackburn with a unique style and voice auditioned and the judges praised her ‘quirkiness, different voice and style’, she didn’t win season 5 but she put a stamp on the show, to make it your own performance, to be an artist. She didn’t need to win to be honest, none of her fans wanted her to be a controlled X-factor winner with songs written for her and she came out better for that. That year Alexandra Burke won and to be honest I didn’t care, good number 1 Christmas single but she had nothing new, she was labelled ‘Leona Lewis 2’ but who wants the same Artist every year winning the show. The whole reason for the show producing the same is because the target audience is for the audience who like pop. If the show had targeted all genres of music the show would have been very different earlier on. It’s only just been this season that the show is starting to show different artists, someone who will bring something new to the market. This year they’ve got Matt Cardle, Katie Waissel, Aiden Grimshaw, Rebecca Ferguson and Cher Lloyd who are all very different artists who will fit in the market today.

The quality of the contestants this year is the highest I’ve seen it aswell. About 4 of the contestants could walk away with a recording contract this year. No longer do the contestants have to sing outstanding vocals in a ballad to gain good judges comments. They are allowed to add a twist to their vocals; they are allowed to change their stage presence, appearance and become their own artist which gains good judges comments. We will see how this year pans out. But thanks to one star brave enough to bring something different to the show in 2008 and I weakly thank John and Edward for using the stage to their full advantage with the dancers and props etc that the show is where it is today. They also introduced mixing songs which has been used a lot this year, finally we have a show that shows originality.

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