Week Five saw The X Factor contestants pay tribute to two iconic pop acts – Queen and Michael Jackson.
Digital Spy rounds up what Simon Cowell, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Mel B and Louis Walsh had to say about Saturday night’s (November 8) acts – and if you missed the show, you can catch up with all the performances below, too:
1. Paul Akister: ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ by Queen
Simon: “Last week you were like a Dementor, you know, sucking the energy out. But you came out, you were happy, you sang really well.”
Cheryl: “You’re so consistently good, you haven’t had a bad week vocally. Just trust Melanie when she says perform more because she cares more than any other mentor that I’ve worked with.”
2. Jay James: ‘The Show Must Go On’ by Queen
Mel B: “I wasn’t feeling it. I could see you were uncomfortable, that you were stressed out. As a performer, you have to forget what’s gone on and you just have to deliver.”
Louis: “I loved the staging. Consistent and amazing.”
3. Lauren Platt: ‘I’ll Be There’ by The Jackson 5
Simon: “I thought the track was good, the last 20 seconds was fantastic. That’s where I heard what your voice is capable of. You’re better than you think you are.”
Mel B: “Can we all just remind ourselves that you are 17. You performed that song like you’d been doing it your entire life. I heard you’ve got a bit of Tonsillitis going on. To do that with that, wow.”
4. Only The Young: ‘Blame It on the Boogie’ by The Jacksons
Cheryl: “The chemistry between you is so genuine. I can imagine kids at home saying, ‘Mum I want to go see them’.”
Louis: “We need this band in this competition. They work so hard, they’ve got great chemistry.”
5. Ben Haenow: ‘Man in the Mirror’ by Michael Jackson
Mel B: “This week your vocals were too exposed. If I was Simon, I would be worried about that choice for you.”
Cheryl: “It doesn’t matter where I go, somebody will always say to me, ‘I love Ben’. It was a massively brave thing to do, to sing it a capella. You seemed emotional and nervous though.”
6. Stevi Ritchie: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen
Louis: “What just happened? You became a rock god, that was crazy. I think Freddie would have loved it if he was alive. You’re turning into the David Brent of The X Factor in a good way.”
Mel B: “You’re genuine, you’re honest and give it your all. I just felt like I took some weird acid and went on a trip. I still don’t feel normal.”
7. Stereo Kicks: ‘You Are Not Alone’ by Michael Jackson
Simon: “Good for you! The important thing is that you bounced back from where you were last week.”
Cheryl: “I don’t how I would have dealt with what you just dealt with [the stage invasion]. It was a real sign of professionalism.”
8. Fleur East: ‘Will You Be There’ by Michael Jackson
Louis: “You’ve been working all your life to get to this point. As a manager, I know you’re ready-made for a career in music.”
Mel B: “You shut me up, again! You owned it, you commanded the stage. You have to stay in this competition. We need you!”
9. Andrea Faustini: ‘Somebody to Love’ by Queen
Louis: “That is my favourite performance of the night and the whole series.”
Cheryl: “There’s never anything less than 100% with your performances. The whole of Britain loves you.”
SOURCE: Digital Spy
