X-Factor Wannabe (The X Factor)

Member Name: adambrown400

Product:	The X Factor
Date:	05/10/08 (47 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great entertainment

Disadvantages: Some contestants blinkered view of the music industry

'Music's all I've ever wanted to do, I can't imagine ever doing anything else.'

These are the sentiments that every single entrant on this years X-Factor have to say. Regardless of whether or not they actually can sing or not, the majority of these 'people' are totally clueless.

If you have never seen the X-Factor before, the basic gist of the programme is this: Men and woman from all over the UK turn up at various locations around the country and perform in front of a panel of judges. These judges then decide whether they want to take them on to 'boot camp'. If they suceed there they then go on to a live show where they are phone-voted off every week, until there is an eventual winner.

On the whole there are different types of X-Factor viewer. There's the ones who hate the audition process - hating the cringe-worthy moments when deluded idiots think they have a chance at singing well. Then there are the people who think that the X-Factor signals the end of true talent and raw music. Then there are people like me who don't care either way and enjoy the spectacle of human misery.

There certainly are some good singers on the X-Factor, it has to be said. But their motivation seems to be entirely about 'doing it for my poor family' or the money and lifestyle that being a pop star would mean to their pointless lives.

The audition process can be really funny. Its amazing how deluded some people are. Just because they may have sung once a karaoke version of a Mark Ronson song while under the influence of 17 pints of Stella, they think they are the next Amy Winehouse. In fact, this years there are many Winehouse wannabes. I mean for god's sake - who wants to be her?! The other annoying thing about the auditions is peoples song choices. Nearly everyone sings 'Ain't No Sunshine' or 'Valerie' or 'Mercy'. It gets a bit grating if you know what I mean.

There is so much emotion in the show as well. Not five minutes go by without someone bursting into tears, usually falsely to get more votes or to get them onto the next level of the show. How shallow to think that some people use the death of a loved one to emotionally bully the judges into getting them to boot camp. Dispicable!

There are quality singers on the X-Factor, and thats all it should be considered to be. Leon Jackson and Leona Lewis, both previous winners are excellent singers who can hit note-perfect renditions of 'Ain't No Sunshine', but do they actually believe in what they are singing. I doubt it. Leona Lewis is a great singer, but has the personality of a brick wall.

As long as the contestants realise that they will be famous for 5 minutes afterwards, then thats all fine and dandy. But they expect too much from it. They will all probably be doing the rounds at every Chicago Rock in the country for a years afterwards and then its back to McDonalds and 'weren't you that guy from that show?'

I think the judges know this as well. Simon Cowell, always looking for the quickest buck for the cheapest amount of money possible is clearly to blame for the contestant's blinkered view of the music industry. His pals Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cold and Dannii Minogue also don't help.

Its an entertaining show and great Saturday night entertainment, almost as good as House Party, but as long as the contestants realise their dreams will be short lived then all will be well.

Summary: Entertaining, but far too emtional.