fantastic voice

[faceless]

[nekokate]

I actually thought she was a bit rubbish - I was trying to work out whether you were posting this as a serious or a joke clip, haha. I still can't decide!

[faceless]

Ok then, in what way is she rubbish? Considering her life has been one long turmoil of drugs and abuse, and she still ends up after all that with this kind of raw ability puts her above just about any singer I can think of.

There was one extra 'yeah' that she put it in, but these small errors will be corrected as she goes through the weeks. She'll probably not win because she's not vacuous enough for the public though.

[nekokate]

I don't know anything about her life - I don't watch TV so I don't follow these shows. I'm vaguely aware it's one of those Big-X-American-Brother-Pop-Factor-Idol things. All I did was watch the clip above, not knowing anyone in it other than Simon Cowell from Adam, and thought "bit out of tune, bit of a nasal whine".

If you're championing her for her background then fair enough, but from that one performance alone I wasn't particularly moved. In fact, as I said, I genuinely couldn't work out whether you were posting it as a joke clip or not until the judges started fawning over her and I went "oooh, I get it! She's apparently good!" Hehe!

[faceless]

I'm saying she has a fantastic voice - but with her background she'll be able to go a lot further (deeper) because she's already been through the shit that people like Amy Winehouse are doing now, which gives her real soul instead of the manufactured variety like that of Leona Lewis, last year's winner.

[nekokate]

I've never even heard of Leona Lewis - she must be doing great! Haha!

I do think there's a huge stigma placed on people who are "discovered" through programmes like that, though. People buy the records, but deep down everyone is still kind of thinking that it's not "real" music. It's just "Her off that telly show" or whatever. Like Will what's-his-face? Him who was on the thing with Gareth Gates. Nobody really respects them as singer/songwriters I don't think. They don't get mentioned alongside Dylan and Waits, for instance. Well... apart from just now.

[faceless]

That's exactly my point - the others before have been vacuous and soulless. If you can't see that this woman has more than that then maybe you're allowing previous bias to affect your judgment... To use a cheesy old saying - I don't care where a person comes from, it's where they're going that matters.

As for Tom Waits, how many people on the average street would have heard of him? That doesn't mean he's not talented - just as in this situation it doesn't mean she isn't very talented just because she's tried her luck on X Factor.

When she's a polished performer she'll be outstanding.

Leona Lewis is big in America now - a couple of big hits and performances on all the big tv shows. They see her as a new Whitney Houston.

[pirtybirdy]

I don't ever usually agree with Kate, but I have to say, I agree with her on this one. She didn't come off to me as a fantastic voice. I thought it was quite average and was quite surprised at what Simon said considering some great voices he has really heard. I really think Simon is full of shit most times now. I do wish her luck and hope she gets a career for herself, at least so that she can give a better life to her kid/kids.

[eefanincan]

I'd agree that this performance didn't really do it for me --- I think it comes down to personal taste. But high praise from Simon Cowell! That's something

[faceless]

but it's not just about personal taste for me, it's about technical ability and potential.

I guarantee she'll be performing big gigs in a few years (though possibly as a backing singer).

[luke]

[Twirley]

After hearing her in the initial auditions and then this it's like she was trying too hard this time and I think Simon was trying to tell her that. She has to realise that she's not Simon's only favourite, just one of his favourites. I think she'll get there. She sounded a bit Macy Gray to me! And that's good!!!

Looking forward to seeing this episode.

[pirtybirdy]

[faceless]

Here's her singing on Saturday's show - there's still some tidying up required on certain tones, but she's really getting there. I'd happily pay money to see her sing because she'd blow the roof off.

[pirtybirdy]

She definitely has something there to work with. Sounds like she says "feew" instead of "feel". She was quite confident and having fun, which is what entertains an audience. Well, good luck to her. It's not my genre though.