Have we already found our winner on The X Factor? 26-year old Nashville, TN native, Brennin Hunt, sure thinks so.
On the Thursday September 29, 2011 audition episode we met the handsome and talented crooner who says he’s already got a strike against him because he’s hot. OK, that he is. But can he sing?
If you ask Brennin, his answer is that he “is the total package.”
He sang his own original called How We Make It. Simon Cowell called Brennin’s voice brilliant and told him he wants to work with him. Cowell said the reason Brennin has not yet “made it” is because he has not been given the right advice or direction to help propel him to that “next level.”
Paula Abdul told Brennin his voice stuck a chord in her heart. L.A. Reid called Brennin hot.
Watch Brennin’s audition below and tell me what you think. Is Brennin ready for super stardom?
OK — You got us X Factor, you got us. When scruffy-looking Josh Krajcik came on the September 28, 2011 episode of the show, we were like, OK, we get it, this self-proclaimed burrito slinger guy is gonna stink it up. Real bad. The more his mom insisted the guy is the next best singer since Elvis, the more we anticipated a total bomb. Man, was the joke on us.
Just when we thought we know it all, The X Factor pulled the ol’ switcheroo on us, because the second the 30-year old crooner from Columbus Ohio opened his mouth, some of us got goosebumps. The rest of us got chills. Why? Because on his rendition of At Last came out some kind of unexpected and gritty Joe Cocker meets Bob Seger rolled into a soulful Etta James.
On his way to the next round, Simon Cowell told him, “I’ve gotta say, Josh. I always thought after a few auditions over the years I wouldn’t be surprised again. And then you started singing and it just blew me away.” He also said he likes him because, “You are honest. You didn’t come out here with any gimmicks. Good for you.”
L.A. Reid informed him, “You need to give the slinging-burritos job to somebody else.” Then he called him out: “I get why you’re dressed like that. You aren’t foolin’ me for a second. This is your ‘before,’ because the ‘after’s’ gonna be … you’re too good, you are way too good.”
Paula Abdul added: “There are just certain voices that the second you open your mouth to sing, it gets in our skin. What a treat.”
Watch Josh’s Chicago audition for yourself and you be the judge:
Did you catch the oddest contestant we will probably see make it through the next round on The X Factor Wednesday night?
I am talking about J. Mark Inman, the 31-year-old philosophy student who auditioned in Chicago (September 28, 2011) and compared his life to “the algorithm for pi” right after he said “J+Mark+X+Factor= $5Million.”
J. Mark performed his own whacked out take on Radiohead’s Creep. Yet, as bizarre and bad as he was, he was enthusiastically pushed through to the next round as if he had hypnotized and mesmerized the judges.
Backed by a stuttering electronic track of the Radiohead song which of course he made himself, J Mark looked really out of place on the big X Factor stage. Then, the music began and he looked even more misplaced. But his voice didn’t start. At first. He just slithered across stage in some kind of weird hip hop moves and it, I am afraid to admit, worked. Then he started singing. And I couldn’t tell if I loved him or was scared of him. Or, possibly even both?!
As the song ended with the lyrics, “I don’t belong here…,” Paula Abdul and the audiencegave him a standing ovation. Paula of course understood and got him because as Simon Cowell said, “he is from Planet Paula.” She said, “You don’t belong here. You’re other worldly. You are in another jurisdiction, fooor suuure. I think I have visited there once or twice in my life. Oh the places we could go together.”
Said L.A. Reid: “It sounded so bad, but felt so goooood.” Inman was sent through to the next round, and he seemed as shocked as anyone, espeically a wicked-smiled Simon.
Watch the amazingly odd audition video clip below:
The September 28, 2011 episode of The X Factor started hot in the cold rainy Chicago auditions.
First up were Brock and McKenna Sollinger who have been singing together for four years. McKenna calls the duo “best friends.” Brock, on the other hand, is madly in love with her and has not told her yet. Well, not until she watches tonight’s episode. Man, I wish I could see McKenna’s face as she learns…
The duo received a standing ovation from the audience singing Colder Weather by The Zac Brown Band. The judges followed by giving the pair four votes to advance.
L.A. Reid: “You just made my day, I really enjoyed you.” Cheryl Cole: “Your harmonies were spot on and your vocals so controlled.” Paula Abdul: “I think your vocal blend is lovely.” Simon Cowell: “Your voice is sensational.”
Watch Brock & McKenna’s (Or Makenna) performance video clip below:
The X Factorfound its very own Whitney Houston, Beyonce and Mariah Carey rolled into one incredibly talented singer in the Miami auditions which aired Thursday September 22, 2011, and her name is Melanie Amaro.
The 18-tear old college studenthad her very own Dreamgirlsmoment singing Beyoncé‘s Listen while absolutely flooring the judges.
LA Reid said she is truly amazing, has the gift, the soul, the swagger and the X factor.
Nicole Scherzinger was moved to tears and and said this is why she does this show and people like Melanie inspire her.
Paula Abdul said Melanie has a unique ability that Paula has never heard in any other audition, ever.
Simon Cowell said this is why he brought the show to America: to find some one like her.
Watch Melanie perform Beyonce’s Listenin the video clip below:
The first contestant to make it to the next round of The X Factor from the Miami auditions which aired Thursday September 22, 2011 was 21-year old Nick Voss. Nick, a modern-day Elvis impersonator, sang the king’s Trouble.
I am not sure if Nick is as amazing as the judges thought he was, but because he came after 100’s of mediocre to bad singers, Nick was a fresh of breath air to them. Continue reading →
Simon Cowell and Fox’s The X Factor attracted a relatively disappointing 12.14 million viewers for its heavily hyped two-hour debut, and a 4.2 rating among the advertiser coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic.
In comparison, American Idol‘s debut last season drew 26.2 million viewers and a 9.7 in the said demographic.
Despite falling short of Idol status, so far, The X Factor actually won prime time’s first hour with 11.72 million, against CBS’ Survivor: South Pacific, (10.35 million), ABC’s The Middle (9.35 million), NBC’s Up All Night (6.04 million) and Free Agents (3.86 million) and the CW’s H8R (1.3 million).
It did lose the second hour to Modern Family (14.29 million viewers) and CBS’ Criminal Minds(14.07 million, 4.1). The X Factor beat NBC’s Harry’s Law (7.30 million, 1.2) and America’s Next Top Model on The CW (1.56 million, 0.7).
After months and months of hype, The X Factor premiered Wednesday night and reunited Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell after a couple of years of TV separation.
The show also included Cheryl Cole, briefly, before she was cut by the show for unknown reasons, L.A. Reid, and Cheryl’s replacement Nicole Scherzinger.
Below are the best and worst audition performance videos of the night, but before we go there, is it me or did you guys also find Cheryl Cole too cute to be axed by the show?
AUDITIONS: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE BIZARRE:
Chris Rene, a 28-year old trash collecter and a recovering cocaine addict with a son who is trying to turn his life around performed his own original song Young Homie:
L.A. Reid said of Rene, “I’ve worked with some of the greatest hip-hop artists, like Jay-Z and Kanye West, and all of my boys would be proud of me today to tell you that you are the truth!”
Simon said, “Maybe you need the show, maybe we need you.” Paula told him, “you are a bright light,” while Nicole played off of his original song lyrics telling him, “Honey, I’m trippin’ on you.”
And there was 13-year old Rachel Crowe who started the show and said she wanted to win so she could get her own bathroom (she lives with 8 people). She sang a full-throated Mercy by Duffy:
Siameze Floyd, the Prince impersonator copy-cat who said he wants an energy drink named after him when he reaches the level of mega-stardom that he is convinced is his destiny. Here he is, wearing a mesh see-through shirt, lift boots, and exploding with energy:
Nicole Nikki Collins, event planner from Maryland who would not take no from the judges while butchering Mariah Carey’s Emotions:
Stacey Francis, single 42-year old mom of two who changed her own life forever by singing Aretha Franklin’s Natural Woman:
Marcus Canty the 20-year old who got a two-year window from his mom to pursue a career in entertainment or go back to school reminded LA Reid of Bobby Brown and Simon of Usher:
Simone Battle, the “fierce” USC student who wants to be a pop icon who people ask to sign their babies. Simon and L.A. could not see eye to eye on Simone’s talents as she sang La Roux’ Bulletproof:
Boy band The Answer who sang Adele’s Rollin in the Deep and Happy Birthday to Nicole:
14-year old John Lindahl who sang Forget You by Cee Lo Green:
Oh and last but not least, the supposed classically-trained Geo Godly who made Paula Abdul sick by taking off his pants and singing I’m A Stud:
“That was offensive, disgusting, distasteful, upsetting—get him out of the building, please,” L.A. demanded.
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Simon Cowellis gearing up for the premiere of his latest US show, The X Factor, coming in the fall. But for now, he’s telling GQabout his excitement over this new show and the boredom he experienced on American Idol.
About his new show, Cowell says he wants to “supersize” everything. About his old show, he says, “I was bored. But at the same time I had a deal with Fox, and you’ve got to do what you’ve been paid to do.”
Simon also says: “The first two or three years on Idol, I had a blast. And then, as it got more and more successful, I didn’t want to do it anymore. I just felt I was there being paid to do a role, and after a while that’s not very satisfying. So it was hard work the last couple of years. I wanted to do [The X Factor].”
So, Simon stayed on much longer than he wanted to, and kept amassing millions and millions of dollars for the gig. But before you call him greedy, at least he has great plans for the money once he dies.
“One of the good things about making money is that you can help other people,” Simon said while also saying that once he dies, he will “leave the whole lot to charity… You can enjoy it while you’ve got it, and then it’s gone to good causes afterwards.”
