X FACTOR: Who are the final 12?
Monday 01 October 2012
This years X Factor finalists have been deemed the ‘best ever’ by judge Gary Barlow, as 16-year-old Ella Henderson and 24-year-old James Arthur make it through to the live shows.
In an X Factor double bill, the final 24 were whittled down to just 12 as each act sang for their place on the live shows at the judges’ houses. And obviously happy with all the judges’ picks, Gary said: ‘This year we really have got the cream of the crop with our finalists and it was tough for all of us to choose our three acts.’
He continued: ‘The standard of talent has gone up this year and I think it’s the best ever line-up of finalists.’
There was one surprise act put through, a decision which had viewers on the fence. Nicole Scherzinger chose eccentric Rylan Clarke to be a part of her category after he impressed her with his stripped back version of Rihanna’s We Found Love – but it was his reaction that sparked a Twitter frenzy!
The hopeful put on an Oscar-worthy performance when he heard the good news. After a dramatic flail on the floor, he continued to sob, asking Nicole if she was joking.
Dubbed as the most dramatic X-Factor reaction of all time, Rylan’s performance stimulated a mixed response in the viewers.
“I actually think Rylan can sing! I want him to be my best friend.” One tweeter posted, while another user added; “Rylan Clark is my guilty pleasure. Fake people should always win the X-Factor.”
Meanwhile, Nicole said of her act: 'Rylan mylove… he’s all spikes and sparkle, we need diva music and empowering diva anthems for him. He would definitely have his own audience.'
Let’s take a look at the finalists:
The Boys
James Arthur, 24
Why he thinks he should win: 'I will bring versatility, passion and raw emotion to the competition and if given the chance to show my song writing abilities hopefully that will show exactly why I should win the competition.'
What Nicole says: 'He is so brilliant, he is a modern day poet. He’s really special. He’s a real artist and I’m really excited to work with him.'
Rylan Clark, 23
Why he thinks he should win: 'I'm going to bring performances to The X Factor that no previous contestant hasever done before, I want to be the first dance artist to come out of this show, I just hope people pick up the phones.'
What Nicole says: 'He’s all spikes and sparkle, we need diva music and empowering diva anthems for him. He would definitely have his own audience.'
Jahmene Douglas, 22
Why he thinks he should win: 'I'm not confident at all with any aspect of myself but singing is my way of expressing myself because talking is not my strong point at all.'
What Nicole says: 'He’s got an unbelievable voice - he needs a lot of support and love and I am definitely ready to give that to him.'
The Girls
Jade Ellis, 25
Why she thinks she should win: 'There is a gap in the market for a young British female urban vocal. From the start I have taken every opportunity to learn more about myself as an artist and I will continue to take steps to improve and grow.'
What Tulisa says: 'She is fantastic - hearing a vocal like that, you just can’t let it go.'
Ella Henderson, 16
Why she thinks she should win: 'I believe that I have a lot to give and I'm fully dedicated to my music. I know that by doing this show I'm going to grow as a performer and my confidence will build up each week.'
What Tulisa says: 'She is so amazing. She just has this air of innocence about her when she sings and gets lost in the moment.It’s beautiful, it really is.'
Lucy Spraggan, 20
Why she thinks she should win: 'I would love for the public to see how hard I've worked, share my experiences with them, entertain them and be successful within the music industry. If winning this year’s show made that happen for me, I would be over the moon.'
What Tulisa says: 'I love her to bits. As a mentor you like the music your acts perform and that they sing, but it’s rare that you can be a fan of your contestant and with Lucy, I am a fan.'
The Over 28’s
Melanie Masson, 44
Why she thinks she should win: 'It would be so positive to show that you can still reach your goals, achieve your dreams, be taken seriously and still be relevant no matter where you are in your life, what you've done before or how old you are.'
What Gary says: 'She’s an amazing talent. She’s a proper soul singer.'
Carolynne Poole, 32
Why she thinks she should win: 'I think The X Factor needs to see that Country isn't just line dancing and cowboy boots!! It'd be so awesome to show the world that the big country voices don't just come from America!'
What Gary says: 'She’s got an amazing voice, she knows who she is and where she is going, and to top it all off, she’s gorgeous.'
Kye Sones, 30
Why he thinks he should win: 'If I won The X Factor it would be a victory for anyone who has never given up on something. It would show people that you should never give up on your dreams no matter how many knock backs you experience.'
What Gary says: 'I’m looking forward to learning from him because I think he is someone who knows a lot about music and I think he’s going to be an amazing contestant.'
The Groups
GMD3 - Greg, 18, Dan, 19, Mickey, 18
Why they think they should win: 'We hope to show people something fresh and exciting that hasn't been seen before on this amazing show.'
What Louis says: 'I love them. These boys can sing, they’ve got amazing harmonies, they’re nice guys, they work hard and they tick every box.'
MK1 - Charlotte Rundle, 19, and Simeon Dixon, 24
Why they think they should win: 'The thought of being the first two piece to win is really exciting. We’re a niche band as well which should hopefully work in our current market.'
What Louis says: 'They are so current and relevant to today’s charts and Charlie has an amazing, original and brilliant voice.'
Union J - Jamie Hamblett (JJ), 24, George Shelley, 19, Josh Cuthbert, 20, and Jaymi Hensley, 22
Why they think they should win: 'We’re new and fresh. We have not been together long but I hope the public realises the potential in us. We’re four normal down to earth guys who love to sing.'
What Louis says: 'The boys have a great young image, girls are going to love them, they have it all – great energy, looks and the vocals to match.'
Who are you rooting for?
James Arthur
Rylan Clark
Jahmene Douglas
Jade Ellis
Ella Henderson
Lucy Spraggan
Melanie Masson
Carolynne Poole
Kye Sones
GMD3
MK1
Union J