Lopez Blogs

Yes your Saturday night starts right here. Mine doesn't. I'm still in the good ol' US of A. So once again, return the favour of the endless weeks of blogging I've done for you and let me know what's going on in the comments section of the blog. I will be back next Sat with all the gossip from my x factor finale party and all the gossip of the final two episodes. Are you excited. you should be! I have no idea whose left or remaining as I write this so here are my top 5 fave x-factor performances from years gone by and top 5 fave christmas factor performances (both in descending order)...

Regular:

• G4 ~ Circle of Life: Ah the first series of x-factor when that harriden sharon osbourne was still involved, when Steve Brookstein inexplicably won and when only half the people watching now bothered to tune in. Still, as I had once seen G4 perform this song at Trafalgar Square, I was hooked on them the moment I saw them audition for the show and they bought something a little bit different to the reality music show genre. They had many weird and wonderful performances during their time on the x-factor, but this is my favourite of theirs...
• Leona Lewis ~ Summertime: Yes, Fantasia may have done it first and wowed everyone on American Idol but during 2006 Leona's pipes blew everyone away. This song in the x-factor finale proved that there was no way gurning Ray Quinn could win and the rest, as they say, is history...
• Stacey Solomon ~ Something About The Way You Look Tonight: My fave Elton song and a perennial x factor fave, my beloved Stacey was diva like yet humble and elegant when she belted this out. Yes she's sitting on a piano, which is my pet peeve but after hearing this it was totally forgiveable. Tragic to see her reduced to I'm A Celebrity...:(
• Same Difference ~ I Don't Feel Like Dancing: One of my fave x-factor groups ever (and their new single Karma Karma is AMAZING), this performance was utter bonkers - Sean comes riding on stage on a tricycle and all the toys come to life. There's even a dance routine, which you don't see often enough on the x factor. Magnificent!
• Shayne Ward ~ Somewhere Over The Rainbow: My favourite favourite x-factor performance ever. I just think it showed that the x-factor was absolutely capable of finding someone with genuine pop magic after the Brookstein debacle. Some of the notes Shayne holds in this are outstanding. Shame his career was all but swept aside once Leona won. Sigh.

• JLS ~ Last Christmas: The year I was convinced a boy band was going to win, and in a way they did anyway. They did an utterly sincere and utterly charming version of the Wham classic without being overly cheesy and I still listen to it occasionally at Christmas a few years on.
• G4 ~ O Holy Night: Ooo bringing a bit of pomp and circumstance to the x-factor, the true winners of year one absolutely nailed every note and nuance of this reverent hymn. Magnificent from start to finish and yes, they look quite good in suits.
• Alexandra Burke ~ Silent Night: I think i was a bit unfair to Alexandra at the time because I so desperately wanted JLS to win. On reflection she did some great performances and this one was up there with the best. Tinged with gospel she knew how to command the stage, the judges and the audience and ultimately that is what led her to victory...
• Shayne Ward ~ When A Child Is Born: It was a great night for Shayne with his Judy Garland cover (above) and this was almost but not quite as great. Still a wonderful version of one of my favourite tunes and had his career been handled properly this would have been a Christmas 2006 single as an AA side with a studio version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Oh what might have been.
• Same Difference ~ All I Want For Christmas Is You: Utter joy from start to finish. They fly. There's glitter. They smile. It's joyous and glorious and magnificent. I've seen them perform it live too and it's just as wonderful. Can't wait for their new album in the new year :)