X FACTOR: Judges Choice Week

*** Recap of Weeks 6 and 7 ***

Week 6

Standout: JASON

Eliminated: Fourtunate

I was really disappointed with this week's outcome. I was very upset to see Fourtunate in the bottom two and even shocked to see Bella there. To be honest I thought The Collective and Nathaniel weaker performance that week - but Australia's made their call. It's just a shame to see great talent leave the show.

Week 7

Standout: Nathaniel

Eliminated: Nathaniel

Ok now I'm really annoyed! Nathaniel was brilliant this week and being in the bottom two with Samantha was just not cool. This week I thought Shiane and The Collective were the weaker performance this week. It's just a shame that people are getting it so wrong each week. 

Just as a note for future voting - re-watch the videos on the X Factor AU YouTube Channel BEFORE you vote. Sometimes they're better / worse than you though the second time around. Vote based on the performance, not their looks.

WEEK EIGHT - Judges Challenge Week

Overall, all the judges made amazing choices for their fellow judges' contestants. I was particularly laughing at the fact that Ronan picked one of his own songs for Jason to sing. This week's elimination will be a tough one.

Standouts:

Jason - cruising through these last eight weeks, Jason has been able to show that he can take on any genre. Mel B has just been an amazing mentor, and even as Ronan gave him his very own, If Tomorrow Never Comes,  Jason wowed audiences and the judges with how he tackled the ballad. With a little encouragement from Guy to "feel the song a bit more", Jason amazed everyone again this week.

Samantha - made a come back this week with Kelly Clarkson's, Stronger, which was perfect to make a statement about being in the bottom two last week. Chosen by Nat, Guy was a little unsure, but Sammie took it to new heights and made it her own. She just did so well this week.

The Verdict

With the competition so close, I have to say Australia got it right this week with The Collective and Shiane in the bottom two this week. Seeing Shiane go was a pitty, but I can see why both of them were in this week's bottom two.

Shiane -  Although she's been an inspiration these past eight weeks, Shiane is still fourteen. Getting this far in the competition has been incredible, but tonight, she showed her age by having her nerves take over. Forgetting that she started her journey and continued all through bootcamp choosing her own songs and owning them, tonight she let the verdict get to her and her performance faltered. But good one her for getting it this far! She's such a talented girl!

The Collective - Although their take on Justin Bieber's, Beaty And A Beat, was a great come back from last week's shaky performance, it wasn't as great as some of the other's performances. Redeeming themselves with another current Bieber tune, As Long As You Love Me, to save them from the official elimination, these boys need to song like they did tonight to keep them in the finals next week.

Alright with that, I'm out! Night peeps!

sL xxx