'Robbie' Rachel's reasons for control
05 Nov 08
Rachel's own choices will see her fail or thrive...
Dannii Minogue and Rachel Hylton know they must pull out all the stops to keep the London mum in the The X Factor competition.
The pair agree that Rachel should have maximum control over her own destiny after her patchy week four performance left her floundering in the bottom two. But Mentor Dannii will, as always, be around for help and advice where needed.
Rachel wasn't comfortable with aspects of her styling and choreography that week - but she is also the first to admit she made her own mistakes.
She told us, "At the end of the day it was me who forgot the opening line of the song".
"I had to step off the swing, I was concentrating on getting the timing right, and my mind went blank. I did recover - but I didn't recover well".
And she sighed, "To be honest, I felt like I'd been kicked in the gut".
"Even though it was Austin who left the competition, I know I came close. I went through a sort of shock".
With so much at stake, Rachel is determined to put extra effort into every aspect of her act this week. And yes, she wants her styling and choreography to be, as she sees it, just right for her.
But she is applying that same perfectionist plan to her own efforts as well.
"I admit it myself - I didn’t do a good performance. Even my cousin, who is always honest with me, said, 'You didn't perform it like you did at home - there was something missing'".
"I haven't been fortunate enough to have a steady run of good performances, but I have my moments".
"I have my highs - like my survival song and my week three performance - and I have my lows. My mum has always said there is never a happy medium with me, and I'm proving that on The X Factor".
Rachel hopes her added input will put the audience's attention firmly back on her voice. In particular, she'd like to simplify her choreography.
"To be honest I'd rather not have so much going on around me. All the men with wings! I'd rather just move naturally".
"I'd also like to look different - because the dress had a bodice on it, it was restrictive. It was hard to bend over in, sing, and do the choreography".
"Hopefully we can work something out that's more suited to me next time."
And a determined Rachel grinned when her thoughts turned to her songs for next week.
She told us, "Last Saturday, I asked around and came up with a song which Dannii agreed - everybody agreed - suited me. It's really good and it's in my range".
"After the show, I went home and I rehearsed. I didn’t go to bed 'til 3 a.m. I am determined. I've been given a second chance on the show - and I have to make the most of that chance".
Read Rachel and Dannii - The Truth! here
Read Dannii sends Rachel shopping