Girl Power
11 Oct 08
The girls have got it going on!
Mentor Cheryl Cole called a pre-show summit meeting in her dressing room the 14-24 girls.
Whatever she said, it must have worked - because Diana, Alexandra and Laura went on stage tonight and showed the world just why they are - ahem - the 'most fancied' in the competition.
Alexandra Burke opened the game for the girls with her disco version of the Whitney Houston hit, I Wanna Dance With Somebody. She began her number sparkling brightly on top of a podium, and ended it shimmying through a sea of the smoke which covered the floor. Alexandra was glamorous, accomplished and already completely at home on the stage.
Judge Louis, who put Alexandra out of the competition at Judges' Houses stage three years ago, called Alexandra a diva (in a good way). Dannii was impressed with her stagecraft and Cheryl beamed proudly, "You tore it up - I am so proud of you".
Simon told Alexandra, "It was an obvious song but you put your own interpretation on it". He then, sensationally, asked Louis to publicly apologise to the North London singer for putting her out in a previous year.
And a super-professional Alex told her old foe Louis "You did the right thing rejecting me before. I'm in a much better frame of mind now - and I've got a better mentor too"!
Looks like the contestants this year will be good at answering back!
Diana Vickers was the second of Cheryl's girls to perform. The 17 year-old was clad in cream and gold, and she tip-toed around the stage, hippy style, without shoes. Diana shimmered like an angel as she delivered her track with his hugely individual blissfully light vocal style. Singing With Or Without You, she dazzled - and if that version of the U2 were released tomorrow, it would surely be a huge hit.
The judges heaped huge praise on the little singer. Louis told her, "Diana, you are breath of fresh air and I love everything about you. I think you are the one to beat".
Dannii loved her quirkiness and mentor Cheryl told her, "You nailed it, and I am so proud".
And Simon happily told her, "You are the singing version of Marmite - you'll love it or hate it. And Diana - I loved it. I thought it was fantastic".
If Diana was angelic then Laura White was devilishly good. Dressed in a skin-tight body-con type frock, she had big hair and a big voice and a big song to match - Alicia Keys' Falling. It might be dangerous for some to attempt such a track - but Laura excelled, pulling plenty of vocal tomfoolery out of the bag as she trilled and twiddled her tonsils a huge variety of notes.
And Laura's effort was rewarded with perhaps the most enthusiastic reaction - from the audience and the judges alike - of the night. There were a lot of cheers!
Dannii called Laura a "major contender" while Louis found it hard be believe someone so talented could be so unsure of herself! Cheryl said she was 'Very proud" and Simon - well you could be forgiven for forgetting Simon was mentoring a completely different group! He said, "You were outstanding. You have something very special".
"That is why I still like doing this show in this country - to discover people like you. You have a fantastic future ahead of you..."
And if Laura, Alexandra and Diana are lucky that future begins with a long run in The X Factor live show.
The other acts this evening certainly impressed but you can sure that mentor Cheryl is thanking her lucky stars she is looking after this group.
But can she keep the girls focussed, ready and energised as the weeks progress? The girls have certainly got it going on - but how do they get better than this?
Who is your favourite girl? Just leave your comments below!