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The X-Factor Recap - The Semi Final plus Glee cast performance videos

By Ian Cullen Dec 5, 2010, 21:14 GMT

11/22/2010 - Simon Cowell - 38th Annual International Emmy Awards Gala - Arrivals - Hilton New York, 1335 Avenue of the Americas at 54th Street - New York City, NY, USA © Jakes Van Der Watt / PR Photos

With just one week left the question is, who will stay and who will be show the door on X - Factor?

The remaining contestants, which include Mary Byrne, Matt Cardle, Cher Lloyd, Rebecca Fergusan and One Direction all had two songs to insure their survival last night, and the theme of club classics for their opening songs proved to be quite a challenge for some. 

The show opened up with Rebecca Fergusan, who sang ‘Show Me Love’ and really belted it out. Simply put it was a perfect song choice for her and set the standard, which most acts that followed found it tough to match. 

Next up was Mary Byrne who opened up her account with a confident performance of ‘Never Can Say Goodbye,’ which I cringed at as soon as I heard the opening few bars of music.

Nothing wrong with the performance. It was the song choice that I had an issue with as well as the production of it, and I found myself agreeing with Simon Cowell’s assessment of it. Old fashioned and fairly safe. 

Third up was Matt Cardle who was sick last week, but even sicker this week. Matt was visibly not comfortable, but put on a great performance in spite of the fact that he’d been suffering with a quite bad bout of flu.

Matt sang his own rendition of ‘You've Got the Love’ by Florence + the Machine.   Matt, who despite missing many rehearsals due to illness still managed to put in a creditable performance, though his voice did crack a couple of times during his songs, but it didn’t really make all that much of a difference over all. Even on his worst day he still remains one of my favorites to win. 

Up fourth was Cher Lloyd, who’d you would think would be in her comfort zone doing club music, which is pretty much all she does.  I found her as boring and dull as ever. Cher sang, but mostly rapped a rendition of ‘Nothin' on You.’   

Dannii enjoyed Cher’s attitude, but didn’t think the song highlighted Cher’s singing talent. I say her singing talent is very limited anyway, and for most part Cheryl seems to have coddled her with safe song choices. 

Next up was One Direction, who I think will be in the final next week regardless of how well they sing, and probably have a better chance than Cher Lloyd.  The boys sang Rihanna's ‘Only Girl (in the World).’ It wasn’t really their finest hour for me. The performance felt a bit manic, though given that one of the boys lost a relative last week, and was unable to attend rehearsals. You can perhaps forgive some of it.

As said in previous recaps, One Direction are not really my bag. The boys sing well, and individually they all have good voices, but I’m not really the audience that these lads are aimed at.  

First up to perform their second song was Matt Cardle, who didn’t really look all that brilliant if I’m honest, but soldered on and gave a pretty good rendition of Billy Joel's She's Always a Woman.’ 

Unfortunately for Matt his voice cracked again but it was a bit more obvious with this song than with the last one, which is a shame because on a good week he’d have totally nailed this one. As it was the audience stayed with him and so did I.   Next up with their second song was Mary with ‘The Way We Were.’ Which I felt was a very predictable song choice for her... Toward the end Mary was in tears.

Simon criticized that it was a safe song choice for Mary, and while he had no issues with her Vocal. He felt that she could have been doing something a bit more daring.   Mary told the judges that she’d not sung the song in 15 years, and that she’s only ever done the song back then for her mother. 

Cher’s get me to the final song was ‘I Love the Way You Lie,’ which was originally performed by Eminem and Rihanna.

Despite all the lighting effects and dancers on stage. This was yet another uninspired boring performance  

Next up was Rebecca, who did a fairly good rendition of Amazing Grace, but I do think she needs to move around the stage a little more during her performances. All the judges loved it and I should imagine most people voting did as well.  

Last up to sing was One Direction who did a version of ‘Chasing Cars,’ which loses some of its feel when sang by a group, but this was a stronger vocal from the boy band than their first song. 

On today’s results show we were treated to guest acts, which included the 2008 winner Alexandra Burke, the cast of "Glee" and The Black Eyed Peas. 

Once those formalities were out the way the results were in, and the three finalists chosen by the public certain of a place were One Direction, Rebecca Fergusan and the final of those certain of a place was Matt Cardle. 

This left us with a sing off between Mary Byrne and Cher Lloyd, which to me was the predictable result. 

First up to sing was Mary Byrne, who sang a stirring rendition of ‘A Mans World’ and sang fantastically. A fact that was much acknowledged by the audience.  Last up singing for Survival was Cher Lloyd, who chose to sing a ballad as apposed to a rap song, and sang fairly well. This was an understated performance for Cher in which all the usual stuff was stripped back to just her singing.  

After some deliberation the judges has to decided. Louis predictable went with his own act in Mary, and opted to send Cher home.   Dannii Minogue when asked chose to send Cher to the final, which made it one a vote each. 

Next to choose was Cheryl, who went with her own act. Making it two votes to cher and one to Mary.  Simon, who had the final vote opted to send Cher through, which mean Mary was heading home after being the oldest contestant in my memory to make it as far as the semi finals stage, which is an achievement given how most veteran performers often leave X Factor much earlier. 

In all honesty it was predictable that Cher Lloyd would get chosen due to the fact that she is much more marketable to the youth market, but doubt she will win the competition. 

In terms of who will win, I can only say who I’d like to win, and that’s a toss up between Rebecca Fergusan and Matt Cardle.  But I have a feeling that Simon Cowell’s One Direction will win it, and buck the trend of it only being solo artists that can win "The X - Factor." 

Tune in next week for my thoughts on the final.