The X Factor UK 2011 - Live Show 1 - International theme

TEAM KELLY ROWLAND
1. Amelia Lily - Billie Jean (Michael Jackson)
Performing an up-tempo combination of the MJ original and Chris Cornell rock version, she gave a confident performance and handled the vocal range pretty well. The pink hair wasn't really an issue, it was more about the horrific eye makeup.

TEAM LOUIS WALSH
2. Johnny Robinson - Believe (Cher)
Emerging from a giant glitter ball wearing a tin foil coat and sparkly tinted sunglasses (possibly borrowed from Elton John's 1976 wardrobe), Johnny goes all Donna Summer on us, doing the ballad-opening fake-out trick, before bursting into a carbon copy of the original version by Cher, but proving his voice is just not up to the task. Gary Barlow is spot-on by noting that Louis has turned a decent singer into a circus act. Experiment failed, Louis.

TEAM TULISA
3. Rhythmix - Super Bass (Nicki Minaj)
A youthful girl band singing a current hit, with a sprinkling of rap thrown in... Welcome to TEAM TULISA, everybody. And that's a good thing. Their voices didn't blend brilliantly for me, but they were each strong vocalists, especially given the energetic dance routine. A word of caution, though- We have one Cher Lloyd. We don't want that one, let alone another four.

TEAM GARY BARLOW
4. Frankie Cocozza - The A Team (Ed Sheeran)
Breathy and whispery, but in a bad, what-the-hell-is-a-melody way. The Russell Brand makeover was not inappropriate, although the "natural performer" comment from Louis was ridiculous given Frankie pretty much just kept one stiff leg, whilst stamping the other (with a variation of legs and foreward/backward rocking). I'm making it sound far more exciting than it was. Don't. Get. Frankie. At. All. No doubt a finalist, then.

TEAM KELLY
5. Sophie Habibis - Teenage Dream (Katy Perry)
This year's Rebecca Ferguson. Apparently she's good, but makes me want to cut my ears off. Actually, that's a little bit harsh, as her voice didn't sound like a foghorn, it was even rather pleasant. It was her dreary middle-aged-to-pensioner version of Teenage Dream that was the very definition of irony, robbing the song of its essential, youthful verve. Most amusingly, she looked like Dragons' Den newbie Hillary Devey from a distance. (That's not a good look).

TEAM LOUIS
6. Jonjo Kerr - You Really Got Me (The Kinks)
You have a clean cut, handsome guy, in a shiny tailored suit, with a decent MOR voice singing a Kinks song. It was like when somebody's three-year-old sings "I Wanna Sex You Up" or something. Song, singer, look... None of them match. His vocals were okay, but lacked the rough edge required for that song, and his stage presence was non-existent. Which is a huge shame, as there's definite talent there, not to mention the sympathy vote (he's a soldier).

TEAM TULISA
7. 2 Shoes - Something Kinda Ooooh (Girls Aloud)
Whilst the whole Essex thing goes completely over my head (to put it politely), these girls each have great voices. Unfortunately, this isn't a singer's song, and their vocals don't harmonise that well. By the time of the final verse/bridge it went all off-key and quite horrid. A missed opportunity, I fear.

TEAM GARY
8. James Michael - Ticket To Ride (The Beatles)
James has one of those voices that's quite in vogue at the moment, not dissimilar to Frankie's, that Ed Sheeran breathy whispery thing. It doesn't work for me, particularly when you take the "if you can't reach the notes, just say it or whisper it. Nobody will notice, honest" approach. On top of that, the slowed-down, acoustic/orchestral arrangement (with seriously inappropriate key change) was dreary and dull.

TEAM KELLY
9. Misha B - Rolling in the Deep (Adele)
Easily the stand-out vocalist so far, although I'm not sure replacing a stomping piano with a bontempi drumbeat is the same as "making it your own", even with Tim Westwood horns and a rap break. Give me the original any day, but it felt like it was true to her. Easily the best of the night so far. Kudos for keeping in the word "shit", too.

TEAM TULISA
10. Nu Vibe - Beautiful People (Chris Brown/Benny Benassi)
Here we have the ever-increasing X Factor trend of forming groups from good vocalists, but based on looks, rather than based on vocalists whose voices blend well. Not exactly a car crash, but it really didn't sound good.

TEAM GARY
11. Marcus Collins - Moves Like Jagger (Maroon 5/Christina Aguilera)
A great voice, decent stage presence, and appropriate song choice- given a modern disco vibe, rather than a retro one, or that of the funkier original. Next time, though, please lose the "come on" and "here we go", it sounds very cabaret. But he'll be here for a while. Or should be.

TEAM LOUIS
12. Sami Brookes - Free (Ultra Nate)
Sami goes all Donna Summer on us, doing the ballad-opening fake-out trick, before bursting into a carbon copy of the original version by... hang on, haven't I said this before? It's becoming increasingly apparent that turning a 15-year-old song into a disco anthem circa 40 years ago is clearly Louis Walsh's idea of making over 30s "current". Gary, again, summed it up perfectly by pointing out she, one of the best vocalists, is only here because laughing stock Goldie dropped out. Despite Louis's best efforts, she could be one to watch.

TEAM TULISA
13. The Risk - She Said (Plan B)
To repeat, yet again we have the X Factor trend of forming groups from good vocalists, but based on looks, rather than based on vocalists whose voices blend well. Great individual vocals do not necessarily make for a great group. Case in point here, their harmonies need some work. That said, many solo bits were definitely sung better than the original, and these guys have a collective cool (a la Plan B) that's been previously absent from The X Factor, even boy bands in general. Perfect song choice.

TEAM GARY
14. Craig Colton - Jar of Hearts (Christina Perri)
Craig has a great voice, and gave the performance his all, even if did feel a bit overacted and insincere. Some ballads work with the big Simon Cowell "stop, doosh, key-change" moment. Some don't, and this is one that doesn't work. Nice try, but his decent vocals will see him through for a while to come.

TEAM LOUIS
15. Kitty Brucknell - Who Wants to Live Forever? (Queen)
Obviously she's this year's Katie Waissel, the Marmite character who's getting more press for being a turd than her talent. However, on this evidence, Kitty is clearly more talented, so I'd rather not go down that route. Managing to be both stripped-down and overly dramatic, her performance was almost-whelming. At times, the vocals were a bit creaky, at other times, phenomenal. Compared to many others tonight, she's definitely proven she's no novelty act, and earned her place in the competition.

TEAM KELLY
16. Janet Devlin - Fix You (Coldplay)
"She's so unique." Like Diana Vickers meets Ellie Goulding meets Nicola Roberts meets Carol Decker... So not unique, then. Can we ban that word now, please? Her voice doesn't do much for me, I'm afraid. It's all a bit twee, breathy (lots of that tonight), and frequently off-key... But I have to give her her dues, she did a good job, pulling off the sincerity that Craig lacked.

RESULTS:
Each team loses an act, chosen by their mentor.

TEAM TULISA
Should have gone: Nu Vibe.
Gone: 2 Shoes

TEAM LOUIS
Should have gone: Johnny
Gone: Jonjo

TEAM KELLY
Should have gone: Sophie
Gone: Amelia

TEAM GARY
Should have gone: Frankie
Gone: James