DK X Factor - The Final!

The final is here - hooray! I had always wondered why the DK X Factor's stage was small, compared to the one here in Britain. Now I know why - they saved the best for last, and it really was the best! Half of Denmark turned up to see their favourites battle for the top prize in a massive stadium, and didn't seem to mind standing up for most of the show. The host looked more Grecian than Nordic in that stunning dress which was made even more spectacular with the hairstyle she chose than night (I love Danish designers!). Even the contestant's entry theme was 'rocked up', and the judges sipped on wine as opposed to water during the performances - why don't they do the same here? Simon Cowell, you once said that you would like the UK finals to be held at the Wembley Stadium; why haven't you made that happen?

The finalists were Sarah (Denmark's Ellen DeGeneres), Babou (Denmark's Justin Bieber), and Annelouise (Denmark's Kate Moss), but I would have liked to see Patricia - much as I love Annelouise, I didn't think that she would ever be in the final. I also think that Rasmus was robbed - I miss the funny way he pronounces English words! Speaking of rejects, in true X Factor tradition, some of this series' most memorable contestants sang on stage, and compared to their British counterparts who sang "Bad Romance" last year, they weren't that bad. Perhaps they could work on their vocals and come back next year. The other live show contestants sang a techno version of "Time of My Life" and the judges joined them on stage, although I wish Pernille had sang along!

British band Take That returned - complete with Robbie Williams - to sing what has now become their unofficial X Factor anthem "The Flood". That's right, they sang the song twice during last year's UK X Factor, as well as on the Italian version. The band also got the chance to sing "The Kidz" which was banned by Simon Cowell on the British version because the shields carried by the extras were reminiscent of last year's London riots;  it was feared that the performance may have caused offence.  I don't understand why Robbie's voice is often criticised, I think he sounded great, and I'm glad that unlike the time he performed "Bodies" on UK X Factor 2009, he behaved himself!

Babou sang "All the Right Moves" as if his life depended on it, bless him. He also looked good in that suit, and while I think that he dressed properly for a change, isn't that sort of styling a tad too old for him?  Just as I was beginning to wonder what had happened to annoying pop band Aqua, they made an appearance on the show to sing with Babou. Soren and Claus are obviously older but look hotter than ever! Lene, on the other hand, is still getting on my nerves. Seriously Lene, what were you thinking when you wore that weird ear-to-nose jewellery? And don't get me started on Rene! Nevertheless, they blended very well with Babou. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to get him into the final two position; didn't the batteries die on his teenage fan-base's mobiles?

I never thought that the Danish Kate Moss would be in the finals, in fact I thought she would voted off last week. I kept asking myself "Does she deserve to be in the final?", and I have to say that the answer is "yes".  Her rendition of "Breathe Me" was excellent, in fact I don't think I've ever heard her sound this good. I was also happy that she was teamed up with an equally quirky but equally beautiful singer called Fallulah, who had an equally beautiful voice, if not better, but sang off-key in certain parts. Annelouise stunned her hardest critics that night, including myself, and although I miss Patricia, I'm glad that Annelouise made it that far.

Sarah's "Poker Face" was dull. I'm sorry, but the rock intro didn't work, and not even the techno session in the middle couldn't help her - what would Lady GaGa say? However, she more than made up for it when she sang "Shall We Be Grateful" with Danish rock band Carpark North. The lead singer said "Fuck" live on air - Danes say "Fuck"? Personally, I think Sarah should be even more careful the way she choses her songs. Apart from that, she rocks! Or is that techno-rocks?

As with most of the other contestants, Sarah and Annelouise sound even better when singing in their mothertongue, and although I'm not a Danish speaker, the song "Min Ojesten" - which means "My Darling" - sounded beautiful, although I think Annelouise sang it better, and based on that performance alone she should have won. Unfortunately there could only be one winner, and that winner was... (Drumroll) ...Sarah! Congratulations Sarah, and don't forget me when you're rich!

What an amazing two months it has been. This blog is still quite new, but in a short time I have received a lot of support from readers all over the world, particularly from the country that produced Lars Ulrich, Helena Christensen, Hans Christian Andersen and Carlsberg (Carlsberg don't do blogs, but if they did, they'll probably be the best blogs in the world!). Of course, Denmark also gave us Brits Whigfield and Aqua, but never mind, I forgive you. Thank you for the nice things you've all said, and here's to the next DK X Factor...


And please leave a comment on this blog, not on my Facebook page; if you don't have a blogspot password, you can use the anonymous link. Share your views!

tak og Gud velsigne

Bond - Jemma Bond xxx


P.S. - If you see Claus Lillelund from Series Two, tell him I think he's a hottie!

DK X Factor - No Charity single?

According to a reliable source of mine, the producers of this year's DK X Factor have decided not to release a charity single, which I believe is a shame. Not only because I was looking forward to it, but because there is always somebody out there who needs a helping hand due to dire consequences.  In the wake of the recent earthquake in Japan, people in the spotlight should use their celebrity status to help those in need, and while the X Factor contestants are not exactly celebrities - yet - they are in the spotlight, and the least they can do is release a single which their fans will buy - if they can stand on stand on stage and sing Cee-Lo's "F*** You" (Whose idea was it anyway?), they can enter a recording booth and sing for desperately-needed funds which could help desperate individuals. I know that Babou has a massive teenage following; his young admirers would have bought anything his voice featured on now that he's hot property, and we don't know how long his fame will last (Where is Mohamed from series 2? Such a good voice). Even if, God forbid, their post-X Factor careers are unsuccessful, at least they can honestly say in the future that in the past they used their fame to do good, and there's nothing better than doing good.


The last DK X Factor charity single "I'll Be There" was quite good but "You've Got a Friend" from series two was better. Their Dutch counterparts sang "You're the Voice" last year, and it was even better than the original! Come on guys, do your bit for charity!

Dutch X Factor 2010

DK X Factor - Semi Final

Hello guys! I do apologise for the delay - I have been busy working, both professionally and academically, and on Thursday I was burnt out so badly I was sent home from school. Despite everything, I still managed to find time to watch the X Factor last week, and what a week I had!


Prior to the semi-finals, I worked at Chelsea Football Stadium during the Chelsea Vs. Copenhagen match last Wednesday where I served some very interesting customers. They smiled at me upon arrival, and I could tell that they were not British - they all had nice teeth (sorry fellow Brits, but it's true!), and one or two of them were quite hot (that's not to say that there are no hot guys in England!). Their accent confirmed what I suspected - they were Danish... and very pleasant Danes, too. Although they annoyed me when they locked the door to their private box when I went out to gather more supplies, they were all nice guys - our conversation included the current series of DK X Factor - and I really enjoyed their company; they had more manners than a certain television journalist over here called Ben Shephard who I served later that week - he was so rude (more on that soon). I even told them about this blog (nothing like word-of-mouth), and they promised that they'd log on to visit. So boys, if you are reading this, thanks for the tip! However, still I wish that my beloved Chelsea had won the match (that's right, I'm a Chelsea supporter!), and to all my Danish fans, sorry, I love you to death but I wish Chelsea had kicked your arse!


It was the semi-final on last week's X Factor, and the theme was DJ songs, although very few of them were actually 'DJ music', just well-known pop songs set to dance rhythm.  As most of my readers are aware, I had been hard on Sarah for the past two weeks because I felt that she was slipping. However, she was really good when she sang "Sweet Dreams" this week - in fact she was excellent.  Although her rendition of "F****** Perfect" was also outstanding, I have to repeat what I said last week: why are they swearing on a show like The X Factor? 


Last year's UK X Factor runner-up Rebbecca Ferguson sang "Sweet Dreams" using a different arrangement. Who do you think sang it better?

Why does Annelousie have a deep voice when she speaks? I've never heard "Sweet Child O' Mine" set to dance music before, but the result was't bad quite, although I wish Kate Moss's long-lost Danish sister had moved around when she sang, because let's face it, it was a dance number.

Lucie Jones sang the same song on the British version of the show, and I got to see her sing it live during the X Factor tour last year.  Who sang it better?

Babou just gets better every week, and this week he didn't disappoint.  His song choice was "Baby"which, of course, was made popular by fellow teen singer Justin Bieber - perfect!  A beat-boxer accompanied Babou, who added some impressive little dance moves to his act, just like the original singer.  His performance during "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" was also entertaining, with even more dance moves. Could he win the show? Watch this space!

Justin Bieber sang "Baby" on the British version last year, but no prizes for guessing who sang it better because apparently, Justin was lip-syncing that night, unlike Babou who sang live! 

Patricia, Patricia, Patricia... Why, oh why? She was a contender for the top prize, not only because of her performances which were often spot-on, but because she was consistent. I love Annelouise but I thought that she would leave the show this week. I have one thing to say to all those that voted: WHAT WERE YOU BLOODY THINKING?  Did you not listen to her when she sang "Total Eclipse of the Heart" that night? I liked how she sang it - soft and sweet. Denmark, you really got it wrong with Patricia, but I pray that one of you gives her record deal - she deserves it.

One Direction and Nikki Evans have both sang the song on the UK X Factor. Have a listen...

This now leaves the competition with Sarah, Babou, and Annelouise, but I think that at this stage either Sarah or Babou will win (sorry Annelouise!).  And guys when that happens, don't forget me when you're famous!

Farvel! xxx

DK X Factor - Live Show V

One thing I noticed about this week's show is that most of the songs have also been covered on the UK version, and I'm still deciding which contestant on either show sang it better!


Just as I was beginning to wonder if they'd ever be a live group performance on the Danish show, the remaining finalists make my wishes come true by performing as a group. Hooray! And then I hear the song, which turned out to be Cee Lo Green's "F*** You" (Danes say "F***"?). Not "Forget You", which is the clean version, but "F*** You". It has been sung on the Australian and UK versions of the show, but they both chose the clean version; maybe they do things differently in Denmark, I don't know. Nevertheless, as a group they sounded pretty good, although in my opinion Babou was the best singer.


Which group sang it better?

DK X FACTOR (SERIES 4) "F*** YOU"

UK X FACTOR (SERIES 7) "FORGET YOU"

X FACTOR AUSTRALIA (SERIES 2) "FORGET YOU"

This week, the remaining five had to sing popular songs Big Band style, a.k.a swing, and I was curious to see if they'd do the songs justice because right now, I'm not sure if some of the contestants, particularly Sarah, are versatile. Turns out, the only person who sang a true Big Band song was Patricia. They should have simply called it Live Band... because that's all it was - a live band. 


The female Jedward Rikke & Trine continue to annoy me; last week they performed while dressed as occult rejects. This week, they looked like bridesmaids, ha ha!  The song "Riverside" reminded me of a typical Irish folk tune, but it was ruined by this almost talentless pair. I'm glad that they were voted off (finally!), but of course it now means that their mentor Pernille has no more acts left. The song has never been covered on UK X Factor, not even by Jedward, yay!

RIKKE & TRINE "RIVERSIDE" 

In her white trouser suit, Sarah looked like Ellen DeGeneres, but even though the real Ellen can't really sing, at least she would have been entertaining if she had attempted this. Sarah disappointed me with her singing, which was dull. When I first heard that she was going to sing "The Climb", I wondered how it would sound Big Band-style. I needn't have bothered because it wasn't Big Band-style at all; if anything, it sounded a bit like a Soft Rock song. In fact, she should have sang this during Rock Week, which was last week. In general, Sarah sounded weak, and she is no longer my favourite to win (I wonder if she'll ever top her performance of "Come Together" during week two). In 2009, "The Climb" was also sung on the UK version by Joe McElderry, who went on to release it as a single following his victory as X Factor Series 6 champion. 


Who sang it better?

SARAH "THE CLIMB"

JOE MCELDERRY, UK X FACTOR (SERIES SIX) "THE CLIMB"

Patricia's dress would have looked great if it hadn't been for that black strap draped across her shoulder, but she made up for it with her performance. The song "Feeling Good" is a favourite on the British version of the show; it has been covered by Danyl Johnson (Series 6), Rachel Hyton (Series 5), Beverley Trottman (Series 4), and Rebecca Ferguson (Series 7). Did Patricia do it justice? Yes, but she cheated in the beginning with the echo - did you hear it? She now my favourite! Unfortunately, there is no longer a video of Patricia singing "Feelin' Good", so in its place here are other X Factor contestants doing it justice...


DANYL JOHNSON, UK X FACTOR (SERIES 6) "FEELIN' GOOD"

BEVERLEY TROTTMAN AND RACHEL HYLTON, UK X FACTOR (SERIES 4 & 5) "FEELIN' GOOD"

REBECCA FERGUSON, UK X FACTOR (SERIES 7) "FEELING GOOD"

Babou's choice was "Hurt" by Christina Aguilera, which was a brave choice because anybody who attempts a Christina Aguilera song has massive balls; Jamie Afro also sang it on Series 6 of the UK version. Babou slipped at the beginning - apart from that he sang well that night. He is another favourite of mine; the problem is this: is he marketable? I know it sounds harsh, but remember Mohamed from Series 2? He released an album which was only a moderate success, despite his impressive vocals (my fellow blogger Music is the Door to the Soul - who thought that Mo was rubbish - will disagree with me, but who cares?) Somehow, I pray that Babou doesn't win, because Babou needs to gain experience from this show and work hard for at least a year before releasing an album, or people will compare him to Justin Bieber. Besides, there is always too much pressure on the winner to become a massive success, and something tells me that he's too fragile to handle it...

Babou and Jamie - who sang it better?

BABOU "HURT"

JAMIE 'AFRO' ARCHER, UK X FACTOR (SERIES 6) "HURT"

Finally, the girl who in my opinion is the most beautiful woman on the show - apart from Pernille who looked stunning in that black outfit - and one of the most beautiful women in Denmark: Annelouise (Seriously, what do Scandinavian mothers put in their babies' milk, because I want some!). Is it just me, or does she look like a curvier version of Kate Moss?  Before the enraged e-mails start pouring in, I meant that as a compliment, and besides, that's how ALL women should look like - like women! Last week she was in the bottom two, but was saved by the judges. Unfortunately, it meant that Rasmus, who I now miss, was sent home...pity. This week, Annelouise's version of "Nothing Compares 2 U" started well, and I think she's becoming more confident about singing in English, but as she went into the chorous she began to bore me. It far a far cry from Nikki Evans' rendition of the song on Series 4 of the UK X Factor, in fact Nikki's version was better than the original by Prince...or Sinead O'Connor, whichever way you look at it, but I'll let you judge. Sorry, but Annelouise is not going to win. She entered the wrong reality show, and yes I've said it before and I'll say it again, she should be on Denmark's Next Top Model. By the way Blachman, you have a very cool home...I want that kitchen, and while you're at it can you cook for me, like you did for Annelouise?

Who sang it better?

ANNELOUISE "NOTHING COMPARES 2 U"

NIKKI EVANS, UK X FACTOR (SERIES 4) "NOTHING COMPARES 2 U"

I look forward to next week - now that the female Jedward have left, the contest can start for real. By the way, for all those who keep asking me "Who is Jedward?", here are the duo performing on Series 6 of the the UK version.

JOHN & EDWARD a.k.a. JEDWARD, UK X FACTOR (SERIES 6) "UNDER PRESSURE/ICE ICE BABY"

Watch the videos, and tell me who you think is better.


God bless Denmark. Farvel! xxx

DK X Factor -Live Show IIII

Pernille, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? Having said that, I probably would have made the same choice because Annelouise is unique. Rasmus, who was voted off this week, can always develop outside the competition, but right now, he's a tad ordinary. As for Annelouise, if the music profession doesn't work out, there's always Denmark's Next Top Model. But let's not talk about that now - what really angers me is that the female Jedward (also known as Rikke & Trine) are still in the competition - who is voting for them? Somebody please tell me that there's no voting scam in Denmark, because those girls are not that good, In fact, THEY should have gone this week, not Rasmus. I'm going to miss him, and his funny way of pronouncing English words - remember Week Two when he sang "...working for penis" as opposed to "...working for pennies"?  It's been two weeks, and I still can get it out of my head; in fact, I'll never listen to Paul McCartney's "Drive My Car" in the same way again!


This week was Rock Week, and my first reaction was "Rock Week, yes, Sarah's week"! Has she done something to her hair? That aside, although her rendition of "Save Me From Myself" was good, it wasn't that good, and certainly not up there with her Week Two performance when she sang "Come Together". Even then, she did look like a rocker this week, particularly when she began to strum on the guitar (I couldn't hear it, though!). She reminded me of Jamie Afro from UK X Factor series six - as a rocker, everybody expected him to shine when he sang Queen's "Radio GaGa", but unfortunately he was dull, and his lack of popularity saw him booted off the following day. I'm glad that Sarah did not meet the same fate this week, but she really needs more work if she wants to win. She already has the popularity, but I've been watching the X Factor for years, and I know that there's a difference between popularity and votes. With Sarah, it's all about the attitude, but like I said, this is a singing competition.

I'm obviously not the only person who thinks that Annelouise is model material; the producers have noticed as well, which is probably why certain segments during her performance of "Creep" were filmed in Black & White, making her look even more stunning. That's right, Annelouise sang - all together now! - "I'm a creep... I'm a weirdo... I don't belong here..." On the British version of the X Factor, Brazilian oddball Wagner sang this song, and he was rubbish as usual. His mentor couldn't have chosen a better song because he didn't belong there in the competition, unlike Annelouise who definitely does! Having said that, like Sarah she needs more work because the start was good, the chorus was weak, and the ending improved, but only slightly. She is still in the show by the skin of her teeth because she was in the bottom two this week, so that has to be a wake-up call.

On to Babou now, the biggest shock of the night. When he walked on stage, I said "Can he really do rock? He's just a baby!", and before you mention it, yes I know that Babou is sightly older than Sarah, but who cares?  The show's stylist should be sacked because the outfit was terrible (seriously, who wears a tie and a baseball hat at the same time?) When he opened his mouth to sing "Numb", I didn't think he'd be a rock singer, even though his voice was good, but when he sang the chorus I was impressed. Then came the ending, and he frightened me... but in a good way! Without a doubt, he is now a contender for the top prize.  Keep it up, dude!

Woo-hoo! Patricia brought a Scandinavian feel to the very British "Song 2" by the very British band Blur - she reminded me of the lead singer of The Cardigans. I also liked the rings she wore - they blended very well with her tattoos. It's true that unless your name is Beyoncé or P!nk, you can't produce a clear sound while you sing and dance at the same time, but I would have loved to see her move a bit more, because all she did was stand on the spot, and most people begin to dance as soon as they hear that "Woo-hoo!" "Song 2" happens to be a rock song from the Brit-Pop era, but somehow Patricia made it sound like the type of pop song Katy Perry would sing. Oh well...

Not only did Rasmus look like a real rocker minus the unkempt long hair, in that stripy shirt he reminded me of Kurt Corbain when the latter appeared in the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video! In fact, I thought that Rasmus was going to sing the Nivana classic that night, but I was wrong. He did indeed sound like a rock star, but I think he owes the strong parts of his rather weak performance of "Black Hole Sun" to his backing band who also served as backing singers. He sang with a gritty type of emotion which I liked, but we've all seen it before, and he's now left the contest...shame. I hope to see more of him in feature though, because he really has something, we just didn't see it.

The female Jedward really annoyed me this week. First of all, WHAT WERE THEY WEARING? I've said it before but I'll say it again, SACK THE STYLIST! Second of all, why did the female Jedward and their mentor Pernille have human faces painted onto their hands? And that song was defiantly NOT a rock song ...at all. Before they walked onto the stage, I said to myself, "If Trine & Rikke can pull this off, I'll eat my hat", and I'm happy to say that I no longer have to decide whether I prefer my headgear with mayonnaise or ketchup - the girl's performance was rubbish! They had back-up dancers who all wore masks of Trine & Rikke, but they did nothing to conceal the fact that the girls are mediocre; with the usual singing-in-unison, the the hand art, the weird costumes, and even weirder dancers, the whole production made them look like cult rejects. Who is voting for them? Granted, Jedward were tone-deaf, but at least they were entertaining. These girls are anything but. GET THEM OUT!

Once again, a big thank you to the people who spared a few minutes to read this, and most especially the Danes who have sent me compliments. Mange tak.


Farvel!