X-Factor 2009 - "You Are Not Alone" Live

The top 12 X-Factor Finalists have recorded a cover Michael Jackson's hit "You Are Not Alone" for this year's charity single. The acts included are Kandy Rain, Rikki Loney, Miss Frank, Rachel Adedeji, Lucie Jones, Jamie Archer, Stacey Solomon, Olly Murs, Joe McEdlerry, Danyl Johnson, John & Edward, and Lloyd Daniels. Last year, the charity single was "Hero" by Mariah Carey, and it went in at #1, giving all the contestants their first hit single, as well as helping out the charity.

Here is the Music Video:

And the Live Debut on X-Factor:

I have mixed feelings about this. I really like the concept of doing a charity single and it is for a great cause. The video before the performance about the charity and the clips in the music video did make me tear up a bit. But I don't know about the song choice or the vocals. "You Are Not Alone" is not one of my favorite songs, it's a bit boring. And this version in particular is really boring; there is not great big moment. The vocals by Stacey Solomon, Joe McElderry and Lucie Jones stand out, but the rest don't do it for me. I don't hate it, but I'm not excited about it. Last year's cover of "Hero" was amazing with Rachel Hylton, Laura White, Diana Vickers, JLS, and Alexandra Burke. And the music video is the same as last years! I would expect something different from a major tv show such as X-Factor. It is the exact same thing - with different people and different clips. Change it up a bit, no?

I'm not a fan of the vocals or the video. I really do like Stacey Solomon and Lucie Jones. I hope the single does well for the charity and raises money, but from a musical standpoint, it is short of amazing.

X-Factor 2008 - Hero

On October 27th of 2008, the top 12 contestants of X-Factor released a cover of Mariah Carey's classic hit "Hero". Proceeds from the single sales went to an organization called "Help for Heroes" which helps British Servicemen and women.

The single came in at #1 on the charts, giving the 12 acts a number one hit single before the season had ended. They sold 313,224 copies during the first week, which was more than the rest of the top 10 combined.

The top 12 acts were: Bad Lashes, Girl Band, Scott Bruton, Austin Drage, Larua White, Daniel Evans, Rachel Hylton, Ruth Lorenzo, Diana Vickers, Eoghan Quigg, JLS, and Alexandra Burke.

Here is the official Music Video:

And a performance on the X-Factor:

I really like this version of the song. It is a beautiful song, and one that is not easy to cover. I didn't think they would be able to make it work, seeing as there are some 20+ people singing, but they managed to pull it off without sounding like a cheesy and too much like a choir. I really like the vocals by Alexandra Burke and Laura White. Rachel Hylton is amazing on the bridge of the song. I also like the soft quality of Diana Vickers and Eoghan Quigg, especially the last note.

(And you may notice that Ruth Lorenzo and Daniel Evans weren't in the "live" performance - there was a glitch and they weren't able to get onto the stage... bummer!)

What are your thoughts on "Hero" by the X-Factor 2008 Top 12? Which singers/sections did you enjoy more?

Laura White - You Should Have Known

Laura White was one of the front runners in last year's X-Factor competition. She did a killer version of "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys on the first live show. During the fifth week of the show, controversy struck when she was eliminated.

I am not surprised that she has a record deal and is now releasing her first single and video. While I think she has amazing vocal talent, the lead single doesn't do her justice. She has a great soulful and raspy voice, yet her single is pop/rnb. I'd like to see her play to her strengths as opposed to appealing to the masses. The song is great, and catchy, but from Laura White, I expect and want more. Hopefully she can release a current jazz/soul record, replacing the gap left by Amy Winehouse.

What do you think?