Here, finally, is the week one showdown between the UK's and Sweden's Number one Talent searches! You might be all over it but If you missed either show last week catch up here before the next round begins! If you don't agree with my views comment away!
Week 1 is brought to you by the word: Disappointment
Top 3 Points....
1. X Factor 2008's Diana Vickers hand has gone Scandinavian
2. Former contestants do battle
3. Cringing aplenty!
You can read in depth my first week review by expanding the post by clicking the link below!
Basically kids and kidettes I have been following both Svenska idol and The X Factor this year, and honestly loving my transnational talent show viewing! Comparing the two is far better than the silly Strictly vs XFactor ratings war!
My reviews of the shows will consist of Battles somewhat like the Melodifestivalen ones done earlier in the blog! However, each battle will have a winner, and at the end Arlene Phillips will display the final score (I'm just chucking some work her way until So You Think You Can Dance starts!)
I am not condoning violence, or encouraging Brits to fight their Swedish equivalents! I promote peace and harmony and hopefully they can learn from each others mistakes! Now if you've had enough Oprah babble.. here's the review!
Battle of the Themes - Sweden: Club Idol / UK: Musical heroes
This is a quite easy battle to place. Once you have seen the line up of Swedish Idol songs you would probably agree it is matter of fact a great club play list! I would happily boogie away a night to the tracks in Paradise Stockholm, if I wasn't far too busy in the Schlager room! The musical hero label falls a bit flat for the UK though when the majority of tracks are by Robbie Williams. So it's more Hero+Guests than Heroes! And seeing as the judges pick the songs, it can't really be the contestants Heroes.
Winner: Sweden
The Obligatory Crowd Pleasing Opening Battle
UK: Rachel Adedeji - Let Me Entertain You / Sweden: Nicklas Hocker - Get This Party Started
As you can see from above, as with the history of all talent competitions, going first is a hard task on the 1st live show! These are the performances that count and determine if your in or out, but try telling that to Aunty Betty who's just come in from the shops and missed the first 5 minutes! If your first up on the first show chances are your going to be missed by half of the viewers who have not flicked on yet, or are preparing themselves for the long haul sit down!
To open the shows and create that 'party' atmosphere 1st shows tend to start with a party pleaser. In both these cases you see potentially credible artist reduced to Redcoats in order to entertain the families at home. They try their best and move around with the gang of dancers.. but ultimately you can see the look of dispare behind their eyes. Worst bits of Rachel's are the out of reference car driving moves @ 1:00, the weird wavy dancer arm motion at 1:20, and her obscene grabbing of her crotch at 1:38.. wait till you get home girl! It's hilarious how Cheryl makes climbing perspex stairs in the same league as climbing Everest. Nicklas's dancers do look like a staff night out gone wrong, and their dance is very Thrilleresque for no reason!
Verdict: Nicklas does a pretty good vocal unlike Rachel. Rachel does have more of a show though, but I still found Nicklas more fulfilling!
Winner: Sweden
The Trying Far Too Hard Battle
UK: Rikki Loney - Back to Black / Sweden: Karolina Brånsgård - Just Dance
Both these acts are trying far far too hard to be the artists they are singing. Karolina looks like a drunk aunt doing karaoke ("I've had a little bit too much" your right so sit down!), who has dressed 'sexy' but ended up looking like she has tinfoil tucked into her pants. She keeps singing the lyrics so polite! The 'rap' bit is exceptional! Rikki is supposedly 'doing it for the Scots' for which I am one! Heaven forbid! This limp Amy impression hows he at least has talent but reaks of falseness. I also think he looks like the killer in Saw, if he were dressed up like a chimp in a suit.
Verdict: You can cover icons like Lady GaGa and Winehouse if your just going to copy them!
Winner: UK
Hit nor Miss Battle
UK: Lloyd Daniels - Cry Me a River / Sweden: Calle Kristiansson - Destiny Calling
Lloyd has a good voice, good style, and ok hair! He also wears tons of make-up and spends this performance awkwardly walking around the stage like his mum has just pushed him on a kids talent show. The 'girlfriend' on stage is far too old for him, and far too drunk by the looks of her styling! She looks like the girl out of Shakespeares Sister. I say bring back Shayne! Calle on the other hand has the same good voice and looks the part, but the song is boring/irritating! His 'dance' doe make up for it, and note to Cheryl Cole... forget perspex stairs, look what Swedes have to deal with, dancing in/on boxes!
Verdict: Neither amazing but Lloyd has better song and could be a UK Darin!
Winner: UK
You Can't Beat the Original Battle
UK: Lucie Jones - Footprints in the Sand / Sweden: Eddie Razaz - Release Me
Lucie has beautiful song, surprisingly Simon agree as he co-wrote it! Her performance just broke me though and it's no Leona! One again we have the overdue 'God Light' as I put it! The big shiny one that appears behind her like heaven has opened. God wind machine use though! Eddie show how difficult this song actually is, which shows how amazing Agnes as a singer is seeing a she is always flawless at it live! The 'realeeease me' bit just doesn't hit the right notes! It is very Eurovision though, but more Belarus than Sweden!
Verdict: Lucie's was tired and overused/predictable, Eddie picked a classic song and didn't do too bad.
Winner: Sweden
How Did They Make The Finals Battle
UK: Jamie Archer - Get It On / Sweden: Reza Ningtyas Lindh - Superstar
Jamie is just awful and dull! He sounds like just anyone! He is a rich little kid with and afro who I have no idea why people think he is worth the finals! It's dull and there are far better reality TV rockers! Reza tried her best, but her words are more noises than lyrics. Maybe with a more soulful song she would do good. The end is just shouting.
Verdict: Hard to tell as both nasty, but Reza I think had the wrong song.
Winner: Sweden
Cool Cats Battle
UK: Olly Murs - She's the One / Sweden: Rabih Jaber - When Love Takes Over
Olly is just a little cute cool cat! This song is ok for him but the start is weak. He build up to shows that he has more soul than Robbie, and that it's not just an impression. It is a bit sickeningly sweet for him. He is a star though! Rabih, though hi clothes look a little silly, is one of my favourite Idol singers. He has the face and voice of a future melodifestivalen or at least album releasing Idol! His performance is just underwhelming though! He could do so much better.
Verdict: Both soulful kitty cats but one had stronger performance!
Winner: UK
Not Full Potential Battle
UK: Danyl Johnson - And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going / Sweden: Erika Selin - About You Now
I don't 'get' Danyl! I think he just shouted his way through his original audition performance. When he just sings it does nothing for me. Very underwhelming performance, but I am hoping for him to give something worth the finals soon! He messed up the slow bit and only got worth listening too after he started shouting in the end! Simon is terrible, it was not worth a standing ovation! He is far too cocky and has a mouth like a gerbil. Dannii is a cringefest, her point was not for public TV. It was inappropriate and fell like a lead balloon. Once again a confusion between Gay and Bisexual, Danyl is Bisexual so he can sing the song however he wants! Erika is not a rocker! She sound in pain all through this song, though is a fantastic underused talent show hit (This point probably due to Cheryl being an XFactor judge)! Why are the dancers so slow? She has more to give but this isn't enough.
Verdict: Try better next time! I really want to 'get' Danyl, but he gives me nothing but Erika chose a great song yet failed also!
Winner: Sweden
Got Soul But Their Not A Solider Battle
UK: Miss Frank Who's Lovin' You / Sweden: Mariette Hansson - When Tomorrow Comes
Miss Frank are an unusual act. They could/can be amazing! Then they can be ear bleeding! This song for the most is soulful, strong and in keeping with the song. Bum notes a few yes, but it's still pleasant, well until the last freaky eyed girl comes in and sings like she is trying to be funny and mess up the song. She misses out half the letters! Aren't Mariette's dancers hilarious! sleeping, going crazy, then sleeping.. my sort of dance! I was brought up on the Eurythmics so this was a delight! Mariette vocal is lovely and she give great passion to her performance! I would happily buy this cover.
Verdict: Both passionate and powerful, but one pure vocal against a shaky one!
Winner: Sweden
Surprise Loved Performance Battle
UK: Joe McElderry - No Regrets / Sweden: Tove Östman Styrke - Hot N Cold
Firstly Joe has been to the same 'let's cake on the make-up' artist as Lloyd, but what has been discovered is quite good looking popstar! His performance is vocally sound and entertaining, real contender! Think he would have been ideal for a 'Any Dream Will Do!' style show though! Very musical performance. Tove's song is perfect for her! really rock/pop chick. She is the Swedish Diana Vickers if her hand is anything to go by! Reminds me of Diana's 'Call Me' performance. Really hot version though!
Verdict: Both well performed performances and Joe's voice is better, but I would listen to Tove far more and I am hoping for big things from her!
Winner: Sweden
Failed Reinvention Battle
UK: Kandy Rain - Addicted to Love / Sweden: Camilla Håkansson - All night long
Kandy Rain want to be forgotten as strippers and porn stars, but sing Addicted to Love? There clothes would work for a Lady GaGa number, but it all just fails with the club singer backing track and song which you wouldn't ee Girls Aloud dead covering! It is a shame because I think they had a chance of being an amazing girlband. My future legend Camilla failed this week! while trying to be all non-schalger, she turned incredibly boring! If I was at Club Idol I would go get my drinks during this song. Her vocals are better than usual, though very soft maybe a safe move! Her performance once she is at the end of the stage is full scale 80's Meldodifestivalen! If she sings Piccadilly Circus at an stage I think I would actually cry with happiness!
Verdict: Though it pains me to say, Camilla is potential of so much better and has to work harder to maintain her Legendary status. Kandy Rain didn't have a fair chance but did well with what they got!
Winner: UK
Utter Disaster Non-Battle
John and Edward - Rock DJ
John and Edward aren't funny, there not descent pop, there just one big cringefest so until they perform anything of any quality worth mentioning they will not be shown on this site!
Verdict: Unfair to punish the UK for this so neither deduct point or add to Sweden!
Winner: Void
My Favourites Of The Night Battle
UK: Stacey Solomon - The Scientist / Sweden: Erik Grönwall - Leave a Light On
I LOVE Stacey! She has the voice of an angel but the gob of a sketch show character! Nothing about this performance is fake, its pure and beautiful. I not particularly love this song in Coldplay form, Stacey sings this like it is her first single, like it was wrote for her! She nailed it and I really want to hear a full studio version! I love her chat after the songs, it's so cute! Her performance was no fireworks or dancers, just angelic vocals and adorable smiles! Erik has reminded me how much I love this Belinda Song (It is a little bit of a Heaven is a Place on Earth Rip off! Yet amazing)! He owns the stage and works the cameras/dancers incredibly! What an unusual yet perfect song choice! The whole performance shines of Melodifestivalen, but when is that ever a bad thing? I was never a huge Erik fan, but this has placed a massive spotlight on him!
Verdict: They are both incredible performances, and I am sure I will watch them over and over! So it will be a small victory!
Winner: UK
Now to Arlene Phillips with the Final Result:
UK
Sweden 
Winner: SWEDEN
Maybe the vocals were not the strongest, but overall the Swedes had better song choices and performances! Both shows though were rather disappointing!
Finally we had ex-contestents performing this week!
UK: Alexandra Burke - Bad Boys / Sweden: Darin - Viva La Vida
I can't be sure if Alexandra's vocal is fully live, a cleverly mimed recorded live vocal, or a mix of both! Anyway she storms the stage and has half of London dancing behind her! My fav move is around the 2:27 mark when she does the funky shoulders! The song is addictive and her dancing is top notch, but her face is just dead! Her expressions don't nail it! Darin was previously reviewed here! He performs this effortly and has a pointless/amazing wind machine!
Verdict: Alexandra is amazing but Darin is just pop perfection!
Winner: Sweden
So this weekend (as my post was so late!) Idol is doing Michael Jackson, while X Factor is Diva's! Sounds exciting and hopefully one up on Weak Week 1! Whitney and Cheryl's performances will be ace too hopefully!
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