X Factor Australia 5 - Ranking the Top 12

If you read my last article, you will know that my predictions are apparently not that good. I still can not understand what logic Redfoo was using when he sent home BOTH Riv and Georgina. I literally do not understand. Georgina had a built in fanbase, Riv was consistent like slowly churned delicious red velvet melt-in-your-mouth ice cream. O.K. I may have been exaggerating a bit on Riv, but not really. Alas here we are. Last year I ranked Angel Tupai as my number 1 at this stage, so once again, take my rankings with a ridiculous grain of salt. Because they will inevitably be wrong.

Just to give you my list from last year since I looked it up, it is as follows:

Angel Tupai
Manufactured Boy Band
Jason Owen
Nathaniel Williamse
What About Tonight
Bella Ferraro
Adil Memon
Shiane Hawke
Fourtunate
Justin Standley
Josh Brookes
Samantha Jade

I just want to say I correctly chose 2 of the top 3, so that is something. Oh Samantha Jade, who knew I still would have your winner single on heavy rotation on my Spotify.

I feel like there is a lot of pressure on my 12th place pick, because as I said last year Samantha had this spot in my countdown. This year I give it to Ellie Lovegrove. I just can not see the appeal. Her tone is nice, but her voice seems so fragile, not in some kind of ethereal way, but just not strong. If it came down to picking her or Riv, Riv every single time. I am also concerned about her song choice, picking Rihanna’s “Diamonds” doesn’t show me you know a lot about music. Ultimately, it is hard for girls to connect that first week. So I can see her being a shock first boot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_xFaRq_6U4

Yes, I do think Straight Up should’ve been chosen over Adira-Belle. If they want to make it past week 2 of this competition. They need to be fun, they need to fresh, and ideally one of them needs to be rapping. If they even consider touching The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand By You” I feel no sympathy for their sinking ship at that point. They look gorgeous, but their voices aren’t convincing me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAiMwYRNTlM

I feel bad for Dannii, because she had a potential winner in her category with Matt there, but without him, Dami Im is looking like the star. I believe Dannii only picked Barry Southgate to diversify her portfolio. Just like she did in X Factor UK season 7 when she picked Matt Cardle, Aiden Grimshaw and Nicolo Festa. I believe the choice of Barry is going to blow up in her face, when he goes in the first three rounds of the competition. His “Get Lucky” wasn’t impressive, his edits haven’t been favorable, and his talent doesn’t overwhelm to the point of forgiveness. I cannot see this ending well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S11WodzQ3AQ

I love Cat Vas as a person, I just want to hug and tell her it is going to be alright, not to worry, that all things will work out. Her nerves scare me and they should scare Dannii. I would love to see her focus on being quirky-ness. Possibly bring in some Imogen Heap-esque inspiration. I want to see Cat succeed, but every instinct I have tells me she is less Jackie Thomas and more Lana Krost.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRk7ZnBU68g

Jiordan Tolli impressed me with her top 24 song choice of “Bizarre Love Triangle.” That song choice unlike Ellie’s shows me that she knows how to pick material that is suited for her voice. An important skill that recently led Candice Glover to victory. I feel as if Jiordan’s vocals have a ceiling and we are going to be hitting it all too soon. Which forced me to put her in the bottom half of my countdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi7Mg9mumdk

The returning Dami Im once out of the competition and now the best chance Dannii has of winning. I feel there is a disconnect between her ability to become a part of the song. Like she is a well-oiled emotive machine, but when you ask her about it, she has no clue. I compare her to a previous love interest of mine Amber Holcomb. Fantastic in every technical way, but can’t connect the way you need to in order to win a competition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H-R7TWDc20

Good Question, oh how I wanted you in the final 12 so bad over What About Tonight last year, but no matter Joelle is here this year and with a reasonable chance of being the highest placing female of the season. I thought her choice of “Read All About It” was at least solid. If Joelle wants to win this whole show, she can’t just prove she is the best female in the final 12 (which I can argue she already is) but she needs to show those guys up. It’s going to come down to song choice and figuring out what is the Joelle brand. What is going to make her different than not only every girl in the competition, but in the real world as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRVda5WD3NM

JTR was a safe choice for Natalie. They will do reasonably well, last a significant amount of time, but ultimately have little to no chance of actually winning the competition. (In fact: I would say Audio Vixen had a better chance of winning Season 3, than JTR has of winning Season 5) I digress, I could be wrong, what is great about them. Is that they know exactly who they are, who their market is, and how to do it. They could be decently popular, with some sort of Disney-esque television show with delicious candy coated lyrics and melodies and make a good living. I wish them luck with that. Honestly. I do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQAJIeFrZU8

Omar Dean is probably the biggest risk of Ronan’s solid top 3 choices. I am hoping he is less Adil Memon and more Benny Tipene in terms of ability to connect with the audience. Of course he is attractive, but this isn’t Make Me A Supermodel Season 1 where we could save Bronnie all the way to the end. My only advice for Omar is to pick song choices wisely. Think about his abilities and the best way to showcase them. (I suppose that is good advice for anyone) I think Omar has the potential to be a theatrical singer songwriter type. Imagine if Adam Lambert was a folk-pop singer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj21pHhwh58

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE GAP5, I mean Third D3gree. I do love Third D3gree as well. Think their name is good and I already know they are going to be this year’s Three Wishez for me. Someone who I desperately want to win, but truly has no shot, but I am too blind to notice, because I am absolutely in love with them. I think their choice of “Can’t Hold Us” was so good, I wish they would’ve waited to the live shows to do it. Keep the energy up, keep the fun blasting, and since I am putting all of the females in 6th-12th, Third D3gree has the potential to be the sole females in the top 5, which is what edged them out over Omar when I was making my list for the top 12.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3fwO1m5cyQ

Jai Waetford is the Shiane Hawke with potential to win. If he plays he cards right, he will be in the final 3. You can tell already, he knows how to string together an interview packet. Little girls will love him, and they will love him even more if he coos over a track whilst strumming on an ukelele or guitar. He’s got the Aww factor, but with the determination to win. #BloodThirstyButCute

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKKAl3U9lRQ

This boy’s “Human Nature” is why I am giving him the WGWG spot, I mean the top spot. Taylor Henderson knows how to arrange a song to suit him. I already know he isn’t going to let the theme weeks break him, no he is going to make the theme bend to him. If he keeps with this vein, he could be the next Kris Allen. Ronan really did the best out of the top 24 and has set himself up for a second win this season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xc7jl382Rg

To recap: