The X Factor UK Live Show 2 Results for 10/19/2014 (Recap + Video)
Welcome to the live blog and recap for The X Factor UK 2014 Live Show 2 on Sunday, October 19, 2014! The Top 14 took the stage for I Love the 80s Night, and it was a real hit-or-miss night, as some acts soared and others stumbled (not that this doesn't happen every week, but 80s Night seemed like more of a mixed bag than most). Will your favorite act be safe?
Tonight, the Bottom 3 will be revealed: the act with the fewest votes will leave the competition immediately, while the remaining two acts will compete in the sing-off. One act will stay, and one act will advance to next week's Top 12 show! Who will be at risk for elimination? The results are live! Plus, Jessie J and Maroon 5 will perform! It's going to be a huge results show!
It's time to face the music!
Credit: ITV
RECAP
-We open up with a brief video package showing last night's performances, including Simon repeatedly calling Cheryl "Kermit" (complete with The Muppets Theme playing under it). But Cheryl insists there's more than one Muppet on the panel. It seems cuter in a video package than it was last night, since it got kind of annoying after a while during the live show. Especially because there doesn't seem to be any obvious reason for why he kept calling her that.
-The judges come out, and Dermot -- who'd make more sense being nicknamed Kermit, since his name at least rhymes with it -- gives us each contestant's voting information. Their number basically corresponds to the order of their performance last night, as usual.
TOP 14 PERFORM
-The Top 14 are out to perform "Love Runs Out" by OneRepublic, and holy crap, I love Fleur's sweater, which is basically meant to look like a box of popcorn. Of course, I notice the fashion because the performance is of no real account. With this many people onstage, group performances feel kind of pointless, since it's just this random hodge-podge of voices and bodies flailing around. It's not bad or anything, it's just kind of bland.
-We then get a recap of last night's performances with backstage comments: Jack is giddy backstage, while Stephanie feels that despite the negative criticism, she can keep going. Meanwhile, Andrea wants to prove himself to Simon, and Lauren feels being onstage is the most amazing feeling in the whole entire world. Ben is stoked about how his performance, and Mel B is even more enthusiastic about it, saying Ben delivered a proper performance. Fleur is satisfied, while Stereo Kicks seems ambivalent about how things went. Lola says Simon's comments made her life, while Cheryl notes Lola was the best she's ever been.
Jake seems a bit disappointed with the comments he received, and Louis thinks Jake will be in trouble tonight. Chloe calls her performance a "roaring success" simply for continuing to sing despite getting glitter in her mouth. Paul is thrilled with the comments he received, saying "it couldn't get any better than that." Stevi takes his negative comments in stride, and Cheryl reiterates that he's one of the most fun acts in the competition. Only the Young replaces the lyrics of "Come On Eileen" with "Come on, Mel B!" while the celebrate backstage, in a cute little moment. Jay, meanwhile, is flustered backstage. He can't believe Simon called him "genius".
JESSIE J PERFORMS
-Jessie sings "Bang Bang", kicking it off with an acoustic rendition that I wish she'd continued. But nah, the tempo kicks up, and it's back to the original arrangement. Although, to be fair, this song IS awesome. Seriously, I loved this. Jessie J has one of the most overlooked voices in music, in my opinion. I mean, yes, people recognize she's a great singer, but do they really? Anyway, she looks great, sounds great, and works the stage like she's been doing this since she was in utero.
-After the performance, Dermot interviews Jessie J about Fleur's rendition of "Bang Bang" at boot camp. She notes what an amazing job Fleur did singing all three parts, including the rap. Some might say it's unfair for Fleur to get such a high-profile endorsement just moments before voting closes, but I thought it was a nice shout-out.
-Back from break, as Dermot announces the lines have closed. He then turns over to the judges and asks them, out of the remaining 14 acts, who they think are ready right now to be recording artists (drawing the designation made last night that some are contestants while others are proper recording artists who are ready to head out into the music world now). Louis says Fleur, Only the Young, and Ben Haenow, while Mel B lists all her boys. Cheryl says Fleur, Lauren, and the rest of her girls. Simon won't single anyone out because he feels he can't. He tells Dermot to ask him again in seven weeks. Well, anyone would be able to separate the wheat from the chaff when there are six acts left, Simon. (Actually, it'll probably be less than six acts by then.)
MAROON 5 PERFORMS
-Maroon 5 performs "Animals", and I'm beginning to wonder if every X Factor results show for the next four weeks is going to have a Voice coach on it. Pharrell last week, Adam this week. Let's get Gwen and Blake on here! Hell, let's see what Christina and Cee Lo are up to, while we're at it! Maybe Usher and Shakira can hop onboard! We already had Jessie J here tonight. Maybe Tom Jones is free?
-This was an absolutely fantastic vocal though. I wasn't feeling it for the first half, but Adam eventually just lets it rip towards the end. Seriously, Adam just SLAYS this performance with his falsetto, delivering some real powerhouse rock vocals. The guy always manages to surprise and impress me each time he heads out there, even though I already know he's a damn good singer.
RESULTS, PT. 1
-Dermot brings out the acts and their judges, and then explains the process once again: he will announce the eleven acts advancing to next week's show, leaving us with a Bottom 3. From there, the act with the fewest votes will be eliminated immediately, and the remaining two contestants will battle in the sing-off. Let's get to it!
The first act through to next week is...FLEUR EAST!
The second act through to next week is...ONLY THE YOUNG!
The third act through to next week is...PAUL AKISTER!
The fourth act through to next week is...ANDREA FAUSTINI!
The fifth act through to next week is...JAY JAMES!
The sixth act through to next week is...LAUREN PLATT!
The seventh act through to next week is...STEVI RITCHIE!
The eighth act through to next week is...JACK WALTON!
The ninth act through to next week is...BEN HAENOW!
The tenth act through to next week is...LOLA SAUNDERS!
The eleventh act through to next week...JAKE QUICKENDEN!
The Bottom three are:
Chloe Jasmine
Stereo Kicks
Stephanie Nala
The act who received the fewest public votes and is eliminated from the competition is...STEPHANIE NALA!
STEPHANIE NALA is eliminated from THE X FACTOR UK 2014!
Stephanie thanks the judges, the producers, the runners, Cheryl and everyone for the opportunity, while Cheryl (who looks eerily like Ariana Grande) vows that this is not the last for Stephanie.
As for the Bottom 2, I'm actually kind of stunned. I thought either Stevi or Jake or even Only the Young would be at risk. But Chloe? I know she's controversial, but I thought we'd get another week or two before she was put at risk. And I honestly thought Stereo Kicks was more popular than this. I guess viewers are in no mood to watch the show attempt to recreate One Direction, between this and last week's rejection of Overload Generation. I like Chloe more, so I'm hoping she manages to stay.
BOTTOM 2 SING-OFF
Chloe Jasmine sings "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," and I actually kind of hate this. It was pretty tuneless throughout. Of course, she seems really shaken by this result, so it's clearly having an effect on her. Still, plenty of people land in the Bottom 2 and don't underperform like this. I'd be worried, if I were Chloe.
Stereo Kicks sings "I'll Stand By You," and this once again illustrates to me why eight guys was a bad idea. At least two of these guys shouldn't be here, and at least one of them gets a solo here. With a leaner group, I think this would be a much stronger act, since the stronger voices would have the opportunity to shine. Right now, it's mostly James Graham and The Seven Similar Hairstyles. Still, this was a surprisingly decent vocal. Better than Chloe's, anyway.
FINAL RESULT
The judges get into their results, and it's like they're rushing...
Cheryl Fernandez-Versini votes to send home Stereo Kicks (no reason given)
Louis Walsh votes to send home Chloe Jasmine (no reason given)
Mel B says she votes to send home Chloe Jasmine (felt Stereo Kicks won the sing-off)
Simon Cowell votes to send home Chloe Jasmine (felt Stereo Kicks has more potential)
CHLOE JASMINE is eliminated from THE X FACTOR UK 2014!
The crowd explodes with joy to see Chloe eliminated, and I wish I could understand why people hate her so much. I quite liked her, since she was offering something in this competition that no one else was. But she was never going to be anyone's cup of tea, so it's understandable she ranked as low as she did. I'll be interested in seeing the vote totals at the end of the season to see what would have actually happened had this been taken to deadlock.
Cheryl felt the best was yet to come with Chloe, but Chloe insists it'll be alright. She's absolutely charming when thanking Cheryl and proclaiming her a "formidable woman". She even asks if she can be the ninth member of Stereo Kicks, as a last-minute ploy to stay. My God, she's adorable. I think I might be the only person on Earth who's surprised by this result.
Ah well, the show must go on: Dermot announces next week's theme will be Saturday Night at the Movies, and reveals that the results show performers will be Ed Sheeran and OneRepublic! I can't wait. Until then, check out some videos from The Xtra Factor, in which Simon defends his decision with a surprising rationale, and Chloe and Stephanie have their exit interviews. It's interesting stuff, and you can watch them below:
So what do you think? Did the right acts go home? If not, whom would you have put in the Bottom 2? Can Stereo Kicks recover from this Bottom 2 appearance? Sound off in the comments!
Until next week, thanks for joining me for The X Factor UK results! Check out some videos below in which