I was hoping fleur would win to change that but from today I had a feeling ben was going to do it.

Someone who looked like and performed like fleur was always going to have trouble winning over the traditional vote

It's not so much him winning that annoys me it's the fact that his voters will just move on to vote for the next safe thing in probably the voice

Its impossible. Same old bland winner that will soon be forgotton.

Its not that.

What is safe for you isn't safe for another.

Im not sure how being a rapper who can perform makes you unsafe these days when it pretty much dominates the charts. There are more people doing Fleur's style right now than Ben's

Ben just had more voters who prefered him as a singer. He may flop, he may take the charts by storm but as people voted forn him to be...he is the deserving winner

I hope he cracks out some good albums and has a good career...and I hope the same for Fleur, Andrea, Lauren, Only The Young & Paul

I think James Arthur wasn't really a safe act when you consider dull Jahmene was also in the final 2 and more akin to the traditional XF winner

Similar Little Mix winning too wasn't exactly a safe act

Sure both were pimped like Fleur, but both own over a traditional type of male wjnner

Sounds like a traditional voter on the phone

It's actually beyond boring now.

Male? Check.
White? Check.
Handsome? Check.
Winner? Check.

I don't vote for the same kind of act every year.

In the past I've voted for Ray (Rat Pack/swing), Rhydian (cross classical), JLS (Pop/R n B), Jamie Afro (rock), Marcus (not sure how to describe him?), Jahmene (ballad/gospel), Luke (Indie rock) and now Andrea

I posted in another thread earlier today it's not so much safe but that males are at a massive advantage on these shows simply because of the voting/viewing demo been mostly female. Where females have won they've still had to overcome a high polling male.
It's pretty damning really that we have had FIVE all male Finals and ZERO all females. A male act has never failed to make the Final.

America has the same "problem" FIVE white boy with guitar winners in a row on American Idol. The Voice US Final is contested between four males this week.

I just think females are up against it from the off to win over a mostly female audience, there's ALWAYS a male to gravitate towards. Fleur did very well to make the Final all things considered when there was an abundance of male singers this year, perhaps they split the vote.

The seethe here is glorious - not since 27 September have I seen such a moronic response to a vote.

Bet you were one of the 44.7?

Yes, because all the contestants are 'safe', including Fleur.

My memory must be going because I'm finding it hard to recall an 'edgy' contestant. Ever.

I can't stand the guy, but to be fair James Arthur wasn't a conventional XFactor contestant.

A the time he was 'just a normal guy who had a poor upbringing and lived in a bedsit', they made sure to show that bedsit about 10 times. Then after he won everyone found out how much of a dick he really was.

At the time he was definitely just your average winner.

The winner will always be safe because they sell their soul and identity to the XF and allow themselves to be watered down from what they really are.

It made me laugh when Sam Smith was asked what his tips were for the two finalists and he said 'Never do anything you don't want to do'. I imagine Simon did a little sicky burp at that point and then smiled insincerely while swallowing it back down.

Same old every year. Congrats to Ben. And I'm sure Fleur will have an amazing career.

Best we can hope for is 2nd place if we're lucky!

I would prefer a seperate contest for men and women. At least contestants would then progress on their own merits rather than based on what is between their legs.

I am not personally invested in either Ben or Fleur. However, yes Fleur is all bells and whistles, but when it comes down to it the winner nearly always is able to sing better than the runner up.

Fleur struggled with that winner's single. When her vocals are exposed, i.e. all of the razzmatazz is taken away, it is not good. Her body language reflects her struggle imo. That is why she is all about being a showgirl.

The vocal always wins out in the end and probably rightly so.

Whilst Louis sat staring at his list of 'things to force Stereo Kicks to do'...make an album of Westlife Covers, an album of Ratpack covers featuring Shane from Westlife, a cover of 'Mandy'

Maybe if it is edgy you are looking for XF isn't the show for you. Just a thought ...

I reckon so, yeah. The only instances we seem to get interesting winners is the years that the archetypal winner (i.e. handsome white male) aren't in contention. See 2011 and 2008, where none of the contestants really fit that bill (except perhaps Austin, but he was eliminated early). The only exception is Leona's year, but she was in another league.

The stools, never forget the stools and remember to stand on the key change

Nothing about series nine was conventional except maybe Union J and Ella. The powers that be found it hard to make another boyband stick with One Direction everywhere and Ella was doomed with an awful song choice.