I was chatting with a few people who read DS and have done over the years and we posed the question of whether Ben will be the next "ashleyne" in that it LOOKS like he has a lot of support on here, but that support isnt replicated in wider society. Im not having a go at anyone or anything here, just wondering if Ben will go in a "shock" result.

As an aside, im not his biggest fan and cant wait to see how he handles ABBA week, but just get the feeling that Ben will be the Xfactor forum's Ashleyne.

Doubt it man, the public have been waiting to see a different dimension added to the show and it's come in the form of Ben. (the down to earth, good rocker)

Don't think he'll win it though.

Journey South was the forums fave last year and G4 the year before

you could be right

the plot thickens

LOL, they still both finished 3rd.

But personally i think thats Bens problem- he dosent add any dimensions as he is a one dimensional singer. He sings everything the same way. Expect Meatloaf, Black Sabbath covers in the weeks to come.

He is this years Tabby, so he dosent even have the unique quality of being the shows first "rocker".

That's a good point your making, and i can see where your coming from, but couldn't we say a similar thing about alot of the other acts?

For however much i love her, Leona, can you really see her singing much else than high note ballads? (Sure she'll adapt to high tempo numbers eventually). Then there's Ashley who struggles with anything that isn't Lionel Richie like, saying that he struggles with that even. (But he has that afro, let's remember ) Ray likes the old class swing numbers, there's many others...

I think it's difficult to judge, as the two shows are obviously entirely different. I think Ben grates in the X-Factor because he's in the wrong setting, we expect our rock performers to give these types of shows a very wide berth. And I do think this will be his downfall, it is not American Idol and he's no Bo Bice. I don't think Ben can pull in enough admirers as the weeks go on, unlike Ash (the real star of BB7) who managed to increase her popularity and almost made it as the winner.

Ben does have a real talent.
But I doubt very much that he will win.

he reminds me of the two long haired contestants in American Idol last year (cant remember their names?)

Yeah I totally agree with that. Niche singers make it easier for the judges to control the result as well. Everyone I have spoken to dosent like Ashley for a host of reasons but he is very much on the "in" with the Xfactor.

But i think it will be ben that will be struck with the curse of DS this time

I'm predicting 3rd place, we'll wait and see, book mark this thread.

Yip, i think he will come third as well. It seems popular backing on the forums means a third place finish- Even Ashleyne came third in BB.

Bookmark the thread

Bo Bice and Constantine Maroulis, from season 4?

ash couldn't sing , thats the difference!

LOL!

Ben is my favourite, hes a bit different, and has a fantastic voice.

I did not like Aisleyne at all however.

Vice versa apart from none of them have a good singing voice

I put my fiver on Ben to win last week as he has been my favourite since his first audition - mind you I am an old rocker and he reminds me of an ex-boyfriend from 1972. However my 19 year old daughter saw the first audition programme separately to me and she also picked him as her favourite so it isn't an age thing.

Why is everyone aassuming there will be an ABBA week? They may be having the guys from ABBA on the show but it might be a 70's theme week or even songs from musicals......and I also don't understand why everyone else would be more suited to an ABBA song than Ben anyway - I remember on Pop Idol every single act struggled without fail!

As for whether Ben will have the public support to win, only time will tell I suppose. One thing I will say is the bookies have him as favorite, which means people at least are putting money on him, something that didn't happen with Ash or JS till quite late in the day....and neither ever made it to bookies favorite even then.
Last edited by Muttley76 : 17-10-2006 at 09:06

Do you mean Ace .. yummy

yeh there the ones!

erm G4 were runners up as it happens and the "winners" as far as commercial success goes!

Of course Ben won't win, he is far too good to release an album full of wishy washy ballads and rubbish cover versions! He could very well be the real winner though!

Difference between Ben and Aisleyne (apart from the obvious!) is that Ben is bookie's favourite and has been since the betting opened - Aisleyne was a rank outsider throughout BB.

DS is on traditional form though - the Unconventionals topped the "who do you want to win" poll last week

DS never seems to get it right.
Ben is my favourite but I cant see him winning this type of show.

I wonder if Ben doesn't want to actually win the final. If he can stick in there to the end but not actually win, he will stand a good chance of a record contract or at least a future as a reasonably well paid performer which is probably better than being in a tribute band. Then he will not be tied to a year of cover versions and artistic differences with Simon.