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The Guardian today - Great PR for Rhydian


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Old 18-12-2007, 09:07
acertree
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Was Rhydian robbed in the X Factor final?


Kira Cochrane
Tuesday December 18, 2007
The Guardian

As you scan the internet reaction to Welsh baritone Rhydian Roberts's shock loss in the X-Factor final last Saturday, one thing immediately becomes clear: Wales is not going to take this lying down. In the Western Mail, a columnist compares "The night Rhydian Roberts was robbed" to a host of other historical injustices against the Welsh. On the BBC Wales website, comments range from "The result was a farce!" to "I shed tears of anger and frustration when the final result was announced. My daughters were inconsolable. My husband is disgusted." (To be fair, that last comment was written by a woman in Berkshire. It's not just the people of Wales who are up in arms.)

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I'm sure no one actually dislikes winner Leon Jackson. It's hard to work up a steam of hatred towards a diminutive 18-year-old karaoke singer who clearly loves his mother and cries at the drop of a hat. It's just that Rhydian was so much more entertaining. At the start of the series he was cast as the show's villain - audition footage showed the classically trained 24-year-old announcing that he was "a very big believer in making records and becoming famous and rich". Judge Sharon Osbourne announced that he was "everything I don't like in one" and the theme from Phantom of the Opera played each time he appeared. With his square jaw and vertical blond quiff, Rhydian resembled an especially creepy replicant.

He won me over in spectacular style, though, when he sang Pink's Get the Party Started. His performance began with him standing in the audience in a full-length white fur coat, before strolling to the stage, revealing a silver sequined suit and giving a recital so theatrical - yet vocally perfect - that it was as if Christmas had come early.

There have been accusations that phone system glitches meant Rhydian fans weren't able to lodge votes - but Leon fans have reported the same problem. In fact, I would wager that the final song choices were what toppled Rhydian. His performances of O Holy Night, You Raise Me Up, and Somewhere (from West Side Story) were all rock solid, but he had originally won over his audience with wildly bombastic covers of Queen and Meat Loaf songs. This was all a bit worthy.

Still, never mind. While Leon has been awarded a £1m recording contract, it was reported yesterday that "the Rhydler" is about to sign his own deal with Simon Cowell's record label, and is hoping to play the Phantom of the Opera on stage next year. Rhydian may have lost, but his future looks as brilliant as his hair. Whether any of this will appease those marauding fans remains to be seen.
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Old 18-12-2007, 09:17
One and Only
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Thanks for posting that.
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Old 18-12-2007, 10:23
padrinomatt
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You see? it is possible to like Rhydian and still be magnanimous about Saturday night.
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Old 18-12-2007, 10:28
Muttley76
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You see? it is possible to like Rhydian and still be magnanimous about Saturday night.
Yep nice to see at least some Rhydian fans can be graciouse....would like to see a bit more of it on this board.

I agree about the song choices being his undoing possibly. I said as much at the time they were released. Playing safe is not a good idea in the final when so many people who have not voted throughout the series pick up the phones for the first time....
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