Cheryl told both Diana and Laura things in the line of:

"You've got such a unique voice... unique talent... I get you... but I don't know if the public will get you... will get your quirkiness... "
"I've loved you from day one. I think you've got amazing potential. But the problem I've got is you are so specific as an artist, and you have such a specific sound that I don't know if the (stupid) public would be able to relate to that."

And these are two girls that did made it through.

This approach makes me beyond cross.
Because it's exactly the reason why the X-factor tends not to be the X-factor...

This approach, of "the general public is stupid and is looking for the singer with the Eurovision-karaoke molded type of voice, so we should just choose the standard one",
this is the reason why Simon is choosing people like
Scott (whoever he is), or the "cute" little boy Eoghan... (I can't even take him seriously) over more unique voices like Duane Lamonte and later on indeed Mali!

Are they trying to bore us?

I mean, X-factor my@&$$!

Yeah but she chose them !!

If they though that, they wouldnt have chosen them two for the live shows

Yeah thats why I have not entered the show as im scared id suffer the same fate because im very different, not only vocally but image wise to. Id only want to do it if I think id have a chance of making the live shows.

It angers me to no end. I think the public will love people like Laura, Diana etc. It's only the boys really that just sometimes get put in the finals based on their looks. There will always be an army of young ladies 11-16 who will go mad for someone like Eoghan. Hopefully with any justice, this years winner will be one of the very unique women and this will be the start of a new contest for us in future. More people who were scared of entering before will come forward.

I was talking about the approach, which caused Simon to choose those he'd chosen.
Are you happy with the boys group?
Can you name even one of them who has something unique to offer?
All three of them are nothing more than bland!

(And don't even get me started with Danny Evans from the local bar)...

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Whoever Simon chose would make no difference all the boys were much of a muchness and I didn't see any other outstanding talent in the auditions that was missed.

The girls is a different story all six would have made worthy finalists and I think it's very positive that Cheryl went the 'quirky' route rather than the 'safe' one with regards to Laura and Diana.

It is true though. No quirky ones have won, as much as people may love them.

Does Diana remind anyone of Suzanne Manning from Pop Idol? She was quirky but unfortunately didn't quite have the talent to make it to the end. I hope Diana does.

I thought the exact same, OP. I was shouting at the TV when she said that.

Yes. Diana reminds me a lot of Susanne and Alex parks from Fame Academy.

That line was Cheryl's way of adding to the drama of her selection. When faced with two great vocalists with obvious charm and talent she had to think of something to temper their hopes during the selection speech.

Frankly I don't think you would have even noticed it had she not used the same reasoning twice. I don't think its worth reading any more into those comments than Cheryl's lack of imagination when it came to those speeches.

Plenty of "quirky" people have been chosen in the past and they don't usually make it too far because their voices need to be matched to the songs they're singing. My favourite check of a "suitable" X-Factor artist is "how would the sound on ABBA week". Mali was great but needs songs tailored for his vocals.

With the emergence of people like Winehouse and Duffy (etc) female vocalists can be a bit more quirky these days without it seeming too quirky. Male vocalists (solo) don't really have that commercial template yet.

And let's not forget it was Simon who pushed for both Laura and Diana from the very start. He knows which side his bread is buttered on.

She doesn't remind me of Suzanne Manning and she is better than Alex Parks.

My favourite check is whether an artist can adapt a song to their own style.

I took it has, in other words "Will the teenage girls and little girls out there that vote more, will they like you" that's bascily what I thought she was saying lol.

And I luv them both, along with Alex and Rachel.

As in "You made that song your own"?

If the public doesnt 'get' these types of singers, how has winehouse and duffy been some of the biggest UK sellers of the past two years??

Bullcrap, they assume thats what the public wont get coz there used to average pop crap voices, when something different etc comes along its a refreshing change.

I thought she was talking a load of rubbish when she said that. Surely they're *looking* for singers that have something different to their voices, that's the whole point. I don't think Cheryl knows what she's talking about, really - isn't it up to the judges (or whoever really chooses the songs) to make a singer accessible? Meh, whatever. I wanted to throw something at the TV when she said that. But then I quite often have that reaction with Cheryl.

It didn't sound like she had much faith in Laura and Diana

Would Amy Winehouse or Duffy win X Factor though?

I can see the posts now - too much trouble, hate her voice, not got the right look, etc, etc.

Surely theyre looking for something different, thats why the show is called The X Factor

Ye i mean Diana, some will love the ay she sings, others just won't get it.

I'm not sure it was clear which one of the pair she said it to, but I know what Cheryl means.

Diana, Laura and Hannah are fairly relevant to "today" -- they would suit appearing on MTV, for example -- but the sort of people who vote on the telephone (like the grandmas who will put Eoghan straight through to the final three) neither watch MTV nor buy singles.

MmM