It’s a tense-filled Sunday as five acts will be whittled down to three ahead of next week’s final.
Performing songs to get them into the final, Walsh hopeful Lloyd Macey kicked-off Sunday night’s semi-final with Coldplay’s emotional anthem Fix You.
The 23-year-old singer – who is the last act remaining of the Boys – had opened up for previous X Factor winners Little Mix at their Manchester gig earlier in the week after he won last week’s prize fight.
Hopeful: Walsh hopeful Lloyd Macey kicked-off Sunday night’s semi-final with Coldplay’s emotional anthem Fix You
Getting a vote of confidence from the four-piece at their arena tour, Perrie Edwards added: ‘You’re on the best platform possible so take it for all you’ve got. You’ve a lovely voice.’
Back to his Sunday night’s appearance, Lloyd’s rousing peformance got all four judges to their feet while he was left putting his head into his hands in shock.
Head judge Simon Cowell began the comments as he shared: ‘That was annoylying brilliant. Everything worked… It actually reminded me of Christmas, it made me happy. That should get you into the finale next week.’
But as fellow judge Nicole Scherzinger attempted to give her comments, both Simon and Lloyd’s mentor Louis Walsh began to playfully cough over her.
Thrilling: The 23-year-old singer – who is the last act remaining of the Boys – had opened up for previous X Factor winners Little Mix at their Manchester gig earlier in the week after he won last week’s prize fight
Support: Getting a vote of confidence from the four-piece at their arena tour, Perrie Edwards added: ‘You’re on the best platform possible so take it for all you’ve got. You’ve a lovely voice’
Remaining calm and referencing Lloyd’s sore throat, Nicole fired back to the pair: ‘Do you guys need a lozenges? Is everyone OK?’
Sticking up for her pal, Sharon Osbourne insisted: ‘They’re just clearing their throats.
Before she continued: ‘Great song choice. You did it justice, so well done. You didn’t over sing, it was just a great performance.’
Following the awkward exchange between the judges, host Dermot O’Leary hilariously commented on Louis and Simon’s faux coughing: ‘Need any water or would you prefer milk?’
To their feet: Back to his Sunday night’s appearance, Lloyd’s rousing peformance got all four judges to their feet while he was left putting his head into his hands in shock
Not impressed: But as fellow judge Nicole Scherzinger attempted to give her comments, both Simon and Lloyd’s mentor Louis Walsh began to playfully cough over her
Pals: Sticking up for her pal, Sharon Osbourne insisted: ‘They’re just clearing their throats. Before she continued: ‘Great song choice. You did it justice, so well done. You didn’t over sing, it was just a great performance’
Next up was boyband Rak-su who performed their original song Feeling You.
The energetic performance had the crowd and judges alike on their feet grooving to their self-penned hit – which they performed at their first audition.
Louis Walsh couldn’t contain his excitement for the band as he said: ‘You have made so much progress. I’m feeling your definitely be in the final, this is a hit record.
While Sharon added: ‘Each song you sing is infectious. Everything you do is so brilliant, you have should a lovely vibe about you.
Feeling them: Next up was boyband Rak-su who performed their original song Feeling You
Going for it: The energetic performance had the crowd and judges alike on their feet grooving to their self-penned hit – which they performed at their first audition
Before Nicole added: ‘It feels like yesterday that we heard it. For me it was a great performance but not your best.
‘They set the bar so high for them. Your like pizza and there’s a topping for everybody.’ To which a member of Rak-su uttered: ‘I don’t know what that means’.
Hoping their talent will get them through next week, the last of Simon’s groups The Cutkelvins performed 90s hit Robin S’s Show Me Love.
The toe-tapping performance had both Simon and Louis on their feet while Sharon said: ‘What a tough night, the competition is so huge because you’re all so great… you’re in your comfort zone now.
Making it their own: Hoping their talent will get them through next week, the last of Simon’s groups The Cutkelvins performed 90s hit Robin S’s Show Me Love
Comfort: The toe-tapping performance had both Simon and Louis on their feet while Sharon said: ‘What a tough night, the competition is so huge because you’re all so great… you’re in your comfort zone now’
Enough? Nicole added: ‘I love that song, it’s a classic. Shereen you sounded like amazing… but I don’t know if that was cutting edge enough to keep you’
Despite the positive comments, Nicole admitted that she didn’t know if their effort was enough to get them through to the final.
‘I love that song, it’s a classic,’ she began. ‘Shereen you sounded like amazing… but I don’t know if that was cutting edge enough to keep you.’
While mentor Simon admitted that they are the underdogs but hoped that Scotland would get behind them.
Next up was Nicole’s last remaining overs, Kevin Davy White, who once again got all four judges to their feet following his rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s Voodoo Child.
Rock on: Next up was Nicole’s last remaining overs, Kevin Davy White, who once again got all four judges to their feet following his rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s Voodoo Child
Going for it: ‘I would never see someone like you,’ Louis began. ‘Everything is real about you… It’s so unusual to hear a Jimi Hendrix song on X Factor’
‘I would never see someone like you,’ Louis began. ‘Everything is real about you… It’s so unusual to hear a Jimi Hendrix song on X Factor.’
Echoing his sentiments, Sharon gushed: ‘You’ve stunned me for what you have evolved into… and I know this is what you love to do. To see how you’ve evolved is incredible and I loved it.’
The rocking performance left Simon stunned as he shared: ‘This was honestly incredible… as Nicole would say you put your balls on the line.’
Completely in awe of her act, Nicole enthused: ‘You are the Muhammad Ali of this competition’ as she got to her feet in excitement.
Original: Meanwhile, Sharon’s last remaining Girl Grace Davies rounded up Sunday night’s show with her self-penned song Wolves
On their feet: The Blackburn native wowed the studio audience with her upbeat original hit and had once again Louis, Sharon, Nicole and Simon on their feet
Meanwhile, Sharon’s last remaining Girl Grace Davies rounded up Sunday night’s show with her self-penned song Wolves.
The Blackburn native wowed the studio audience with her upbeat original hit and had once again Louis, Sharon, Nicole and Simon on their feet.
‘Grace, I tell you how good I thought that was,’ Simon began. ‘That was like me listening to someone coming on the show coming back as an established artist.
‘I was a bit worried about you, I thought you were a one trick pony but you’re not.’
Nicole gushed about the singer-songwriter’s talent: ‘You’re so blessed, you truly have a gift for songwriting. Just enjoy it because its going to be beautiful ride for you.’
While her mentor Sharon admitted: That song is a hit single, it really is.
‘I don’t know how you do it, you take my breath away every week. I just hope everybody has supported you and got you to this point picks up the phone.’
Overcome with emotion, the pink-haired beauty narrowly avoided a expletive slip-up as she tried to explain her delight for making the semi-final.
She added: ‘Thank you so flipping much for getting here.’ To which host Dermot answered: ‘You had me worried there for a moment.’
Performing on Sunday’s show, multi-award winning artist Ed Sheeran chatted to Dermot before he took to the stage about this year’s acts and how they’re performing their own original content.
‘I really like that about this season on X Factor,’ he said. ‘The more song you write, the better they become. Every time you write a bad song, you’ve got it out of you.’
It comes after series heartthrob Matt Linnen was voted off The X Factor in the nail-biting semi-final on Saturday night.
The 29-year-old, who belted out The Rolling Stones’ hit Gimme Shelter, found himself in the bottom two with The Cutkelvins and just missed out on a place in next week’s final.
Farewell: Series heartthrob Matt Linnen was voted off The X Factor in the nail-biting semi-finals on Saturday night
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