The X Factor UK has continued this weekend, with contestants facing the tough Six Seat Challenge. But it was good news for Ireland’s Eurovision 2017 singer Brendan Murray. He was given the Safe Seat, which guarantees him an unswappable seat in the Boys category.
While Brendan was previously criticised for his song choices at earlier audition performances, this wasn’t an issue at the 6SC. He performed REM’s 1992 ballad “Everybody Hurts” and impressed both the audience and the judges.
Judge Simon Cowell commented, “In my opinion, you are in a completely different league to everyone else we’ve seen so far. You know what’s so charming about you? You don’t even know how good you are.”
Louis Tomlinson, the Boys category mentor, approached the stage, saying he wanted to have a “quick word” with Brendan. But it was all an excuse for the former One Direction member to hit the Safe Seat button. Each judge is able to give one contestant a “safe seat”, which ensures they can’t be swapped at any future point in the Six Seat Challenge.
The Sunday night episode ended with the cliffhanger of Louis deciding which of the currently seated six Boys would have to give up his seat for Brendan. But no matter what the result is, we will definitely see Brendan at the Judges Houses round in the coming weeks.
But it was bad news for the Romanian countertenor Cezar Ouatu. He performed the classic West Side Story ballad “Somewhere” and was initially given a seat by Overs judge Ayda Williams. However, ’90s eurodance star Janice Robinson had also impressed the judges and was given Cezar’s seat.
Missing from the Girls category was the Greek Junior Eurovision national final star Athena Manoukian. Despite having been shown last week as having made it to the Girls category, she was nowhere to be seen in amongst the Girls performing in the Six Chair Challenge.
Athena’s fans were also puzzled by her absence and have been asking the Armenian-Greek star why she didn’t appear. But Athena has been keeping quiet, though she wrote on Instagram, “The less you reveal, the more people can wonder.”
Some fans are speculating that Athena may have been put into a group. We’ll find out if this is the case next week, when the Six Chair Challenge concludes. Also expected to appear in the Groups category is the JESC winner Gaia Cauchi. She could briefly be seen in a preview clip, performing alongside four other girls.
What do you think? Which former Eurovision stars would you like to see go through to the X Factor Live shows? Sound off in the comments section below!
Where was this guy during Eurovision?
At the same time – doesn’t his having been at Eurovision give him an unfair advantage even if he didn’t place well? That was largely the song and the odd, childish staging.
Oh come on, what is this buzz about a guy who looks afraid on stage and perfomed with a paper on his audition? Walsh has done it again even if he is not here…
P.S I am greek, Athena doesnt have fans. No one knows her.
I haven’t checked. Is he in fact better than a year ago? If so, I’m pleased for him. If not, I’m pleased for him anyway, since he seems like a cool guy.
Shock horror. That was so unexpected and so unpredictable.