CHAPTER 62
"Ladies and Gentlemen… welcome to the final day of bootcamp - the SIX-CHAIR CHALLLLLLLLLENGE!" Dermott exclaimed to the cheers of the audience. "Today, we cut down our 60 remaining acts to 24 - 6 guys, 6 girls, 6 groups and 6 over 28s. The people who decide this are our lovely judges/mentors. But this time, there is something new. For the first time in X Factor history, YOU, the public, have voted on which judge mentors which category. Now, please welcome your X Factor judging panel… Louis Walsh! Tulisa! Nicole Scherzinger! And Siiiiiiiiiiimon Cowelllllllll!"
The four judges took their place on the stage as the contestants watched from backstage. To be honest, the contestants weren't really worrying about who their mentor was. All of the mentors were amazing and they were just worried about making it through at all.
"So…" Dermott said. "It's time to start the six-chair challenge but first, our judges need to find out which category they are going to be mentoring this year. The votes have been counted and verified and I can now announce the results. First up to find out who their mentor is is the girls. The public have decided. Mentoring our lovely ladies will be… Tulisa!"
Tulisa leapt into the air in delight. She desperately wanted the girls. She had won the competition with the girls category last year.
"And the judge mentoring the overs this year is… Louis Walsh!"
Louis looked slightly disappointed at this. He was hoping for either the boys or the groups category.
"Okay. And mentoring the boys will be… Nicole Scherzinger, meaning that mentoring the groups will be Simon!"
Simon and Nicole smiled. They both had their first choice categories. Now that all of the judges knew who they were mentoring, it was time for the 6 chair challenge…
The way the six-chair challenge worked was that each act would perform one by one. The first six acts would automatically get a 'chair', which is a temporary seat in the judges' houses round. The next 9 would then perform and the judges could choose for them to take one of the original 6's seat or not. If they did, they would be, as it stands, advancing to judges houses and if they didn't, they would be going home. This was the final day of bootcamp. The final day to decide who advances to the judges' houses round. This was the 6 chair challenge…
The boys category was the last category to be called up so Finn got to watch as the other categories competed in the challenge. 6 girls went through first. Then 6 groups. Then 6 over 28s. Then finally, it was time for the boys to compete…
Right before the boys went on to perform, Nicole went backstage to give them a quick talk.
"This 6 chair challenge is going to be the most challenging thing ever. It's so intimidating out there, but that's what it's about. It's all about YOU. In my eyes, the winner of the X Factor is in this room, but there are only 6 chairs out there so you're going to have to bring it. Just bring it. All right, good luck you guys."
A bead of sweat rolled down Finn's forehead. If anything, that speech had made him even more nervous. He had drawn 4th performer and the first three performances went by in a blur. All three acts were AMAZING. Finn was stressing out by the time he was called on stage. His hands were trembling and his heart was pounding.
He walked on stage, the mic in his hands, over to the center of the stage.
"Finn! Welcome! How are you?" Nicole asked.
"Good. I'm good." Finn replied.
"Well, without further ado, good luck. Take it away…"
Not a word, from your lips
You just took for granted
that I want to skinny dip
A quick hit, that's your game
But I'm not a piece of meat
Stimulate my brain oh
So come on baby
Won't you show me some class
Why'd you have to move so fast?
We don't have to take our clothes off
To have a good time
Oh no
We could dance and party all night
And drink some cherry wine
Ohh oh
Just slow down If you want me
I may want to be approached cool
and romantically
Oh no
So come on baby
Won't you show me some class
Why'd you have to move so fast?
We don't have to take our clothes off
To have a good time
Oh no
We could dance and party all night
And drink some cherry wine
Ohh oh
We don't have to take our clothes off
To have a good time
Oh no...
To hear the song, click:
watch?v=Rry1PXDs8cU
Or search 'We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off Calum Scott'
Finn did a reasonable job at his song. In all honesty, he could have done better. His cover of the Ella Eyre song was not nearly at the standard of his song at the first audition and the judges knew it. Although he didn't make any glaring mistakes, he was lacking… power to this song. Nicole was going to give feedback and then she would decide whether he would get his chair or not.
"Um… okay, I'll try to keep this as short as possible. I liked it. I liked how you made it your own. I'll be honest, it's not the best audition in the boys category so far. You sang beautifully, but so did everyone else. But congratulations. Take your seat."
Finn smiled and sat in the fourth of the six chairs at the side of the stage. His work was not done. Far from it. Although he was going to the judge's house round as it stood, there were still ELEVEN boys yet to perform and only 2 spare seats. The probability of no eliminations was extremely slim.
However, against the odds, Finn had managed to hold onto his seat for the next ten people. Four people had been knocked from their chairs throughout the challenge but somehow, Finn was not one of them. Soon, there was only one boy left to perform: a 27 year old named Matt Cardle. Finn was instantly weary because Matt was one of the odds on favourites to win the whole competition. Sure enough, Matt absolutely crushed his song. The way things would work was that if Matt took someone's seat, that person would get the opportunity to sing one more song for survival, and if they were better than Matt, they would get their seat back. That was if Nicole gave him a seat in the first place. She had just finished making her decision.
"Okay, Matt, great job." Nicole said. "You most definitely get a seat. Please take a seat at seat number… 4."
Finn's heart dropped. Seat four was his seat. Finn slowly stood up and walked to the center of the stage and an uproar of boos ripped through the audience. They loved Finn and they didn't believe that he should be on the brink of going home, a save-me song against the odds-on favourite away from being back in that bedsit in Lima.
"Finn, sweetie, I'm really sorry." Nicole said. "Now, don't focus on the chairs. Focus on singing your heart out in this song. You've got a survival song, right?"
"Yeah." Finn replied.
"Okay. Good luck…"
The music started shortly after and Finn began to sing…
To hear the following song, click:
watch?v=3Ey4fROQ_eM
Or search: 'Calum Scott Diamonds'
Find light in the beautiful sea
I choose to be happy
You and I, you and I
We're like diamonds in the sky
Finn was extremely nervous and it was showing. His performance so far wasn't his best, and wouldn't be enough for him to overcome Matt. He was starting to get more and more nervous after with every passing second and it led him to make a costly mistake…
At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays
Of…
FUCK! DAMN IT! SHIT! He screwed up the lyrics! He screwed up the fucking lyrics and worse, he hesitated for a split second! He was done for! He knew it. Nicole knew it. The audience knew it. Finn closed his eyes and forced himself to stay calm.
"Okay, Hudson. Listen up!" His mind told himself. "You're probably going home. Might as well give it all you've got without nerves getting in the way!"
Taking a deep breath, Finn began the next verse with a lot more volume and confidence.
At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays
I saw the life
So shine bright, tonight, you and I
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Palms rise to the universe
As we moonshine and molly
Feel the warmth we'll never die
We're like diamonds in the sky
At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays
I saw the life
So shine bright, tonight, so alive
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Eye to eye, so alive
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Beautiful like diamonds in the sky.
At the end of the song, he got applause from the whole arena, as well as the four judges. Simon was first to speak.
"Oh, Finn, you know what? I was talking to some press the other day and they were kinda saying they think you're the red-hot favourite to win and I said you know what? Until you get to the six-chair challenge, which is the most stressful round of the competition, that's when you really show what you've got. Now, it fell apart during the first half of the song. You lost your words, you lost your timing. Luckily, in the second half of the song, you picked it up. So, all I can say is I hope Nicole judges you and your potential in the second half, not the first half because I do think you're a really, really good singer and I do think you deserve to advance."
Louis was the next to give his comments.
"Finn, you showed a tiny bit of vulnerability but that's a good thing. You have a fantastic voice. There's something very, very haunting about it. When you sing, you really sound like a recording artist."
Tulisa was the next to give her feedback.
"Finn, every performer and artist watching you tonight will be able to relate to what just happened to you. It happens. You know what? It's done. You have the most magical voice. When you sing, it does something to me and I look forward to hearing you sing because I think you are going to have the biggest career, whether it be this year, next year, five years from now, even ten years from now. You deserve to be here tonight. You're amazing."
Finally, it was time for Nicole to give her feedback and verdict.
"Yeah, Finn, it's like Tulisa said. You are a recording artist to me. The nerves just show how much you care. You did a great job and you're going to have a massive career in the future so please don't be kicking yourself later. You're obviously one of a kind. You're unique as an artist. When you perform, your heart and soul… you throw it all out there and that's like my favourite attribute of an artist. What I'm concerned about, honestly Finn, is… I just don't know if this competition is for you. I don't know if you're going to be able to be mentally strong enough to deal with the monster of nerves and stress that this competition can be. I've made my decision. There's only 6 people that I can take through to the judge's house round and Finn… it's not good news. I'm really sorry. I'm taking Matt…"
