Could the Stars of the Past have made X Factor Finalists?

Could the Stars of the Past have made X Factor Finalists?

Since the first of the X Factor talent shows the demands on aspiring artists have increased and the quality of the finalists is truly impressive.  In fact, it would be fair to say that some of them are ‘stars’ already and it is great for them to have the publicity and opportunities that follow in the wake of their appearance to such a wide audience.

Recently I was listening to some of the ‘stars’ of yesterday and making the inevitable comparisons.  How many of them, I wonder, would have lasted through such a gruelling experience and made it to the finals?

Take Johnny Ray for instance.  Would he have survived Simon’s caustic remarks?  Would Simon have kept his hand off the buzzer while being accosted with Ray’s advice to ‘let your hair down and go on and cry’?  I doubt it, and then a generation of young men would have been left with no option but ‘the stiff upper lip’ – never discovering how much better they would feel if they had let go of all that restrained grief.

As for Elvis, the King of Rock.  I doubt that Piers could have coped once all that hip swivelling started.  Sharon would have appreciated Elvis’ talent but Simon may have reminded him that Afro American music was better rendered by Afro Americans and urged him to come back with a difference style.  What a loss that would have been.

As for the crooners, much loved by the ladies – not a chance.  Can you imagine Bing, Matt and Dean being advised  to develop their style and try something different each week?  We have to hand it to these modern competitors, they’ve got guts for trying.

I think perhaps Frank Sinatra would have impressed the judges.  There is no disputing that his voice is unique among singers, but perhaps what may have sold it for him is his obvious love of singing.  Who can listen to Frank and not smile and who could not resist his offer to ‘come fly with me’.

Although even he might have been advised not to sing ’My Way’ when the judges much prefer the artists to do it theirs.