Ellona Santiago Has The 'X Factor'

Ellona Santiago's "Inspired" Concert Series

2014-06-26T19:30:00.001-04:00

Ellona Santiago Sings “Pretty Hurts” by Beyoncé

2014-01-29T01:31:00.004-05:00

A new, excellent version of Beyoncé’s “Pretty Hurts” sung by rising Star and Diva, Ellona Santiago.

Well done, Ellona!

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A Composite: How Ellona Santiago Has Grown As A Singer And Stage Performer Into A Star

2013-12-22T20:09:00.000-05:00

The X Factor Influence

The American television audience and, yes, even the world, has had an opportunity to see the blossoming of a young lady grow from being a singing "hopeful" to a full-fledged Star before our eyes, thanks to her being a contestant on this season's X Factor USA competition. From audition to final performances on the X Factor's "Final 6 Showdown", here are her performances, with my own personal comments:

Ellona's Audition - "Wings" by Little Mix

Judges Kelly Rowland and Simon Cowell are initially surprised, or perhaps shocked, at how the soft-spoken Ellona erupts into a literal roaring tiger from beginning to end of this song. But, Ellona serves notice that she is here and belongs here.

Ellona Sings "Clarity" by Zedd

It was near the end of the show and Ellona was the last performer who could unseat any of the "Girls" from the Final Four in the category. Personally, I thought Ellona was a shoe-in, but Demi Lovato needed some convincing which was provided by Simon Cowell. Her performance was moving and emotional, something an artist wants to convey in a performance. Next is the first of the Live Shows.

Ellona Rocks The House With "Till The World Ends" by Britney Spears

The first X Factor live show opened with Ellona Santiago and her performance was electrifying. Judges Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio were "Wowed" by it, as you can hear in their comments at the climactic conclusion, and Demi Lovato was moved to do a standing ovation. It was a performance that, in my opinion, made it virtually impossible for any of the remaining Contestant Acts to top. It was also a performance that showed that Ellona is a master as an actual stage performer and not just a singer.

Ellona Performs "Baby Love" by The Supremes

This is "Motown Night" on X Factor and Ellona sings "Baby Love" by The Supremes Her voice has a warm, full richness which blends perfectly with the backup vocalists and she performs flawlessly. She reaches the crescendos perfectly and with a touch of emotion that she always manages well. And, as in past performances, this isn't lost on the judges.

Ellona Performs "Titanium" by Guetta & Sia

Whereas Ellona proved previously that she could "sing and dance", this was her showing that she could also move an audience without the choreographed dancers and she did own this stage. The judges also confirmed this by their comments and especially Simon's. She also proved that she was a master of dynamics, moving from soft/slow to a medium crescendo, then from medium to a fantastic crescendo to finish, perfectly done. It's also becoming clear that she is growing into the role of singing superstar at this point and this is where the floodgates open.

Ellona Sings "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" by Whitney Houston

It's "80's Week" and Ellona sings "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" by Whitney Houston. Ellona has a natural knack for being perfectly in tune, even when adding a little "flavor" to her rendition. And, she continues to prove that being perfectly "in tune" with the choreographed dancing is easy for her, regardless of a very minor "slip" by her foot at one point, something that happens to every stage performer. Like a pro, she recovered like nothing had happened that wasn't supposed to happen. And, like a pro, she moves through every part of her song with complete vocal control.

Ellona Performs "Burn" by Ellie Goulding

Moving from "80's Week" to "British Invasion Week", Ellona takes on "Burn" by Ellie Goulding. She's in full "Diva" mode now, as a singer and stage performer, and the stage set is like that for a full-fledged singing Superstar in a concert. She continues to demonstrate her complete vocal command, including dynamics and pitch control. And, as a stage performer, she's like a seasoned actress, complete with appropriate and perfectly timed facial expressions. This could be considered her best performance as a stage performer and moves her into the Final 8.

Ellona Performs "Mama Knows Best" by Jessie J

It's Thanksgiving week and this is "Big Band Night" and the Final 8 are performing.. Ellona sings "Mama Knows Best" by Jessie J and, in my opinion, does a better job than the original. In this performance, she comes out like a force of nature, fierce and dominating. There's nothing timid in this performance in any way. Her vocals are dynamic and strong and she continues to prove, beyond any possible doubt, that she was born to be on the biggest stage. Every part of this performance is done masterfully. This is Ellona's third straight performance that is a perfect "production", a perfect mix of stage set and perfect performance at every juncture. And this performance moves Ellona into the Final 6.

Ellona Performs "Applause" by Lady Gaga

This is the "Final 6 Showdown" on X Factor and Ellona takes on "Applause" by diva Lady Gaga. In this first performance of the evening, Ellona becomes the Star she is meant to be, complete with the red carpet treatment and paparazzi on stage with her. This is a completely dynamic performance and Ellona makes it her own vocally. Towards the end, she gets a little "flirty" with Simon Cowell, perhaps to show him that she's the only one of the remaining contestant/acts who really has the "X Factor". Having seen Lady Gaga's performance, I felt Ellona's was better quality vocals.

Ellona Sings "If I Were A Boy" by Beyoncé

For her second performance on this Final 6 Showdown night, Ellona's "unplugged" tune is Beyoncé's "If I Were A Boy". In this performance, Ellona transforms from the "Complete Diva Superstar" into the "Cutest Girl Nextdoor". Like with every song Ellona has sung during her time on this show, she adds her own flavor to this performance, making it her own. And, like every true diva, she adds emotion and moves perfectly through every vocally dynamic moment.

This would be Ellona's last performance on The X Factor this season as a lack of votes eliminated her from contention. However, it can readily be said that no other performer on The X Factor this season has performed as a true stage performer as Ellona Santiago has this season. And, it very likely shows that the world can now await the emergence of Ellona Santiago on the music scene in the way that others now star on the big stage.

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Who Will Prove That They Were The One Who Really Had The ‘X Factor’ Afterall? Let’s See What Simon Says!

2013-12-18T01:08:00.000-05:00

Photo from The X Factor USA "Final 6 Showdown" 12/4/2013

I was forwarded a link to an article from the TV section of Examiner.com entitled "Restless Road, Alex & Sierra, Ellona Santiago, Jeff Gutt: Sony Music deals ahead", which outlined the possible future prospects of some of the performing acts/competitors on this season's 'X Factor USA' competition, and I felt compelled to write about it. Or gloat, perhaps. I'll quote from this article and add my own comments.

But first, let me say that from the very beginning I believed, and I still do believe, that Ellona Santiago was the very best performer on this season's show, by far. Let me reiterate that: By Far. I've proven this from the first article on this blog, "Ellona Santiago Will Win The “X Factor” Competition. Here’s Why:", to the most recent, "The ‘X Factor’ Final 6 Showdown – Two-Hour Special", where I critiqued all of the performances during that show and concluded by saying:

My opinion is that Ellona Santiago distinguished herself wonderfully both times that she sang and out-shined all of the other acts.

And now I'm reading an article which states that several of this season's 'X Factor' acts will receive Syco Music recording contracts. Without further ado, let's see what Examiner.com's opinion of these performers is and see if it compares with my own thoughts.
To start off with, the article states that aside from the winning act on 'X Factor' each season, "five or six contestant acts" will also receive a recording deal from "Syco Music (the record company co-owned by Simon Cowell and Sony Music)". Okay, that sounds reasonable, if the contestant acts are worthy and if they're considered to be the "Top 6", or perhaps the six "Most Marketable" acts from the show, they should be good enough to make a recording deal with and sell music. Then, they list, according to "several insiders", as the first four: Restless Road, Alex & Sierra, Ellona Santiago, and Jeff Gutt.

Mind you, these are not the "Final 4" on the show according to fan voting, which was trimmed last week to the Final 3. The Final 4 was Alex & Sierra, Restless Road, Jeff Gutt, and Carlito Olivero. In the prior week, Ellona Santiago and Rion Paige were eliminated from the show due to having fewer fan votes. And, every one of the judges on the show, Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato, Kelly Rowland, and Paulina Rubio, were completely shocked when Ellona's name was announced first. In fact, Kelly Rowland was visibly shaken by the announcement. And afterwards, Demi Lovato expressed her shock by a tweet which said, "What the f
k?!?!?! She should have won!!!"

But, this is about who Simon Cowell/Syco Music thinks is worth a recording deal and Ellona is at least in the Top 4 in his eyes. Let's see what else Examiner.com says regarding Simon's thoughts on the matter.

Restless Road

"Cowell created Restless Road by putting together three teenage male contestants (Colton Pack, Andrew Scholz and Zach Beeken) who originally auditioned for "The X Factor" as solo singers."

"As Cowell likes to say, there is a "gap in the market" for a new male heartthrob country singing group. Restless Road is basically going to be marketed as One Direction meets Rascal Flatts, regardless of what people think about Restless Road's singing abilities."

I like that, "regardless of what people think about [their] singing abilities". It's not about how well they sing, he thinks they'll be "heartthrobs" for the pre-teen and early teenage girls. Oh, how cute! Older people, like late teens and young adults will probably write them off the same way I have, "predictable" and "not inspiring". I would add "boring" to my personal list of descriptions, only because they seem to have to have every song they sing with the same "deep toned voice" lead somewhere in the song. Okay, if I'm part of a band, does that mean that every song MUST have a lead by my bass player? Enough said.

Alex & Sierra

"With the Grammy-winning male/female folk duo the Civil Wars currently on hiatus, Alex & Sierra will be marketed as the next Civil Wars, but a younger, hipper version."

"Alex & Sierra have already proved that they have enough fans who will buy their music".

I have always said that they'll have a music career, though I've also wondered just how far they'll go. As one of the judges once said, "Sonny & Cher", and I also felt they were cute like Donny & Marie. I've also said that they might appear on variety shows or entertaining vacationers on Caribbean cruise ships. I doubt they'll make a big splash with their own music because it's one thing to be spoon-fed music and coaching and a big, national audience on TV where everyone can see you weekly and it's another thing to be off that stage and without all those advantages and doing original music. But, they'll have something.

Now, here's where Examiner.com discusses Ellona Santiago, but I'll reserve "the best for last".

Jeff Gutt

"Cowell and other people who work at major record companies normally don't like to sign new artists who are over the age of 30, but the fan base of 37-year-old Gutt is too significant to ignore. Insiders say that Gutt is hard-working and extremely likable behind the scenes, so that counts for a lot in Cowell's world. Cowell also likes a comeback story."

"Gutt is considered much more marketable than Josh Krajcik" and will replace him because "Krajcik's Sony Music releases (an EP and an album) have been flops."

And that means that Jeff's future releases won't be flops? Throughout this entire 'X Factor' competition, I have consistently stated that Jeff Gutt was not inspiring and, with one exception, was no better than a cover singer. He has consistently reminded me of the originals when he sang, therefore, he did not distinguish himself. The one exception, in my mind, was when he sang “Feeling Good” by Muse during the "Big Band" week, which I felt was outstanding.

And, I have always said that since Jeff's goal is to be a singer with a rock band, he should FIND a rock band that needs a good lead singer and connect, preferably a band that already is established and has a large enough following. He could be that good. But, if he's thinking of being the "name" of the rock band, with not much established following in the Rock world, will he actually make it? I'd say "no'.

The Examiner.com article then goes on to briefly discuss the remaining acts who made the final 13 and I'll only make a few brief comments about them.

Carlito Olivero

The article says that Simon is interested in signing him due to another "gap" in the market and I've felt all along that Carlito was talented enough to make a splash in the Latino music world. My opinion hasn't changed and I think he might actually get more help from Paulina Rubio in this regard.

Josh Levi

Then the article says that Simon may have some interest in Josh Levi, who could bolster sales in certain markets.

Regarding the remaining acts, Rion Paige, Lillie McCloud, Tim Olstad, Khaya Cohen, Rachel Potter, Sweet Suspense, and Carlos Guevara, the article says that Simon has no interest in signing them. In almost every case, Simon's reasons, according to this Examiner.com article, agree with mine.

Rion has a great voice, but no real stage presence and she's too young at this point. But, several years in the future she could prove that she's got a music career ahead of her and that depends on her personal motivation.

Lillie McCloud has a great voice, but she's too old to sign to a big recording deal at age 54. She should, however, be able to sing in nice jazz clubs or, as the article points out, "in Broadway musicals or doing the cabaret circuit".

I always felt that Tim Olstad was "boring", like "elevator music", and "easily dismissed" from the start and according to the article Simon agrees.

According to the article, Simon thinks that Khaya Cohen is "boring". I was never wowed by her and always felt that she was trying to sing as though she was a 35ish woman rather than a 17-year-old girl and I felt that she just didn't have any stage presence.

Examiner.com says that Cowell thinks that Rachel Potter is "too old to market as a new country music singer". I've always wondered if the Country Music establishment would accept someone who "learned" a country voice rather than be born with one since she moved from New York to Tennessee and I doubted that she'd have much of a music career in her future and I still do.

Now, I've always thought that Sweet Suspense was better, even much better, than Restless Road and I still do. However, in terms of marketability, the article says that because Cowell already has "Fifth Harmony", another group he put together last season, he feels that they "might cannibalize sales for Fifth Harmony". And, I wrote that I felt that Sweet Suspense wouldn't have much of a music career after the show and I still don't. At least not yet anyways.

And from the beginning, I felt that Carlos Guevara, regardless of how well he could sing, just didn't bring anything special to the stage and wouldn't have much of a music career in the future.

And now, for the pièce de résistance:

Ellona Santiago

The Examiner.com article says, in part:

"She's considered the most versatile of the "X Factor" U.S. contestants who will get Sony Music deals, and Cowell thinks she has broad international appeal ..."

"And don't be surprised if Santiago gets marketed as an actress too, since she has the makings of being a "triple threat" entertainer who can sing, dance and act."

"Santiago is also a very hard worker, which is a quality that Cowell loves and ... Santiago's age (she's 17) is also a major asset"

Well now, I think I see things that I've stated all along, right from the beginning. The main title of my blog is "Ellona Santiago Has The 'X Factor'" and the title of my first article is "Ellona Santiago Will Win The “X Factor” Competition. Here’s Why:", so you can imagine that I believe that Ellona is/was the best performer on the show. But, I also explained in detail why I felt this way. For example, in my first article, I concluded with:

"Ellona Santiago has the voice, the stage presence, the energy, and the Wow Factor to have a truly STAR future in the music business. Her voice is excellent enough to truly grab your heart when she sang “Clarity”. She truly makes you stronger when she lifts you up with her “Titanium”. And, she truly makes you want to be dancing along with her in “Till The World Ends” (and what a great finish!)."

When I wrote, "If You Had To Invest $1 Million On A Potential Music Star, Who Would It Be?", my third entry in my blog, I concluded with:

"Ellona Santiago has the following: a dynamic voice, a great stage presence, energy, and expressiveness. In my opinion, she’s proven that she’s not only comfortable on the big stage, but that she owns it. She is absolutely dynamic and understands how to really use it to bring her audience in. She’s shown that she can sing and perform, meaning she can dance really well while she’s singing. And, she’s got the look of a Star, sharp features that sparkle and a winning smile. Of all of the contestants on the X Factor, only Ellona Santiago seems to be the one who would be worth the investment. She’s got the drive and the commitment to do what needs to be done. She’s got the style to garner mass-appeal and that means sales, ROI. And, from watching her interviews and when she speaks with the judges on the show, she seems to pull people in with her friendliness, a real advantage when speaking with others who have pull in the music business. As the saying goes, “It’s who you know”. And that means more positive publicity which then helps drive the fans to her, meaning, of course, more sales."

Is it possible that Simon Cowell agrees with me? I think I pointed it out in my second article, "Does Simon Cowell Think That Ellona Santiago Is “The One” With The “X Factor”? Let’s Review The Videotape!" Maybe he's been secretly reading my blog ... and I wouldn't blame him. If he's interested, he can hire me as a talent consultant, for a not-so-nominal fee, of course!

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The ‘X Factor’ Final 6 Showdown – Two-Hour Special (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)

The ‘X Factor’ Final 6 Showdown – Two-Hour Special

2013-12-07T14:19:00.000-05:00

—>Based on “The X Factor USA” show on Wednesday, 12/06/13

On Wednesday night the X Factor was down to the Final 6 and this show was the Final 6 Showdown. Each act would perform twice during the two hours. Here’s how it went:

Round 1

First up – Restless Road sings “Red” by Taylor Swift

As they have during much of the competition, they sang harmonies well, but didn’t take the opportunity to show off their voices with solos, something Demi Lovato pointed out afterwards. For me, it was much of the same and they simply didn’t stand out and grab my attention. The beginning of the song went seamlessly to the first chorus virtually unchanged – just harmonies. When they got into the second portion of the song, the first solo was by Andrew Scholz, whose voice is “nice”, but not spectacular in any way. Following his lead was Zach Beeken, the tall young man with the deep singing voice, which perhaps disturbed me most about this song. Where’s the gut-wrenching feelings guys? For me, it was all wrong. Was this a country rendition? Maybe. I didn’t get that feel either. This performance has the same feel of every other song they’ve done – lot’s of harmonies, a cameo here or there, and the staple “deep vocal” cameo of Zach. I’m sure we could expect the same for their second performance of the night.

Next up – Rion Paige sings “See You Again” by Carrie Underwood

First, I want to say that I liked how Rion was wearing her hair during this show. It made her look, maybe a little older, but also classy with her earrings showing and I have to say that she did a very fine job with the song. I liked her sound and she did so well with the musical accompaniment. Her command of her vocal range was certainly on display. All-in-all, it was a very good performance and certainly better than Restless Road, by far.

Next up – Jeff Gutt sings “Without You” by Randy Newman

First, I want to say that during the previous week’s “Big Band” show, I was very impressed by Jeff Gutt’s performance of “Feeling Good” by Muse. He really took command of the stage and distinguished himself. Tonight, he led off with “Without You” sung by Randy Newman in 1968 and by Harry Nilsson, who made it famous in 1970 and NOT Mariah Carey, as some have reported. You can hear it here. He started off too “baby soft” and the background music didn’t help at the start. Then, it changed to a complete rock-out chorus, which seemed like too much of a change. But, it was really how it started off that should have been different if he was going to rock it like that. Two choruses later and the song was done. Compared with his previous performance last week, this was a disappointment, typical of other times he’s sung without distinguishing himself from the original artists.

Next up – Ellona Santiago sings “Applause” by Lady Gaga

Ellona started as she always seems to – in command – and she was clearly in control and right on at every point in the song. This was a real “production” with the “red carpet” stairway, with her at the top where a Star should be, and the “paparazzi photographers/dancers”. It truly reminded me of a concert performance by an already established Star, but that’s what Ellona Santiago has become with each of her performances. She sang with, yet above, her background singers, who accentuated her vocals very well. It could be, yet again, her best performance on the show to this point and by far the best of the evening to this point.

Next up – Alex & Sierra sings “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child

To start off, it was Alex singing with the spotlight only on him. Then it shifted to Sierra with her solo followed by some nice duet harmonies. They certainly handled the song very well and sounded great. Sierra, I think, sounded better than she had on any prior performance and was the star of this one. It was still typical for this singing duet. Aside from Ellona’s performance, theirs was by far the best over the rest.

Last up in Round 1 – Carlito Olivero sings “Let’s Get Loud” by Jennifer Lopez

He starts off fairly soft, but goes immediately into a “Latinized” version, complete with the horns and bongos in the background, typical for a Latino-style tune. Of course, this IS his strength and he performed well. His dancing was “suave” and his singing was perfect for this performance. It was nice, if not moving, but well done none-the-less. At this point, I’d rate Ellona as best, followed by Alex & Sierra, Rion Paige, Carlito Olivero, Jeff Gutt, and Restless Road.

Round 2 – “Unplugged”

Up first – Restless Road sings “Wake Me Up” by Avicii

In this one Colton Pack led off with a solo that was, in my opinion, fairly unintelligible. What’s the point? Next, Andrew Scholz sang his solo that was, by comparison, far easier to understand. This then went into a nicely harmonized chorus. Next, Zach Beeken came in with his typical “deep voice” solo and then into another well-harmonized chorus. Sorry, but not inspiring. As much as they try, they always seem to do something that’s irritating for me, like there’s something not quite right. It could be that they’re exceedingly predictable with their singing or the fact that they don’t have a strong-voiced leader among them. Disappointing yet again.

Next – Rion Paige sings “Glass” by Thompson Square

When she started singing, her face looked like she was crying – minus the tears – and her voice sounded as though it was tear-filled. I don’t know if it was by design or not, but it didn’t sit well with me. Contrary to her prior performance of the evening, her vocals weren’t as sharp and her words were, at times, hard to distinguish. The “country”, however, did come out quite strongly in this performance. It was an emotional performance, to say the least and that makes hers better than Restless Road’s performance, which elicited no emotions, as usual.

Next up – Jeff Gutt sings “Daniel” by Elton John

To start, he reminded me of Elton John dressing it up a little. As he’s done so many maddening times, Jeff Gutt sings a song so like the original artist that he’s fairly indistinguishable. He played the acoustic guitar while he sang, but that’s not so different from Elton John singing while playing the piano. It was a letdown more than anything else.

Next up – Ellona Santiago sings “If I Were A Boy” by Beyoncé

First, her appearance was drastically different from her earlier performance. She looked like your “average teenage girl”. She began singing solo with no music or background vocals through the first two stanzas. Then, on cue, the acoustic guitar came in, right in tune with Ellona, or vice versa, and that’s a nice trick, being in tune to lead off and have the music come in afterwards so tight and in tune. It was soft and meaningful and Ellona moved into the first crescendo adeptly, in a most Diva-like fashion. From there she remained in Diva mode, hitting all of the notes, adding her well-timed and well-tuned improvisations. Her singing was emotion-filled and meaningful.

Next up – Alex & Sierra sings “Say Something” by A Great Big World

First, I’m sorry, but Alex had a kind of grunge look that didn’t work well with Sierra’s dress and with her playing piano, as if he’d just come off the street. Alex’s singing, to start off, didn’t get me. The first duet, however, was “nice” and harmonized well. Sierra seemed off a little, perhaps because, as she said, she’d never played piano in front of people before. But, she collected herself towards the end of the song and they sounded fine together. But, I didn’t feel the emotion that I should have. While Kelly Rowland said that they made her feel like she was watching an “awards show”, it made me feel like I was watching a variety show, filler for the main attraction. Disappointing compared with their first performance. It dragged from beginning to soft, unemotional end.

Last up – Carlito Olivero sings “Stand By Me” by Ben E King

With an acoustic guitar player beside him, the song began with a certain Caribbean/Latino style. His singing was, as in past performances, a mix of English and Spanish, and his voice was typical for him, a bit on the soft rather than strong side. But, he mixed his vocals well with the music and background singers and it was a decent performance, if not outstanding. With so many other Latino tunes, emotion is virtually eliminated and that’s because the music accompaniment doesn’t emote like lyrics might demand, but always seem to have a happy, party-in-the-Caribbean flavor. So, he can’t be faulted by sticking with the norm. But, if his goal is to stand out, then this performance didn’t help, much like Jeff Gutt’s performance of “Daniel” didn’t distinguish him, though I liked Carlito’s song more than Jeff’s. All-in-all, it was a nice diversion, but not memorable.

Carlito’s performance ended the show for the evening.

My opinion is that Ellona Santiago distinguished herself wonderfully both times that she sang and out-shined all of the other acts. I would say that Alex & Sierra did pretty well, as did Rion Paige, followed by Carlito Olivero, and a tie for the bottom with Jeff Gutt and Restless Road because neither were memorable on this night.

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Is Ellona Santiago Really The Favorite To Win This Season’s ‘X Factor’ Competition? Now More Than Ever!

2013-12-01T01:11:00.000-05:00

“It was a fantastic choice of song, the band sounded amazing, and you may now have a chance after that performance, Ellona, of you actually winning the whole show.” – Simon Cowell

When I first started this blog, my first article was “Ellona Santiago Will Win The “X Factor” Competition. Here’s Why:“. I then proceeded to point out why I felt that Ellona Santiago was better than the rest of the ‘X Factor’ competitors. I followed that article with one describing why “Simon Cowell thinks that Ellona Santiago is “The One” with the ‘X Factor’” based on his comments to Ellona over several weeks. To recap, he said:

“That’s the one.” and “You are the girl I think I want to work with most in this competition.” after she auditioned with “Wings”.

“Ellona, it’s probably one of the best vocals we’ve heard, uh, from this category.” and “I can’t imagine you not being in this competition.” after Ellona sang “Clarity”.

“I believed in you and I was right. And what I love about you, Ellona, is that you’re here to win it, not just take part in a silly competition, but to win it and try and go on to sell records.” and then says, “And if she was one of my girls, I’d keep her … a million percent.” when Ellona opened the first live show with “Till The World Ends”.

“I mean that was your best performance that you’ve ever done.” after Ellona sang “Titanium”.

And, when Ellona sang “Baby Love”, Simon said, “I’ve got to tell you, you absolutely nailed that song. Really, really good!” and, “You know what I love about you, Ellona, is that you’ve got, and don’t take this the wrong way, killer eyes. You know? You’re really, really focused. You’re determined. You want to win. I really love working with people like you. Well done.”

But, then there came two consecutive weeks where Simon’s comments were not as glowing as they had been. But, were they really criticisms or advice? Here’s what he said:

“Ellona, I thought the first two thirds of the song were literally mad. I just didn’t get it. I didn’t. Too erratic, too crazy, too much going on. And then the last 30 seconds, when you hit the big note, the melody came back in again on the song, it was great.” and “I have one, one thing I think I would like to hear you do next week if you’re here, is I’d like to see something with less choreography because you’ve got a great voice and I want to hear you show that off.” after Ellona sang “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”.

And, after Ellona sang “Burn”, he said:

“Ellona, um, there’s no question or doubt, you are a brilliant performer. Whatever you are asked to do, you just sort of like shrug and go along with it, you smile, and you sing well.” and “However, it’s like at the moment I’m watching an actress. I haven’t re … I don’t know who you are yet. And, my suggestion is, and and, forgive me Demi, next week you choose the material, you do what you want to do, because at the moment, you’re like a dancing, singing puppet. And, I think you’re better than that.”

Simon has been a staunch supporter of Ellona Santiago from the beginning, but here he’s been offering some advice, even though his words could have been misconstrued as harsh criticism. But, Simon has also been steadfast in his desire to see Ellona singing on stage without all of the dancers, just her owning the stage without any distractions.

Fast-forward to last night.

First, I want to say that when you’re down to the final 8 competitors in the show, nobody is going to have a bad voice. They’re all good. They couldn’t have gotten this far if they weren’t good. So, there should be no disrespect towards anyone who came into last night’s show with a chance to continue. Yes, they really are THAT good. But, this is all about finding the one person who shines above the rest on a regular basis. And, that’s what was highlighted last night more than any other night.

The first performer last night was Rion Paige. As everyone knows, she has a very nice singing voice. And, she sang with a wireless headset so that she could be mobile during her performance. The problem was, however, that she didn’t steal the show with her performance. It was nice. It blended. It just didn’t GRAB me and take me somewhere. I think she’ll be singing for years and years to come and she might have a very nice music career. But, when it’s “all or nothing” like it is in this contest, she didn’t bring her “all”.

Next up was Restless Road. Throughout this entire competition, they’ve moved on from one week to the next, but their continued presence seemed tenuous at best. They can harmonize pretty well and last night they harmonized very nicely. But, like Rion Paige, they just didn’t GRAB me. If they’re going to “make it”, they need a more-defined identity. They need stronger vocals. They need to GRAB attention and they just don’t do it. None of the three takes command, but they all defer to the others, so there’s no leadership with them. What will make them special? I honestly don’t know because they haven’t gotten there yet.

Next up was Jeff Gutt. I can honestly say that I was definitely impressed by him last night. He really and truly distinguished himself and took command of the stage and his song. I’d previously written that he didn’t really distinguish himself when he sang “In The Air Tonight” and “Say You Say Me”. But, last night he came out strong and stayed strong throughout. His performance was easily better than those who preceded him and, in my opinion, second best of the entire night (a close second, I’ll add, because he really was good last night).

Following Jeff was Josh Levi. I had previously written that I didn’t think that he had a chance to win the ‘X Factor’ because he doesn’t have a strong voice. He sings like Michael Jackson when he was talking, soft, unmanly. But, I’m not expecting Josh to be a full-grown man when he’s not. Last night he did a very good job, better than any of his previous performances. But, he still didn’t GRAB me. His voice just isn’t geared towards being strong. He was great onstage. He moved well and didn’t miss a beat in his song. He had a lot of energy and I can see him going somewhere in the not-too-distant future. But, not just yet.

Next up was Carlito Olivero. He, like Josh Levi, came out with a lot of energy. He stayed true to his Latino roots and sang a tune that was a mix of Spanish and English. It was nice. I wrote before that I believe that he’ll really do something in the Latino music world. And, last night I wasn’t shaken from my earlier beliefs about him. He’s nice and good, but not commanding, not in the way that Jeff Gutt was earlier. And, I wasn’t really a fan of the feathered female dancers with him onstage. For some reason, it just didn’t work and I didn’t have an easy feeling about it. I think it actually cheapened what he was trying to do rather than benefit him.

Up next was Alex & Sierra. I have to say that I enjoyed their Big Band duet. They are a good singing team and Sierra shined nicely when she sang her lead vocals. She and Alex definitely have very good chemistry and I’m glad they’re together this way. Of all of the performers of the night, after Ellona and Jeff, I thought they did the next best. They really performed well last night. They might still need some work on their vocals when they need to really GRAB a tune and the audience, but it was still a very nice performance. But, when Simon says that Ellona might be a “singing puppet”, he should be careful that those same descriptive words can’t be used towards his groups. Alex & Sierra will find a market, but I don’t know how much of a market there will be for them. They still have work to do to really get there.

Next up was Lillie McCloud. Through this entire competition, she has really impressed me. Her vocals have been fantastic. But, I was actually let down last night compared with prior performances. I can’t really put a finger on it except that I didn’t really feel the emotion from her as I had in the past. It seemed more like a Top 40 going-through-the-motions-with a-little-sparkle kind of performance. Maybe too polished and less emotion. I believe Simon said something about it not being “raw” enough and that may be exactly it. She definitely has great vocal command, but it seemed like it was too much, with less feelings.

And to finish the individual performers, Ellona Santiago. I can honestly say that every time Ellona has sung onstage, she has grabbed the attention and owned the stage and the song.   Last night was no different. Her voice dominated. She dominated.   As soon as the song began, she commanded with her voice and she was the main attraction on a stage where she also had dancers.   I had heard this song before (Mamma Knows Best) and I believe her performance was much better than Jessie J’s version.   Of course, the Big Band was also great all night and definitely during this tune.   But, when Ellona Santiago started singing, she was truly a diva, THE star of the show, and she performed with the confidence that comes with that knowledge.

And, this is where she always seems to distinguish herself. Every time she’s sung, she has unleashed her voice.   It’s been noticeable every time.   There is no shy and timid about her singing or her moving onstage.   I know that she’s been singing and dancing since she was a little girl, but this is the biggest stage she’s been on. But, that hasn’t deterred her one single bit or made her unable to deliver. She’s stepped out onto this stage like she’s the featured performer every time.   She has been completely consistent in delivering outstanding performances, so it’s actually difficult to state which of her performances thus far has been her best.   But, she out-performed her competition yet again last night and this wasn’t lost on the judges.   Here’s their comments:

Kelly Rowland started off, saying, “Ellona that was your best performance since you being here, your best so far.”

Paulina Rubio came in with, “I’m a big fan of yours and I love that you are in command, that you lead, you are a leader. More than a Muppet. I believe you are a Superstar.”

Next, Simon said, “Ellona, that is what we call a “Game Changer”. It was, look, tiny criticisms still. Next week, and I really hope you’re gonna be here, but you gotta lose the dancers next week and I just wanna hear you. Because it’s all a bit dress-up at the moment. And what is taken away for me is the fact that you are an incredible singer, Ellona. I mean seriously incredible. It was a fantastic choice of song, the band sounded amazing, and you may now have a chance after that performance, Ellona, of you actually winning the whole show.”

And Demi Lovato finished with, “Ellona, I couldn’t be more proud of you. I mean I think you did so amazing, with the dancers. I think your story touched so many people. It touched me hearing it. JulieRose is in the audience tonight. I’m really, really thankful for you. You did an incredible job and I agree with Simon, it’s something that I’ve seen way before this performance, that you could win this competition. And I very well think that you will.”

You simply cannot take away the fact that all of the judges had very glowing comments for Ellona Santiago, including Simon, who was, I think, taken the wrong way for using the words “singing puppet” when he was really trying to encourage Ellona to do her own thing on a stage without all the background performers, like she did with Titanium. And, Ellona really should be considered the favorite to win this whole competition, based, not only on last night’s performance, but by all of her performances thus far.

And finally, when the show was closing, with all of the acts onstage after a final ‘sing-off’ of “Cry Me A River”, Mario Lopez (the MC of the show) came out, put his arm around Ellona Santiago, and began asking the judges individually who was “most outstanding” during the show.

Kelly Rowland started off with the only words that really mattered, “The woman that you have your little arms around.”

Demi was next, “Um, I know I have two girls up there, um, they both did great, but one of them really excelled and I have to agree with Kelly. It was Ellona. You did incredible.”

Paulina followed with, “But I need to say that Ellona, I don’t know if that’s the gold on you that comes straight to me, the golden girl, but you did amazing, you did amazing.”

And Simon concluded with, “But what I can tell you is that somebody here tonight had an outstanding night and that is Ellona Santiago.   Outstanding. … But Ellona, this is your night.”

Is it a rarity that every judge for the show would choose the same person as the one who really stood out more than the rest? Probably, since they have their own acts that they’re mentoring.   But, in this rarest of occasions, only Ellona Santiago really stood out as the most outstanding performer.

Related articles

Ellona Santiago Will Win The “X Factor” Competition. Here’s Why: (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Does Simon Cowell Think That Ellona Santiago Is “The One” With The “X Factor”? Let’s Review The Videotape! (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
If You Had To Invest $1 Million On A Potential Music Star, Who Would It Be? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
What does Ellona Santiago have that the other ‘X Factor’ acts don’t? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Has Simon Cowell Changed His Tune Regarding Ellona Santiago? Or Is There Something Else At Play Here? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)

Has Simon Cowell Changed His Tune Regarding Ellona Santiago? Or Is There Something Else At Play Here?

2013-12-01T00:36:00.001-05:00

From the ‘X Factor‘ show on Wednesday, 11/20/2013

During many of the previous ‘X Factor’ shows, Simon Cowell has been highly complimentary towards Ellona Santiago. Here are some samples:

During her audition, when she sang “Wings” by Little Mix, Simon said, “That’s the one.” and “You are the girl I think I want to work with most in this competition.”

When Ellona sang “Clarity” prior to the live shows, Simon said, “Ellona, it’s probably one of the best vocals we’ve heard, uh, from this category.” and “I can’t imagine you not being in this competition.”

When she sang “Till The World Ends” to open the first live show, Simon said, “I believed in you and I was right. And what I love about you, Ellona, is that you’re here to win it, not just take part in a silly competition, but to win it and try and go on to sell records.” and then says, “And if she was one of my girls, I’d keep her … a million percent.”

Next, Ellona sang “Titanium“, just her on stage. Simon interrupted Demi and said, “And under pressure as well. I mean that was your best performance that you’ve ever done.”

Ellona followed with “Baby Love” during the show with the Motown theme. Simon said, “Yeah, I’ve got to be honest with you, Ellona. When you first came out, you know, with the outfits and stuff, I thought, ‘Oh God, this is gonna be some cheerleader-type performance or something.’ But, I’ve got to tell you, you absolutely nailed that song. Really, really good!” Then he continues, “You know what I love about you, Ellona, is that you’ve got, and don’t take this the wrong way, killer eyes. You know?   You’re really, really focused. You’re determined. You want to win. I really love working with people like you. Well done.”

I wrote about this in the article entitled, “Does Simon Cowell Think That Ellona Santiago Is “The One” With The “X Factor”? Let’s Review The Videotape!“

In the next show, Ellona sings, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and Simon has a few things to say to her. First, he says, “Ellona, I thought the first two thirds of the song were literally mad. I just didn’t get it. I didn’t. Too erratic, too crazy, too much going on. And then the last 30 seconds, when you hit the big note, the melody came back in again on the song, it was great.” Then he says something that might be construed as ominous: “I have one, one thing I think I would like to hear you do next week if you’re here, is I’d like to see something with less choreography because you’ve got a great voice and I want to hear you show that off.”

Is Simon trying to send a new message, that he’s not sure she should be “here” next week? Or, is he simply offering some good, constructive criticism. Compared with previous weeks, this is a less-than-glowing opinion from him. But, it still could be that Simon genuinely wants to hear more of Ellona’s voice with less of the choreographed dancers.   Still, it was when Ellona opened the first live show with “Till The World Ends” that she really blew away the rest of the competition for the rest of the night. But, Ellona should take Simon’s words to heart. He does think she has a fantastic voice and showed his approval when she sang Titanium.
And, finally, with the most recent performance, Ellona sang “Burn” during the “80′s British Invasion” night. Personally, I don’t understand why they do this unless it’s simply to take the performers out of their comfort zone. If that’s the case, I understand how the judges would want to see how each act can adapt to the environment. Surely, one must be versatile to have and hold onto a good music career, otherwise it could get stale fast.

In any case, after Ellona’s performance, Simon said, “Ellona, um, there’s no question or doubt, you are a brilliant performer. Whatever you are asked to do, you just sort of like shrug and go along with it, you smile, and you sing well.” Did he expect her to do something other than an 80′s British Invasion tune? He continues with “However, it’s like at the moment I’m watching an actress. I haven’t re … I don’t know who you are yet. And, my suggestion is, and and, forgive me Demi, next week you choose the material, you do what you want to do, because at the moment, you’re like a dancing, singing puppet. And, I think you’re better than that.”

Not exactly harsh criticism, but not glowing as he had been previously.   Still, Ellona should view this as constructive criticism. I believe that Simon wants Ellona to be completely comfortable and totally in control of her next performance so that the very best can come out of her. I think he wants to see her shine and dominate the competition.   He has shown throughout that he believes that Ellona Santiago is the one act/performer on the show that really has the “X Factor” and who are we to argue?

Ellona Santiago Will Win The “X Factor” Competition. Here’s Why: (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Does Simon Cowell Think That Ellona Santiago Is “The One” With The “X Factor”? Let’s Review The Videotape! (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
If You Had To Invest $1 Million On A Potential Music Star, Who Would It Be? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
What does Ellona Santiago have that the other ‘X Factor’ acts don’t? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Is Ellona Santiago Really The Favorite To Win This Season’s ‘X Factor’ Competition? Now More Than Ever! (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)

What Does Ellona Santiago Have That The Other ‘X Factor’ Acts Don’t?

2013-12-01T00:27:00.001-05:00

I’ll start with Ellona’s voice. While everyone on the show has a pretty good voice, I believe that she manages the dynamics better than the rest, with the exception of Lillie McCloud. I’d say that they’re even because they both are great with the volume control of their voices.   Ellona has a knack of moving from softer to louder very smoothly. An example of Ellona’s mastery of dynamics is when she sang “Titanium“. After the soft beginning, she brought her voice up, but still very controlled in the middle section. But, she didn’t go into full crescendo mode yet.   In the third section, she starts off at a middle volume and then moves ever-so-smoothly to the final crescendo.   Perfect control throughout.

Next, Ellona Santiago has seriously good stage presence. She’s not only comfortable, but she is in control.   She knows what to do and when to do it like a professional.   She relates to the audience, she reaches out to them, she addresses them with her physical mannerisms.   This is where I think the rest of the acts don’t compare. Watch her singing “Titanium” to see how she’s always keeping the entire audience in her communication, instead of just the judges or one section of the audience.   She moves with purpose and never misses a note that she’s singing.   Unlike the rest of the competition, Ellona is a stage performer, not just a singer.   She also proved this when she sang “Till The World Ends“.   The only other person who can sing AND dance is Carlito Olivero. But, he’s still not as good as Ellona at this and I’m not really a fan of his vocals.

Ellona Santiago just looks good. She’s got a great smile and temperament.   She receives “positive criticism” well and doesn’t let anything get her down. She is thankful for all of the help she receives. Her positive attitude wins fans. She’s this tiny little thing with spunk, a Mighty Mouse.   This is why Kelly Rowland spoke about her “big voice”.   She exudes power and confidence on the stage, a power that’s not visible when she’s off-stage. The transformation is remarkable and wonderful at the same time. It’s special and it says, “I belong here.”   All of the other acts have shown their lack of confidence at one time or another.

In order to be special, to have that ‘X Factor’, you need to have the “whole package”. Add it all up together and Ellona Santiago is the only one on the show that seems to have it all, the ‘X Factor’.

Ellona Santiago Will Win The “X Factor” Competition. Here’s Why: (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Does Simon Cowell Think That Ellona Santiago Is “The One” With The “X Factor”? Let’s Review The Videotape! (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
If You Had To Invest $1 Million On A Potential Music Star, Who Would It Be? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Has Simon Cowell Changed His Tune Regarding Ellona Santiago? Or Is There Something Else At Play Here? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Is Ellona Santiago Really The Favorite To Win This Season’s ‘X Factor’ Competition? Now More Than Ever! (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)

If You Had To Invest $1 Million On A Potential Music Star, Who Would It Be?

2013-11-16T23:37:00.000-05:00

Based on this season’s 'X Factor' Top Ten contestants.

First, we need to understand that the music business is … a business and that means that it’s money which drives this business. In this case, I’m talking about “return on investment” or ROI, the golden words of business investment. And, in terms of ROI, I’m going to take an objective look at who best fits the business model. But first, I’m going to cover as much as I can regarding what this $1 Million is going to cover.

Since none of the contestants is an “established” star in the music industry, we must start at the very beginning. Does the person or group already have songs/music that can get them started with a bang (for the buck)? Will … it … SELL? Every music writer wants to think so because they love their own stuff. But, listeners can be fickle. And, the fact is, most don’t make it. So, acquiring music/lyrics that will sell may be a necessity and it’s important to get the right music that will fit the artist’s style. There’s cost and time to research to see who’s got the right blend for the upcoming Star.

Then there’s the musicians who will play the music. And, if the person is destined to be a Star, they’ll need musicians that can TOUR with them later. In the beginning, however, they’re going to play the music for the recording studio demos and possible new album. If you’re planning the future stardom of a music artist, you want to have more than just the first single if the music world demands more. You’d better have more. Musicians and recording studio time costs money, especially when you’re paying for the best.   And, in terms of “getting it right”, it’s going to take time for the musicians and the Star to get the music exactly right so that it reaches out to the ears of others and is received well.

And, there’s got to be music videos and this requires a production team to get it all “just right”. That means also having the right Star-quality clothing for the video shoot, plus location, location, location.   Again, this MUST fit the style that the Star wants to convey on stage (and in life in the music business).   This may be packaged into a single recording package at the music studio or it may require the expertise of another group.   In either case, it’s more cash to reach the objectives here and none of this is cheap when it’s truly star-quality that’s the goal.

And, you probably want to throw in photo shoots done properly as well using someone who’s established with a great body of work in just this same music world.   No, wedding photographers just won’t cut it here.    Getting the right one to help create the Star image is a must.   The fact is, however, all of the above needs to be done right for this potential budding star to really make a splash right out of the gates to get a Super-Star rolling.

And that’s just the beginning.

Once things are getting done in terms of the music and the videos, there’s also promoting, ‘greasing the wheels’, to get the necessary exposure and generate the necessary interest.   Now, considering that this is based on this season’s X Factor competition, there’s already online video and some interest by those viewers who tuned in weekly and especially those who supported the winning contestant, so it can be used to get a head start.   But, there’s also got to be personal appearances in the right places and with the right people, especially the “in crowd”.   This could also require some travel, which may include accommodations at various hotels.   All in preparation of the release of the first single. Promo copies are also sent out to various radio stations that cover the music genre of the Star. And, in the largest markets, Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, and many other larger cities, the Star may want to make personal appearances as well.

Now, if you’re going to spend the money to do all of this, you want the potential Star to be someone who will have the most appeal and garner the most paying fans.   Yeah, it’s back to “business” here.   And in today’s music world, who’s got the most popularity?   From what I’m seeing, it young performers getting the young crowd.   So, in terms of these factors, let’s see who’s really got enough Star Power on X Factor to be worth the investment.

The Groups.

Alex & Sierra are a nice duo group, but I still think they don’t have the qualities to really grab a large market share in the music world to be real Stars. They’re nice, definitely, and also cute together and I like them. But, this is business and business is ROI. Would I want to invest a million dollars on them to jumpstart the rest of their music career? How long would it take for my investment to be returned? Years? Decades? Probably or maybe never.

Restless Road has improved, but they’re still not what I think of as a Star-quality group. Why? They’re also nice and cute and they’ve got no edge to them. In other words, there’s too much nice, not enough “bad boy” image to get attention. The nice boy next door isn’t the music star. And, I think they’d fizzle out before they really got anywhere. I think they’d be a tough sell when what’s really selling are people with some edginess to them, people who reach out to all of the young people who are going through the same things that youth goes through, personal growing pains. The youth want stars they can identify with and these guys aren’t it.

The Over 25′s.

Lillie McCloud, as much as I love her vocals, just isn’t worth the investment. Why? She’s 54 and not getting any younger. Where will she be in 10 years when she’s 64? Probably singing in some nice jazz club somewhere, where she seems best suited for her style. That’s where she belongs.

Jeff Gutt, on the other hand, is in his early 30′s. He may have a music career in his chosen music genre, rock, but would he be worth the investment? If I want to be a Rock Star singer, I have to have a BAND behind me and just a collection of musicians who can play the music. They’ve got to be tight, together, and should be known already in the rock business because you don’t just show up without a body of work and time doing it. Now, if he were to get together with a band that’s already established, then they’ve already got their fans out there and there’s already money behind them – no need for the $1 million investment. And, would Jeff really make it there if he can’t really distinguish himself when he sings a Phil Collins tune? There’s lots of cover bands out there who sound great – just like the originals. And, can Jeff Gutt write songs that would get the fans? I don’t know. I think there’s too many question marks to consider Jeff worth the investment and I think it wouldn’t pay back the investment.

The Boys.

Tim Olstad may have the desire, but he just doesn’t express himself when he sings and that’s my first problem with him. Although he’s got a good singing voice, he sounds like a studio vocalist doing commercials. He’s not inspiring, so how is he going to grab audience, fans? What kind of splash would he make on his own if too many people think the same thing when they see him on X Factor, the second coming of Donny Osmond. Like Restless Road, too “nice-nice” and no edginess. My money wants to get back to me soon and it wouldn’t if it was spent on him.

Josh Levi sings the way Michael Jackson spoke, soft, kind of girly. He’s still very young and I just don’t think an investment in him would get much back now. Now, he does have some skills and some more that he needs to develop, including a bit bolder singing voice. And, he seems comfortable enough on stage and can move. He’s still at the same stage that Michael Jackson was when he was 14. He was still riding on his big brothers’ coattails and not establishing himself as a real music artist yet. Given more time, Josh could prove worthy of an investment, but not yet. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with so much time left before he reaches adulthood.

I previously wrote that Carlito Olivero was the “best” in the Boys category and I still think so. But, he crashed and burned on the latest X Factor show. Now, I’ll assume that this wouldn’t happen much. Really, everyone has an occasional problem when they’re performing – not every show goes smoothly. But he bombed out. Now, I still think he has a decent career, but more likely doing what he does best – Latino-styled music. And, while that has a lot of appeal, it doesn’t normally move up the charts in America. So, would it be worth the investment? Probably not.

The Girls.

Admittedly, Rion Paige has a great voice. No doubt about it. But, so do all of the contestants And, she’s still 13. Aside from that is her stage presence due to physical deformities with her hands which keeps her from holding a mic. Essentially, when she sings onstage, she’s tied to the mic stand and that limits movement. But, as we all know, physical expression is also part of singing live. In terms of a large financial investment, I have a lot of problems with her. She’s too young to be “on the road”, on tour anytime soon. She’s not even in high school yet! And, what happens between now and when she’s 18? With young people, so many things can change in just a few short years, which usually seems like long years to them. I just can’t see the investment panning out yet, if ever.

Khaya Cohen seems a little better than when I first wrote about her. Initially, I felt she was trying to sing with an older-woman’s voice, but it seems like she’s changed that for her last appearance on the show. But, I don’t know if that was her doing or at the behest of Demi Lovato, her show judge/mentor. Still, she’s got a plain look and doesn’t really move that much on stage. It seems like she’s still too unsure of herself on the “big stage”, when it matters most. It would, at this point, be really difficult to believe that she would be worth the financial investment yet. I think she’s got more proving to do and this is all about now. So, not now.

Ellona Santiago has the following: a dynamic voice, a great stage presence, energy, and expressiveness. In my opinion, she’s proven that she’s not only comfortable on the big stage, but that she owns it. She is absolutely dynamic and understands how to really use it to bring her audience in. She’s shown that she can sing and perform, meaning she can dance really well while she’s singing. And, she’s got the look of a Star, sharp features that sparkle and a winning smile. Of all of the contestants on the X Factor, only Ellona Santiago seems to be the one who would be worth the investment. She’s got the drive and the commitment to do what needs to be done. She’s got the style to garner mass-appeal and that means sales, ROI. And, from watching her interviews and when she speaks with the judges on the show, she seems to pull people in with her friendliness, a real advantage when speaking with others who have pull in the music business. As the saying goes, “It’s who you know”. And that means more positive publicity which then helps drive the fans to her, meaning, of course, more sales.

The winner, then, is a resounding Ellona Santiago, future music Star.

Ellona Santiago Will Win The “X Factor” Competition. Here’s Why: (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Does Simon Cowell Think That Ellona Santiago Is “The One” With The “X Factor”? Let’s Review The Videotape! (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
What does Ellona Santiago have that the other ‘X Factor’ acts don’t? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Has Simon Cowell Changed His Tune Regarding Ellona Santiago? Or Is There Something Else At Play Here? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Is Ellona Santiago Really The Favorite To Win This Season’s ‘X Factor’ Competition? Now More Than Ever! (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)

Does Simon Cowell Think That Ellona Santiago Is “The One” With The “X Factor”? Let’s Review The Videotape!

2013-11-16T23:05:00.000-05:00

"I really love working with people like you. Well done."

Simon Cowell is the creator of “X Factor” and he is currently a judge on the X Factor USA this season.   He is not only a judge, but he also mentors one of the four categories of contestants, the “Groups”.   The other three X Factor categories are the “Boys”, the “Girls”, and the “Over 25″ category.   Each category has its own judge/mentor: Paulina Rubio – Boys; Demi Lovato – Girls; Kelly Rowland – Over 25.

As each week passes each category is trimmed down. Recently, it was the “Four Chair Challenge” when ten contestants in each category were reduced to the final four in preparation for the live airings of the show.   And, most recently, the four in each category were reduced again to three with one exception in the “Boys” category, when one of the contestants, Josh Levi, was brought back after the fact, making it four contestants.

Although Simon Cowell’s category is “Groups”, he’s had remarkable things to say regarding Ellona Santiago, things that I believe tell me that he believes that Ellona is “The One” with the “X Factor” in this competition.   So, without further ado, let’s go to the videotape evidence! Ellona started out by singing “Wings” by Little Mix.   This is the X Factor USA video of her performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyuWxbVDGUo

At the 2:09 mark of the video, Simon’s words are clearly “That’s the one.” and he repeats it. He also said, “You are the girl I think I want to work with most in this competition.” And, he finishes by saying, “Ellona, it’s a million percent yes”. A million percent? That’s a nice start, but is there more? Indeed there is!

Next is Ellona’s moment of “Clarity” during the Four Chair Challenge, reducing the Girls category to the Final Four.   Here is the X Factor USA video of that stirring performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn3a6DYhwIE

You’ll notice, at the 2:53 mark of the video, as Ellona is nearing the end of the song, the camera cuts to Simon and he’s watching her with a grin and a look of approval in his eyes that is simply unmistakeable. At this point it’s obvious that he’s enthralled with her.   This song may have brought Ellona the loudest cheers during this competition to this point, but she was far from finished wowing the crowds, as you’ll see.

Simon first says, “Ellona, it’s probably one of the best vocals we’ve heard, uh, from this category.” and “I can’t imagine you not being in this competition.” But, what happens next is unbelievable, not because of what Simon says, but what Demi Lovato, the judge/mentor of the “Girls” category, says regarding Ellona: “I agree with my judges. I believe that you have such an incredible voice. You really are special, but I do believe that something is missing. (At this point, the crowds begin booing quite loudly) And I feel like that star quality isn’t there yet.” Simon’s immediate response, “What?”, as in “Are you kidding, Demi?”

He’s astounded, but controlled. Demi continues, “It’s when I look, when I look at this panel right here in the four seats, I don’t, I can’t see myself letting go of any of them.” Controversy strikes? Simon strikes back! His response, “I disagree. I think this girl’s one of the better singers.” to the sheer delight and cheers of the audience. He is convinced and so far he hasn’t budged from that opinion. When Demi finally decides that she’s going to keep Ellona, the audience erupts with cheers.

Next … did I say that Ellona was far from finished wowing the crowds? She opened the first live show and performed “Till The World Ends“. But, she didn’t just sing, she danced and brought the house down! This is the X Factor USA video of her performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22OTaXBF8O4

This was the most explosively entertaining performance of any of the contestants throughout the competition thus far and it gave Simon a chance to compliment her more while saying “I told you so” to Demi. Simon says, “Ellona, I can remember that there was some indecision from Demi whether she was going to put you through or not and I kind of feel responsible …” Ellona responded “You believed in me.” and Simon continued, “I believed in you and I was right. And what I love about you, Ellona, is that you’re here to win it, not just take part in a silly competition, but to win it and try and go on to sell records.” He then looks to his fellow judges and says, “And if she was one of my girls, I’d keep her … a million percent.” Aha! There’s that million percent again!   But, he’s not through and neither is Ellona!

Next is Ellona’s dynamic version of “Titanium” where she starts soft and very adeptly moves to a wonderful crescendo. This is Ellona’s X Factor USA video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uifYWIcN96I

Whereas Ellona showed she could really perform, singing and dancing with a choreographed group of onstage dancers, here she shows that she can handle the stage dynamically all alone – and this is noticed by Simon and by Demi Lovato.

Demi starts off by saying, “Ellona, I honestly, I couldn’t be more proud of you than I am right now. You just showed the world and you proved to me that you can stand on that stage by yourself without dancers, without anything …” Simon interrupts, “And under pressure as well. I mean that was your best performance that you’ve ever done.” and Demi finishes with, “Incredible”. Thus far, Simon has only been exceedingly complimentary every chance he’s spoken to and about Ellona Santiago throughout this competition.   Will it continue? Let’s see!

Finally, to this point in this unfinished X Factor competition, is Ellona singing “Baby Love” during the most recent show, a show with Motown as its theme.   Here is Ellona’s X Factor USA video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3tFsDR_Vk0

First, Kelly Rowland starts off with her own glowing compliments, including “You are a little Power House!” and “You are so talented. You will go very far, my love.”

Next, Simon starts off saying, “Yeah, I’ve got to be honest with you, Ellona. When you first came out, you know, with the outfits and stuff, I thought, ‘Oh God, this is gonna be some cheerleader-type performance or something.’ But, I’ve got to tell you, you absolutely nailed that song. Really, really good!” Then he continues, “You know what I love about you, Ellona, is that you’ve got, and don’t take this the wrong way, killer eyes. You know?   You’re really, really focused. You’re determined. You want to win. I really love working with people like you. Well done.”   I couldn’t agree more!

Simon Cowell has to this point been an unwavering supporter and, dare I say it, a true fan of Ellona Santiago. I believe that he just knows that she is really and truly “The One” true talent in this competition that has the “X Factor”, the ability to really connect with the audience, to move them and take them up to the stars where she exists. And, I believe his support will help Ellona Santiago win this X Factor competition.

Ellona Santiago Will Win The “X Factor” Competition. Here’s Why: (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
If You Had To Invest $1 Million On A Potential Music Star, Who Would It Be? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
What does Ellona Santiago have that the other ‘X Factor’ acts don’t? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Has Simon Cowell Changed His Tune Regarding Ellona Santiago? Or Is There Something Else At Play Here? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Is Ellona Santiago Really The Favorite To Win This Season’s ‘X Factor’ Competition? Now More Than Ever! (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)

Ellona Santiago Will Win The “X Factor” Competition. Here’s Why:

2013-11-16T21:39:00.000-05:00

First, I’d like to congratulate Ellona Santiago for winning this year’s X Factor USA competition! Too early for her to pop the bubbly?   Ok. But, I believe she’s assured of winning this competition. Let me count the ways.

First, let me start by comparing her to her “Girls” competition.

Rion Paige is a wonderful 13-year-old singer and she’s got a very nice singing voice. I’m sure she’ll continue long after this X Factor competition is over and she might even have a singing career ahead of her. But, she’s too young to be a serious consideration for winning this competition. She also doesn’t have the stage presence and certainly not close to Ellona in that department.   I don’t want to take anything away from this very brave young girl, but she won’t win.

Khaya Cohen is closer to Ellona’s age and also has a very nice voice. But, she sings as though she believes that she’s a 35-ish woman and has a style that fits that group. It’s not “natural” for a girl her age. Like Rion, Khaya just doesn’t have the stage presence that Ellona possesses. She doesn’t wow the crowd. She doesn’t bring the same youthful exuberance.

Ellona beats them because she’s staying true to herself, a young woman with a lot of young energy who is singing within herself and who sings songs befitting a young woman with high energy. And, no matter which song she’s sung, she’s brought it to life with her voice and her movement on stage. She’s fearless and not only appears comfortable, but totally in command in everything she does and that’s the point. She doesn’t only sing, she performs nearly flawlessly.

Next, I’ll tackle the groups because they’re next easiest to dismiss.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Alex and Sierra. They’re youthful and have a great stage rapport with each other and complement each other wonderfully. They should have a nice music career. But, they’re also limited to their style. I forget who compared them to Sonny & Cher, but it was appropriate. They’ll have fans, no doubt, and I might be one of them. But, they don’t have the same kind of “Star Power” that Ellona has. They’re nice and cute and just not in the same universe as Ellona. I might picture them singing on cruise ships on occasion, if they don’t already.

Restless Road is a nice “Boy Boy Band”, but they are not as tight and as together as a group should be if they want to make it big. Part of it is, of course, that they haven’t been together for much more than a month or two. I just don’t see them wowing the world the way Ellona did when she opened the show with “Till The World Ends”.

Sweet Suspense is similar to Restless Road, only better. They do their thing pretty well, as a young Girl Group.   But, they still don’t put that something extra into their songs the way Ellona has every time. They were “cute” singing that song about being “90′s chicks”, but that’s all it was, cute, not inspiring. They may have the same future as Restless Road, which I think is not much. I honestly don’t see either of these two groups selling anything after this show ends.

Next, the Boys.

Tim Olstad is Donny Osmond, dated, boring. There’s nothing about his singing that’s inspiring and moving. Can he handle a song the way Ellona brought “Clarity” to life without having a hernia?   Tim Olstad may have a career singing in the future, but I really don’t think he’ll go anywhere unless he can find an emotion, even one emotion. As far as I’m concerned, he’s dismissed as easily as any other elevator tune. I know, harsh, but he’s worthy of this assessment from a realistic point of view.

Josh Levi was brought back to make the Final 12 a baker’s dozen (13). He’s nice and cute and he may be something someday. He’s just not there yet. But, I think he actually does have a music career in his future. He’s got some of the gifts, but he’s still a little young yet and his vocals bring it out. He’s somewhat like Michael Jackson when he was 12 or 13. Cute. Not a star yet.

Carlos Guevara admittedly has a good voice and may also have a music career. He’s young and, like Khaya Cohen, is singing as if he’s an older guy.   But, does he bring anything else to the stage the way Ellona does? No. There’s no moving, no bringing energy, no reaching out to the people in the audience the way Ellona does. He just sings.

Carlito Olivero is probably the best in the “Boys” category because he does have energy and a pretty good stage presence. He’s got a very good singing voice and I can see him having the best music career of any of the “Boys”.   He’s not trying to be anything other than what he is, a young Hispanic man who sings well on stage.   He could have a very bright future in his particular world, following in the footsteps of other wonderful Hispanic performers. But, will he have the same universal appeal as Ellona? I don’t think so. And, in terms of marketability, I believe Ellona beats him hands down because her music isn’t “nationality-oriented” the way Carlito’s is. Her vocals beat his as does her stage presence.

And now, the “Over 25″ group.

Rachel Potter has a “nice” country voice. But, would she really make it as a country singer? If I’m not mistaken, she moved to Tennessee from New York and she has added her country voice as opposed to growing up with it like the real “Country-Music” stars. Would she be able to get herself into that family? I don’t know.   But, in terms of marketability, she is limited.   She also doesn’t have the same stage presence and doesn’t bring the same energy as Ellona. She just doesn’t WOW the crowd, but Ellona has repeatedly.   Seriously, advantage Ellona.

Jeff Gutt wants to be a “Rock” singer. I really don’t know how he’s going to live that dream by being on X Factor. He needs to hook up with a good rock band that needs a good rock singer. And, he needs to look the part better.   His voice is ok, but not spectacular. His rendition of “Say You Say Me” wasn’t inspiring. Neither was his rendition of “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins. Don’t get me wrong, they were adequate and reminded me of the original songs. And, that’s the problem – he didn’t distinguish himself. He didn’t inspire. And, that’s where Ellona wins again.

And last, but by no means least, is Lillie McCloud.   I really like her … for what she is.   She has a very nice singing voice and great control.   I see her forté as being a very nice jazz singer, putting out several albums, maybe making a splash in the jazz world, and singing in jazz clubs. I don’t see her taking the American Music world by storm. She has “it”, but she doesn’t have “IT” like Ellona does. And, not to take anything away from Lillie. I’ve loved everything she’s done. But, I see her music career being limited whereas I see Ellona’s career having nothing but major upside in every way.

Ellona Santiago has the voice, the stage presence, the energy, and the Wow Factor to have a truly STAR future in the music business. Her voice is excellent enough to truly grab your heart when she sang “Clarity”.   She truly makes you stronger when she lifts you up with her “Titanium”. And, she truly makes you want to be dancing along with her in “Till The World Ends” (and what a great finish!).

Ellona Santiago WILL win this X Factor competition, mark my words. In my opinion, she is the STAR of this show and already a star in the music world. Make way for the Ellona Express, coming to a city near you!

You can see her on Facebook here and on Twitter here.

Does Simon Cowell Think That Ellona Santiago Is “The One” With The “X Factor”? Let’s Review The Videotape! (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
If You Had To Invest $1 Million On A Potential Music Star, Who Would It Be? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
What does Ellona Santiago have that the other ‘X Factor’ acts don’t? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Has Simon Cowell Changed His Tune Regarding Ellona Santiago? Or Is There Something Else At Play Here? (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)
Is Ellona Santiago Really The Favorite To Win This Season’s ‘X Factor’ Competition? Now More Than Ever! (paulgrosenberger.wordpress.com)