THE CHOSEN FEW
Catching the finals of the X Factor this weekend, I was surprised to see just how good some of it's contestants have become in a relatively short time frame.
I don't usually watch the show - as I believe it gives too much false hope to these wannabe stars and takes away our focus from the small venues up and down the country where true talent works hard at their craft before being discovered more 'organically'. But whatever our opinion of the show, or what we think of it's creators and their motives - it's still very entertaining to watch and was for me this year, a real eye opener to witness just how good the 17 year old 2015 winner is.
I don't usually watch the show - as I believe it gives too much false hope to these wannabe stars and takes away our focus from the small venues up and down the country where true talent works hard at their craft before being discovered more 'organically'. But whatever our opinion of the show, or what we think of it's creators and their motives - it's still very entertaining to watch and was for me this year, a real eye opener to witness just how good the 17 year old 2015 winner is.
Seeing these select few performers stand up in front of a crowd of 10,000+ people and sing so confidently alongside long-standing superstars like Rod Stewart, is both heart warming and inspiring. Having the magical stage presence and incredible vocals as well as the ability to pour such heartfelt emotion into a song at such a young age, really is something remarkable.
Is it raw talent? Is it hard work or is it something more than that. Some people just seem to have 'it'. They have something special - but they still need to apply themselves to get recognised for having these qualities. Hearing these budding young stars talk about their dream of being on the stage and having the chance to shine - I feel a little bit sad for them, because the limelight can be a cruel place and maybe they will never fully realise their dream.
The show has a double edge to it. Yes it could be a kind of talent lottery that propels these people to stardom, fame and fortune. But realistically, how much further will it take them? Maybe their focus on being in the show is enough - and they come home knowing they gave it a go, enjoying their brief moment of living in the limelight. Others may come close to the finals before being dropped and that won't be enough for them, leaving them feeling dejected and a failure. The winners may actually already be at their peak on the night and not realise it. Because if we look back at the history of the show's winners since 2004, we can see there's only a few years of success at most. Some of the show winners have gone back to complete obscurity. The only real memorable talent that became a global star, is Leona Lewis. Interesting that she appeared on the weekend's show where I thought she seemed a little below par. Since being dropped by Simon Cowell's record label, she's had a bit of a roller coaster herself coming to terms with the ups and downs of fame and success.
Being in the limelight and having such an intense focus on how one looks, sings, acts and performs is tough. It's no wonder so many fall into depression and addiction. The same can be said for sporting stars too - the pressure to stay at the top and the hurt felt as the lights move to the next 'lucky' soul. This phenomena is not just exclusive to being a celebrity or performer either as many others around us have those special talents and star qualities which are expressed in a multitude of other ways, through their actions and hard work.
Therefore, we really need to have X Factor awards for those who do selfless acts - like looking after the sick, caring for elderly or doing other charitable deeds. As Leona Lewis has seen, having these qualities and using the fame from performance success as a positive vehicle for sharing this compassion with the the fans, will not only guide celebrities to focus on what's really important - but also ensure the light continues to shine on them long after the stage show has come to a close.
Is it raw talent? Is it hard work or is it something more than that. Some people just seem to have 'it'. They have something special - but they still need to apply themselves to get recognised for having these qualities. Hearing these budding young stars talk about their dream of being on the stage and having the chance to shine - I feel a little bit sad for them, because the limelight can be a cruel place and maybe they will never fully realise their dream.
The show has a double edge to it. Yes it could be a kind of talent lottery that propels these people to stardom, fame and fortune. But realistically, how much further will it take them? Maybe their focus on being in the show is enough - and they come home knowing they gave it a go, enjoying their brief moment of living in the limelight. Others may come close to the finals before being dropped and that won't be enough for them, leaving them feeling dejected and a failure. The winners may actually already be at their peak on the night and not realise it. Because if we look back at the history of the show's winners since 2004, we can see there's only a few years of success at most. Some of the show winners have gone back to complete obscurity. The only real memorable talent that became a global star, is Leona Lewis. Interesting that she appeared on the weekend's show where I thought she seemed a little below par. Since being dropped by Simon Cowell's record label, she's had a bit of a roller coaster herself coming to terms with the ups and downs of fame and success.
Being in the limelight and having such an intense focus on how one looks, sings, acts and performs is tough. It's no wonder so many fall into depression and addiction. The same can be said for sporting stars too - the pressure to stay at the top and the hurt felt as the lights move to the next 'lucky' soul. This phenomena is not just exclusive to being a celebrity or performer either as many others around us have those special talents and star qualities which are expressed in a multitude of other ways, through their actions and hard work.
Therefore, we really need to have X Factor awards for those who do selfless acts - like looking after the sick, caring for elderly or doing other charitable deeds. As Leona Lewis has seen, having these qualities and using the fame from performance success as a positive vehicle for sharing this compassion with the the fans, will not only guide celebrities to focus on what's really important - but also ensure the light continues to shine on them long after the stage show has come to a close.
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