The Wembley Arena auditions continued on Sunday, September 14 with 20-year-old Andrea Faustini being the first to take the stage in front of the 5000+ audience and, of course, the judges. A quiet, shy-like student from Rome, Andrea just wanted the British public to like him - and they did.
As Andrea sang Otis Redding’s Try A Little Tenderness, he had the audience on their feet long before he finished.
“I’m not sure whether the audience liked that or not,” Simon Cowell grinned as the audience continued to cheer. “That’s actually one of the biggest reactions we’ve had at the arenas.”
“You’re one of those people that are pre-judged before you’re heard and then you sing like that. You sang with every bit of passion, every bit of emotion. You took your three minutes and you used them with everything you had,” Cheryl told Andrea.
The show closed with another powerhouse performance that had the judges on their feet, this time from Jay James, 30, from Wales, who sang Fix You, by Coldplay.
“I like that you’re in the older category,” Simon told Jay. “I think we’re reaching a point in the music business now where age is no barrier, if you’ve got it, you’ve got it.”
“And you’ve just got it,” Mel B said to Jay.
The boy band Overload performed their original song, No, No, No and got four yeses from the judges… “Best boy band we’ve seen,” said Cheryl.
Mel B wannabe Kayleigh Manners didn’t hit the right note with the judges at first and admitted she was “terrified”.
“You have the least confidence I’ve seen up there. You’ve got to show them [the audience] what you’re made of. This is the moment. Please, I know what you’re capable of,” Cheryl told her.
And Kayleigh’s performance of Your Song, by Elton John got her to Boot Camp.
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The X Factor Wembley Arena auditions continue on ITV on Saturday, September 20, 8.00pm
