‘The X Factor’ USA notes: Fifth Harmony, Emblem3, and One Direction
In this edition of “The X Factor” notes, we salute the groups. Specifically, we salute some of the most-successful groups to come out of both the American and British shows over the past few years.
We begin with Fifth Harmony, who were actually featured in a new YouTube video starring Boyce Avenue. These boys have a connection to the coaching aspect of the show from this past season, and they’ve also maintained a familiar / nice studio presence for Ally, Normani, Lauren, Camila, and Dinah Jane over the past several months while they crank out some original tunes (which we haven’t even had the opportunity to hear just yet). They’re also kind of a big deal on YouTube, even if none of them have that trademark Ron Burgundy mustache.
The song thrust them into center stage with the Justin Timberlake smash in “Mirrors,” and overall, the ladies deserve some props for nailing the lines and some of the emotional connection to the song which, from our vantage point, is the best thing that JT has going for him on “The 20/20 Experience.”
Emblem3’s performance – Ready to take a trip down to “Sunset Boulevard”? You know the song, and Emblem3 had a shot to rock out to this and many other during a Wango Tango event this weekend. Getting to be involved in this event is practically a golden ticket into the pop music world, so the boys have to be feeling rather amazing about themselves right now.
A One Direction announcement – May 16. That’s really all we have: A date. What could it mean? Our guess is that this will mark when more details are available on their upcoming 3D concert film, but let’s emphasize the word “guess” one more time. This could be anything. Maybe it’s when Louis Tomlinson will actually get into his Mystery Machine dressed as Scooby-Doo.
Remember when Demi Lovato performed with Fifth Harmony? Well, she’s got a rather cool concert gig of her own coming up soon. You can find out more about it over at the link here.
Photo: Fox
Jessica
May 19, 2013 @ 11:33 pm
I believe that Simon is focusing on his two pet projects which are 5H and E3. He did not care who won the X Factor. He was grooming these two groups way before the shows finale. They both will release and be touring by the summer. He put no effort into Tate which shows on the album. When i last checked it was number 77 on Billboard this week. My opinion for what’s it worth is 5H will have a good start on album one but it will be downhill from there. E3 may have a better run since that is the direction Simon wants to go and the boys have airplay already with their first release . I also feel that Simon will announce the Carly has been signed late in the summer so that news will ride into the next X Factor season. It will be interesting to see if she puts out a total pop album or goes more the Jackie E. route and aimed at older people.
jaqueline
May 14, 2013 @ 3:49 pm
omg i met fifth harmony yesterday in NY, they are the most sweetest girls ever!!
Sally
May 14, 2013 @ 1:01 am
Why is it everyone that comes on this website for X Factor only wants to talk about Fifth Harmony or Carly Rose Sonenclar.
Mike
May 13, 2013 @ 2:50 am
I take that Dare and will say without any hesitation, there is nothing, I repeat NOTHING special about his song by 5H whatsoever. Is it good, yes. Are they talented, yes, incredible vocals, not even close. There isn’t a single thing that stands out or propels them in to a special category at all…this is something that’s been heard over and over.
Wild_Orchid
May 13, 2013 @ 3:52 am
@mike, why do you say that? Is it because they’re not 13 year olds. I swear the way people were going on and on about Carly baffled me. If she were just 2 years older I don’t think people would have been half as impressed with her as they seemed to be. Is she a talented girl? Absolutely but she was also very well trained unlike Dinah and Lauren who IMHO are better vocalists. Those girls have incredible range. But hey that’s just my opinion. To paraphrase the saying…everybody has one.
Mike
May 13, 2013 @ 6:03 am
I say that because I listened to it and I sincerely don’t think it’s all that great. It’s good yes, but not great…..nothing impressive about it, doesn’t have anything unique about it and doesn’t sound any thing different or special than any “ok” vocal that’s on the radio now. They had a few covers after the X Factor that were superb and unique. If their album is anything like this song it wont do well, if its more like the other covers post X factor they’ll do much better. I’m not sure why you brought Carly in to the mix, my opinion of this song has nothing to do with Carly….it’s just good that’s it, not great, not special, not unique. Since you brought Carly in to it, I personally feel she’s leagues better than any of he girls from 5H at her age now and she’s only going to get better. I do like 5H and feel they will have a level of success, there are two of them that could probably be solo artists now so I think their run will be short lived as a couple of them will be lured by solo careers.
Wild_Orchid
May 13, 2013 @ 3:58 pm
Did you just say “leagues” better than the 5H girls? Clearly you haven’t been listening to th covers they posted on YouTube. Was she leagues better than Dinah on Anything Can Happen? Was she leagues better than Ally when she hit that whistle note on Heroes that not a single judge acknowledge? Personally I believe that many of the judges were so complimentary to Carly (yes she is talented) and so not towards the girls that many people believed the hype. That and the fact that as a solo artist she was allowed to showcase her abilities 100% of the time while the girls got little snippets per song and at times none at all. Dinah is giving me a Mariah vibe on the Mirrors cover and go check her out on Thinkin Bout You. Carly can’t do what she does in he wildest dreams. Her range is unbelievable. 3 of these girls can hit whistle notes and no one sounds like Camilla currently on the radio. And let us not forget Carly has been training for years whereas these girls (mostly 15/16) are just a mass of raw talent.
Mike
May 13, 2013 @ 9:12 pm
Yes…she is leagues better, and just because you have range doesn’t make you a better singer. Carly’s voice is more pure, she’s on key more and has a much more soulful style. I’m a fan of 5H so settle down….Dinah is definitely the best of the group, Lauren second…those are the two that could probably do solo careers now, Normani, possibly, she’s demonstrated great potential, but also struggles some times…..in all honesty, Camilla and Ally are not that good at all, average is being generous. But I do agree there were a couple of the covers they did shortly after the X Factor that were incredible….also when they did Impossible, that was incredible as well. And with the judges being complimentary, they’re just being honest, what other agenda could they have….why wouldn’t they have been that way with Beatrice or Diamond? It’s not hype it’s truth, that’s why Carly has already garnered a much larger fan base. That’s my opinion and you have yours…let’s leave it at that.
Alexa W.
May 18, 2013 @ 2:34 am
Here’s the problem. Ally, Lauren, and Camila will never survive as solo artists because they are Latina. Unless they look like Jennifer Lopez, or dye their hair blonde like Christina Aguilera. But I don’t see it. Camila is a sweetheart, but she has a tone that people will find annoying, especially if she sang an entire song by herself. I get that Dinah is great in her upper range, but she doesn’t exactly sound too great at her middle or lower register. She has a naturally high voice, she’s a soprano. Yes, like Mariah Carey. Except Mariah could go to the third octave with ease, whereas Dinah struggles with that. I can see Dinah becoming successful out of the other girls in the group, but Dinah won’t write songs by herself. She’s not that smart. have you heard her talk? Lauren has to correct her poor grammar. Looks wise these girls are no spice girls.
Wild_Orchid
May 18, 2013 @ 12:37 pm
This is officially one of the most ignorant comments I’ve ever read. The Hispanic girls won’t make it because of their ethnicity? Ignorant much? If anything Ally and especially Camilla(arguably the most popular member) would follow in the same vein as Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez. Two incredibly successful Latin artists.’last time I checked Selena is still a brunette. Besides, the Latin community is massive and see growing. I refuse to by your silly little argument. Lauren has an incredibly rich and soulful voice. She would no doubt be just as successful. As for Dinah another fail there. That girls voice is incredible and like I said she is only 15 and is just learning what she can do with her voice. She hasn’t had years of vocal lessons like Carly. Oh and her grammar is just fine. Even if she spoke pure Ebonics have you heard some of these damn rappers speak. I’m talking a complete butchering of the English language and yet many of them (I’m talking Tupac, Biggie, Nas, Eminem, etc) have written some incredibly profound lyrics. She along with the other girls have been helping to write music on their debut album. Oh and she plays the piano so she may even compose. Sidebar: Alicia Keys doesn’t have the best grammar(especially when she first came on the scene) yet she manages to still write good music so you fail on all accounts.
Alexa W.
May 19, 2013 @ 3:21 am
uh, why do you keep mentioning carly rose? I’m not a fan of hers either. She has no upper range, I still haven’t heard anything above a C#5. you sound like that Danni person that was on here defending fifth harmony. Plus Beatrice has a label deal and Carly doesn’t. Why? Beatrice has a personality and she has blonde hair. Cece Frey and Beatrice have the looks to make it in this industry that doesn’t care if you can sound on key when you sing live. like have you heard kesha or taylor swift or Britney spears or the many artists that sound horrible live? They have careers because they’re blonde or pretty. it sucks but our society is about looks. even adele is beautiful albiet she may be a little heavy. Like I said Camila is great, but she has an annoying voice. It would be unbearable to hear a whole song with her on it because she sounds like a dying car battery.
Lauren has a soulful voice, but she’s not nice and is known to be stuck up and rude. she’s not likeable. Normani and Ally do not have what it takes to be solo artists. Dinah has the best chance out of all of them. she should just go solo now and leave because we all know 5H will flop just like Tate.
Trevor
May 19, 2013 @ 7:13 am
Uhhhhm, what? I nearly had a seizure reading this….you make absolutely no sense
Wild_Orchid
May 19, 2013 @ 8:41 am
What are you talking about? My response to you had absolutely no mention of Carly. It was mainly about your ridiculous intimation that Latino artists are incapable of making it solo unless they conform to a European standard of beauty. It was ignorant.
Oh and for the record I’m not a 5H Stan. I actually agree with you about Camilla. She’s best in small doses. I could not listen to an entire album of that. That being said Fifth Harmony are on the brink of becoming pop superstars.
Let’s revisit this post in 6 months when I’ll be able to say I told you so. I’m done here.
Candice Charles
May 13, 2013 @ 12:59 am
I agree Wild Orchid. I like the girls. I wish them well. But I wish someone would tell Dinah she should go solo right now. The industry needs someone like her. Rihanna and Beyonce are getting up there in age. We need a new pop princess and I think Dinah can be it.
Emmy
May 13, 2013 @ 2:00 am
How dare you put Rihanna in the same sentence as Beyonce. Rihanna cannot sing to save her life.
Wild_Orchid
May 13, 2013 @ 12:08 am
I dare anyone to listen to this cover and tell me these girls aren’t among the most talented vocalist to come out of any edition of the X Factor. And yes I still stand by my assertion that Dinah Jane was the best vocalist of all of season 2 US X Factor.
Sally
May 13, 2013 @ 2:15 am
Vocals aren’t everything. There are tons of people in the world that can sing, but don’t get the chance to sing. It’s the overall package that counts. Does Dinah have the overall package?
Guest
May 13, 2013 @ 2:20 am
@Sally, I would say she does but my comment was simply about Dinahs vocal ability but since you asked she’s vocally gifted, she can play piano, she’s attractive and she’s got a likeable personality so I would say she has the overall package. Not to mention she has a built in and ever growing fanbase.
rose_bud
May 13, 2013 @ 2:21 am
@Sally, I would say she does but the comment was simply about Dinah’s vocal ability but since you asked: she’s vocally gifted(a cross between Beyonce and Mariah with a dash of Leona Lewis), she can play piano, she’s attractive and she’s got a likeable personality so I would say she has the overall package. Not to mention she has a built in and ever growing fan base
Julia
May 12, 2013 @ 11:57 pm
Fifth Harmony!!! In love <3