‘The X Factor’ UK: Castoff Melanie McCabe encouraged by producers to audition

At some point, they should really just make another singing competition consisting of people who have auditioned for singing competition multiple times to no avail; after all, Melanie McCabe may very well be the biggest audition superstar in the history of “The X Factor.” She’s had four goes at it under her belt now, and despite making it to the very end of judges’ houses this year, she was still passed over for a group that included Tamera Foster, Hanna Barrett, and Abi Alton.

We doubt that Melanie is going to be back on the show again after this year, mostly because she barely ended up being a part of it this time. In her first interview since her elimination with the Independent, the Irish singer said that she was originally planning to not move forward with the audition process when the producers told her to press onward, since this could be her time to really shine on the show:

“I had made the decision not to go ahead and I called them to say it. Then a few minutes later, my phone was buzzing. Producers got in touch telling me saying, ‘It’d be worth your while’.”

Were producers making her some sort of false promise here with this comment? We don’t really view it in such a way; instead, what we really think was going on here was merely that they had probably seen some of the other talent trying out this year, and felt like Melanie’s voice was enough to stack up against it and do well. Maybe she would have an even better shot next year if she tried out, but our typical perspective on the subject is that if you get a ton of airtime on one season, it’s hard for you to come back the next year and make it, with the fear being that you suddenly have some sort of unfair advantage due to your screen presence.

The biggest chance for Melanie could just come if there is some sort of wild card act that is chosen by the viewers prior to the start of one of the live shows, where she could compete against the likes of Joseph Whelan, Code 4, and Paul Akister (our personal favorites) to see if she could make it back in the competition that way.

Already while we wait for this weekend, there have been changes aplenty: Sese Foster of Miss Dynamix has revealed that she is pregnant and set to give birth in January, and Rough Copy will once again be a trio despite member Kaz having to sit out the judges’ houses due to visa problems.

Photo: ITV