X Factor 2013 Winner... Sam Bailey

Hi peanuts,

So Sam was crowned the winner of The X Factor UK for 2013.

While I'm still hoping that Hannah Barrett and Tamera Foster will have interesting careers post X Factor, I have to say that I've come around to the idea of Sam winning. She has always been one of the better vocalists in this year's crop of contestants and when she embraces her weirdness like in this performance of Edge of Glory, I can see myself listening to Sam Bailey albums. Now, I don't mean weirdness as an insult. I'm a big fan of weirdness in vocals. It's what keeps thing interesting and makes an artist unique. I don't think Sam has that gift for interpreting a song in a way that feels emotional or genuine but she is a very good singer and she reminds me a lot of Celine Dion. I want her to keep embracing her way of pronouncing things, especially those hard "r's", and her controlled power. When Sam picks the right songs, I quite like her. I've let go of wanting her to be something that she's not. But I also want her to recognize her own strengths. Her winner's single, Skyscraper, is completely wrong for her.

Anyway, that's it for this year. Your X Factor winner is Sam Bailey. I'll probably be back next year but no promises.