Dame Cheryl Cole jumped out from behind the judges desk for a second time to perform new single, ‘Promise This’, last night. And while we were all chanting “Aloutette ette ette” deep into our slumbers, we were left pondering yet again, did she mime?
T’was a poisoned chalice for our Chez, who on her last outing on the X Factor stage, received criticism for the apparent lack of live vocals, when she debuted ‘Fight For This Love’ on the show, this time last year.
Her performance of ‘Promise This’ was her stage comeback since coming down with a near deadly bout of malaria a mere 12 weeks ago. Armed with that fighting spirit she has become famous for, Cheryl emerged from behind them doors with a point to prove.
The routine was jaw droppingly energetic – Louis got a cheeky glimpse of La Cole’s derriere, (anyone thinking he is a dirty old perv is definitely barking up the wrong tree). The outfit was suitably skimpy – which was an experience that was slightly ruined by watching with an octogenarian who repeatedly proclaimed “Oh I wish she’d put some clothes on”. And as for the vocals? Well, erm, no one is entirely sure.
Cheryl claimed in an interview just days ago, that last night’s performance was going to be “100% live”, but history began to repeat itself when the words ‘Cheryl Cole’ and ‘mime’ began trending on Twitter. Oh dear.
Thus follow the various conflicting reports from ‘sources’. Some say Cheryl was singing live, others say it was half and half, while some claim the routine was so energetic it would be impossible to sing – an excuse I’ve no time for – GaGa does it.
The official party line, which comes from Cheryl’s PR agency, Supersonic, is that the performance was pre-recorded an hour before the show aired but all the vocals were live, except for certain parts on the chorus, which were not mimed as Cheryl did not have the microphone to her mouth. All sounds very technical.
I’m going to stick my neck on the block here – I don’t give believe ALL the vocals were live, and in places it seemed as if Cheryl had become the latest victim of the highly contagious, X Factor auto tune disease, which we all thought we’d seen the back of after Gay-and-Straight-gate. But, being a slightly biased soul, I couldn’t really give a toots hoot if she’s miming to blooming Britney. As long as she’s breathing, and possibly gyrating, I, along with the best of the British male population, am a very happy man. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Jan Moir.
