Super Idol fan Brittany Keener attended the first half of The X Factor Boot Camp and watched 32 of the Top 70 acts perform live. She has written a detailed recap of that session, describing performers, song choices, and the overall atmosphere in the auditorium. Below is her account of what she saw and heard during the afternoon session. Comments and impressions are her own; she does not know which contestants advanced to the Top 32.
X Factor: Boot Camp – Top 70
Note: Judges’ feedback was not part of the Saturday sessions, and the Top 32 was to be announced the following day. Spellings of some names may be inaccurate, and several performers did not state their names onstage. This recap covers the live performances as observed from the balcony, where the writer could not see the judges’ reactions directly.
The taping began late due to a judge running behind schedule, and the emcee for the afternoon was less engaging than the usual Idol hosts. The four judges—Simon, Paula, Nicole, and L.A.—arrived and offered short opening remarks. L.A. asked the audience to be honest, Nicole encouraged a supportive environment, Paula made a lighthearted comment about the talent, and Simon reminded everyone that the prize is a multimillion-dollar recording contract. Their seating order that day was Simon, Paula, Nicole, L.A.
The contestants had received the song list the previous night, which produced many repeat song choices across the session. Several child performers sang material that felt mature for their ages. The writer attempted concise notes for each act to avoid producing an overly long report, but included candid responses since the judges did not comment during this stage.
For Sure – Four young black males (names not announced)
Performed “Fix You” (Coldplay)
A dance-infused remix that weakened the song’s emotional core. Harmonies were okay, but the arrangement and vocal delivery didn’t work.
Astro – Teenage black male
Performed “Like a Star” (Corinne Bailey Rae)
Admitted more confident rapping than singing. He has strong rap skills and moderate singing ability; a solid rapper who can sing.
Jamie Lynch – Late teens/early 20s female
Performed “This Year’s Love” (David Gray)
Vocal tone had a slight twang and low textures reminiscent of other young vocalists. She forgot some lyrics, which hurt the performance.
Little Ladies (Molly, Haley, Lindsey and another member)
Performed “Ain’t No Sunshine”
Opened a cappella with lovely harmonies; solo sections were uneven. One member stood out with power, and a mid-song costume strip created an odd moment.
Marcus Canteen – Early 20s male
Performed “Flying Without Wings” (Westlife)
Warm, teddy-bear quality to his tone with pleasant emotional delivery. High notes needed refinement, but overall very likable.
Dixon Haggan – Older male with Lenny Kravitz vibe
Performed “It’s a Man’s World” (James Brown)
An eccentric performer who at first seemed chaotic but ultimately delivered strong, gritty vocals with personality.
Ace Montatelli (age 12) – Young male
Performed “Jar of Hearts” (Christina Perri)
Displayed pop-star styling but the song felt too large for his voice. He was cut off after less than a minute.
Brennan/Brandon/Brendan – Late 20s/early 30s male
Performed “If I Ain’t Got You” (Alicia Keys)
Changed tempo to make it his own and recovered from a judge interruption to finish strong. Good stage presence and charisma.
Stereo House – Five 20-something males
Performed “Cry Me a River”
Choreographed, theatrical presentation with one lead singer and tight harmonies from the group.
Teen Boy (name not announced)
Performed “If I Ain’t Got You” (Alicia Keys)
Had a Jesse McCartney-like image and delivered a strong vocal performance—an impressive young male vocalist worth watching.
Female Performer in White (name not announced)
Performed “Fix You” (Coldplay)
Powerful voice that produced goosebumps; an audience member gave a partial standing ovation. A brief mid-song request for noise felt misplaced in this song’s quiet build.
Young Girl in Pink (name not announced)
Performed “If I Ain’t Got You” (Alicia Keys)
Amazing control and vocal maturity for someone who appeared to be around twelve years old—very impressive.
Audrey Turner – Older female performer
Performed “Ain’t No Mountain”
Emotional and dramatic delivery that sometimes became overwrought. Not a flawless vocal night, but a heartfelt performance.
Blonde Girl (name not announced)
Performed “Like a Star” (Corinne Bailey Rae)
Soulful, Adele-like tone with solid control and stage gratitude; very good overall.
Little Girl (possibly Rachel)
Performed “If I Were a Boy” (Beyoncé)
A breakout performance: pure, emotionally convincing, and technically exceptional. The audience rose to their feet within bars of her singing. This young performer was one of the session’s most moving acts.
Aaron Ray/Rehn – Older teen male
Performed “That’s the Way Love Goes” (Janet Jackson)
Delivered a Bruno Mars feel but needed clearer enunciation and to tighten up vocal runs.
Male Performer (possibly Philip)
Performed “Summertime”
Sinatra/Bublé tone and classic crooner feel; worked the crowd well though the audience reaction was muted.
Female, 31, mother of five (name not announced)
Performed “Somewhere Only We Know” (Keane)
Haunting, controlled voice with a strong emotional connection; stage posture was odd but the vocals were compelling.
Clayton Staney – Early 20s from Topeka, KS
Performed “Jar of Hearts” (Christina Perri)
Solid, reliable vocals though not particularly unique; good control and emotional intent.
Emily Motolik (age 12)
Performed “To Make You Feel My Love”
Young voice with power but nervousness showed through and lyric memory faltered.
Austin & Emily (age 15, duet)
Performed “Just a Dream” (Nelly)
Nice initial harmonies, but the arrangement was ill-suited to a duet and the voices didn’t consistently blend.
Alona (age 14)
Performed “Cry Me a River”
Strong attitude, great vocal control for her age, and an impressive soulful delivery that recalled early pop-soul influences.
Gina Rene – Older female
Performed “Praying for Time” (George Michael)
A subdued, forgettable rendition that didn’t stand out in this important round.
Statik Express – 12–14 years old, cousins (two boys & three girls)
Performed “Just a Dream” (Nelly)
Previously promising at auditions but struggled here; lyric prompts and shaky harmonies undermined the performance.
Male Performer, older (name not announced)
Performed “Billie Jean” (Chris Cornell version)
A powerful, controlled vocalist with strong head voice and emotional urgency; earned a significant audience reaction.
Country-inclined Female (name not announced)
Performed “I’m Already There” (Lonestar)
Country tone and look but forgot lyrics and needs improvement in stage presence and diction.
Black Male (20s, name not announced)
Performed “If You Were My Woman” (Gladys Knight)
Built on past praise but delivered a mediocre showing with slurred words and unclear phrasing.
Raphael (surname uncertain) – Older male
Performed “To Make You Feel My Love” (Adele version)
Mellow, attractive tone with tasteful styling; perhaps less suited for mainstream pop radio but vocally pleasant.
Nick Dean (age 15)
Performed “Somewhere Only We Know” (Keane)
Potential exists, but inconsistency, lyric slips, and poor mic technique held the performance back.
Justin & Nathan (14 & 17, brothers?)
Performed “To Make You Feel My Love” (Bob Dylan)
Had Beatles-esque flavor and moments of strong harmony, though the younger brother struggled with words.
Illusion Confusion (Lance, Richard, AJ) – Three males in their 20s
Performed “Jar of Hearts” (Christina Perri)
Harmonies blended well as a group, but individual voices lacked strength when isolated.
Female (late teens/early 20s, possibly named Chelsea)
Performed “I’m Already There” (Lonestar)
Started in the wrong key, was stopped and restarted, and ultimately recovered to hit decent notes despite a chaotic start.
Session one ended after several hours. The writer observed many young contestants, which she theorized might be related to scheduling and child labor considerations for longer tapings. The afternoon provided a clear view of how varied the field is at this stage—some performers delivered moving, standout moments while others struggled under pressure.
Personal favorites from the session included Marcus Canteen, Brennan, Stereo House, the Jesse McCartney-esque teen, the goosebump-inducing young girl in white, the Adele-vibe girl, the mother of five, and the powerful male who sang the Chris Cornell-style “Billie Jean.” Unfortunately, names were missing for several of these acts from the balcony view.
Overall, Boot Camp offered a mix of polished acts, raw talent, and uneven performances. The live audience setting added an extra layer of intensity, making this last chance performance before the judges’ cuts one of the most revealing rounds of the competition. The writer is looking forward to the televised show this fall and hopes to see which of these memorable performers move on.