Diana Vickers comes up trumps

Diana Vickers remains to this day the only X Factor contestant we have ever voted for (we think - there may have been an alcohol fuelled phone call to Miss Frank last year, but it's hard to be 100% certain). Here's why...

Unlike American Idol, which deliberately includes a few quirky contestants every season - this year it's the improbably-named Crystal Bowersox - X Factor rarely takes a punt on anyone who doesn't fit the well-groomed top 20 template. Vickers was the exception: Dressed like a hippy in a hurricane, and singing like Delores O'Riordan with hiccups.

I met her this week and she said her X Factor experience was like being Bambi just after they shot his mother - possibly my favourite pop star quote ever. As you may know, she survived the ordeal, went on to win awards for her West End debut in Little Voice, and has recorded an IMPORTANT DEBUT ALBUM on Sony.

Despite a terrible name (Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree?!?) the record has an impressive cast-list of writers - Cathy Dennis, Ellie Goulding, Nerina Pallot. If Kylie had bothered to make an album last year it would have sounded pretty much like this.

The first single is Once. Rather than underplaying Vickers' squeaky vocal tics, it builds the chorus around them. A bold decision, but the correct one.

Here's the video. We like the way she sleeps standing up.

Diana Vickers - Once


All good. The end.

UPDATE: For some reason, Sony have given the World Exclusive of Diana's video to Play.com - that well-known home of music video exclusives. Play.com have not promoted the video anywhere on their site, except the page where you buy Diana's album. It is almost as if they belatedly realised what a stupid idea it was to try to compete with Youtube. Anyway, if you want to see it you now have to click this stupid link.

Tweet