Dancing to the Beat of Nicola Robert's Drum (Listen)

I have just heard the full version of Nicola Roberts debut solo single 'Beat of my Drum' and I have to say I am impressed.


Lil ol Ginge, often ridiculed (unfairly) for her pale skin and shock of red hair, as well as for being the ugly one (again unfairly) in Girls Aloud, the band where she made her name has come out with an attention grabbing, psychadelic, fabulous mash-up of a song, produced by Major Lazer (responsible for the beat sampled by Beyonce in Run the World) that sounds very Japanese pop (in a good way).



I wish Nicola all the best - she certainly can't do any worse than fellow Girls Aloud member Nadine Coyle, who's Tesco CD didn't exactly fly off the shelves. And unlike the most successful GA member so far, Cheryl Cole has done it without a popular TV show giving her extra coverage.


Nicola has written, or co-written all of the tracks on her upcoming album, which for me gets a thumbs up straight away - even it is doesn't end up being all to my taste.


Maybe if Nicola is successful it will be her that is the stumbling block to a Girls Aloud reunion - particularly now that Cheryl has more time on her hands and Nadine flopped.

Who Will Have The X Factor In 2009?

X Factor returns to our (UK) screens this Saturday evening (ITV1 7:00pm) and I personally CANNOT WAIT!!! I absolutely love this show. Cheryl Cole, Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh will once again battle it out to find the next UK pop star.


After a pretty strong batch of hopefuls in 2008 in which the amazing Alexandra Burke won, I just hope this year offers as much talent, excitement and drama.

Who will wear the best outfits - Cheryl or Dannii?....Who will have the biggest diva strop - Simon or Louis?....

Who will be the winner? Another soultastic female a la Leona and Alexandra? Another bland male (yes that's you Leon Jackson), or maybe it is the time for a boy or girl band to finally take the title? Although with JLS still riding high in the UK charts and Girls Aloud, the Sugababes and the Saturdays around maybe there isn't enough room for a new band?

We haven't even heard any of Alexandra Burke's new songs yet, although I expect we will get to see the first track from her debut Album and the follow up to last year's Christmas Number 1 - Hallelujah on the show. I really hope it's good, it has been such a long wait.


Anyway back to this year...


This year promises to be a great year for celebrity masterclasses and appearances - with Madonna rumoured to be on the show. There will of course be the obligatory Michael Jackson episode - where the majority of the contestants will murder his songs. A lovely way to remember him don't you think?


And I haven't even mentioned the freaks yet! What can I say? Words don't even begin to describe how deluded some of these people are to even think they can sing. Obviously some of them just want to be on the show and that's fine. But the really hiarious ones are those who actually believe that they have the X factor and are horrified, outraged even that the judges dare to say they can't sing.


I would like to take this opportunity to say goodbye to Saturday nights out for the next 15 or so weeks, because I will be sitting comfortably on the sofa - Cringing, Laughing, Screaming and probably towards the end Crying!