Daniel's Song Race • S03 W09 • Judges' Critiques

[Daniel]

The reviews are in!

Here's what the judges had to say about the entries for this week's Natural Ball Category!

SPOILER: Click to show

JUDGES

Callum / Luiri / Aless / alexeh

COMPETITORS

Dimitris / MaRtIn / Eke / James / Julian / Jens / @garameaning / Bas / Anesović / ClassifiedCat / Matt / αndreas

VIEWERS

Wysteria / Dylan / ✨ Nicole ✨ / George J. / agni / Ｊａｋｕｂ / jstårsz / Sel / Niklas / ✨💃 / +++++ / ROBERT 💙 / Alper / Aglan

[Callum]

Callum's Final Critiques

This ball was full of natural talent.
See, I'm now at that point that I've given up on the pun game. Maybe it's time for me to sashay away for once!
I will first comment on your performance this week, followed by a comment on your overall run.


Andrélle | αndreas  

A commendable set of 3 songs! I particularly loved Zombie, a true classic of its time and definitely not an obvious choice - I had no idea about the backstory, and I definitely wouldn't have guessed it had anything to do with the IRA. Your element song was also a very pleasant listen that may have very slightly leaned on the cliché side, although that doesn't detract much from its overall quality. The main (and only) issue I have with your set is your non-electronic song. Contrived and typical drivel, nothing special at all. I love other songs by her (Hunter, namely) but this one is just so uneventful it hurts.

Your run this season, for me, was undoubtedly strong and - most of all - high in musical quality. It started off in a very promising way that made you an early contender from the start. There was a lull in week 2, but you progressed from that very easily. While your songs remained strong, your competitive spirit seemed to fizzle out towards the end which was reflected in my rankings. Personally though, your songs shone and definitely set an example for our future queens. Well done, you fully deserve to be here.

Your highlight:
"Visionary Dream" in Week 5

Your lowlight:
"Up to You" in Week 2

Gemma Collins | ClassifiedCat

I can't think of a better word to describe this set than perfection. Absolutely fantastic effort, I literally cannot pick out a single flaw in this KILLER trio! While all your songs were bloody wonderful, I have to pick out Recomeçar as the one that stands out the most. If I could give this infinite points, I absolutely would... a stunning masterpiece that left me in complete awe. Your other two songs were wonderful as well - I really enjoyed your element one which reminded me quite a lot of dream pop and your world peace one which was a very unique and stellar choice.

Your overall run however doesn't really compare with your final performance. Not far from the beginning, you began to stumble slightly which proved nearly fatal at points. There were some real choices made - but similarly, there were some absolutely fantastic gems you sent as well. Although the competition was unfavourable in the end, the general quality of your songs rose exponentially and with a final set like this, you are more than worthy of a spot in the final four. Better to bloom late than to not bloom at all!

Your highlight:
"Arabian Knights" in Week 4

Your lowlight:
"Po co" in Week 3

Shemalena Gomez | Eke

A fantastic and extremely palatable set. My favourite from your set HAS to be the Kate Bush song for the non-electronic category, a true pedestal for all baroque pop artists! I also really enjoyed the Arcade Fire song (the best one from their dreadful, DREADFUL 2017 era), and while the message itself caters less to world peace, it's still easily interpretable as one. I really liked your element song as well, but suffered slightly as a result of not packing enough power as I'd hoped for, and didn't necessarily portray the correct image of water for me personally... despite literally having the name in its title. That's the risk with instrumentals.

Your overall run is undoubtedly, in my opinion, the best out of the four here. Almost every week, I have consistently ranked you in the upper half and in nearly every case you sent a song I really enjoyed. That is what I look for in a queen. That reliability and assurance that I will get a 10/10 delivery every time I see them, and that's what I got from you. Fantastic job, as per usual. 

Your highlight:
"Mystery of Love" in Week 8

Your "lowlight":
"Sanomi" in Week 5

Weedy Williams | Matt

Again, an unsurprisingly great trio of songs. I really liked your element song in particular, a beautiful ode to one of earth's most vital organic... well, organs. Absolutely sweet it was. Your non-electronic song was also a lovely listen although my slight obsession for it in the past may have stunted its full potential a bit. We don't talk about your world peace song. This is a final ball; the last thing I want to see is the most uninspired and painfully obvious choice for it. Yes, it was a tough category but that is a new low, my dear. The song's complete overexposure has made it completely devoid of its intimate meaning as well. I can't fathom the reasons for sending that song, sorry.

Your run in general was nowhere near as terrible as Imagine though. Statistically it was the best, and often my personal rankings correlated with that. Same case as Shemalena, really. The vast majority of the time, you sent an entry that I more than just enjoyed - with a couple of true gems thrown in there. Absolutely class work, totally deserving of a place in the final.

Your highlight:
"Don't Beat the Girl Out of My Boy" in Week 2

Your lowlight:
"Imagine" ...this week

[alexeh]

Kathleen's Critiques

For the last time - good evening, slags! It's an emotional time.

ANDRÉLLE Your final entries were consistent. A very nice set of songs - I particularly enjoyed your element song, which was a really, really nice listen, but I have no real complaints about the overall package. Very solid. I think, for the most part, your run in the competition has been the same. You've sent very solid entries throughout the season and while at times (particularly nearer the end of the season) you haven't stood out quite as much as others, you've always been one of the frontrunners and you absolutely deserve to be here in my eyes.	GEMMA COLLINS This was an excellent set of entries! Perhaps your element song didn't stand out as much among the pack but both your non-electronic and your world peace entries were absolutely phenomenal. You can be very, very proud of how you've done with this challenge. Over the season, I think I've been much more enthusiastic about your entries than the other judges. Statistically, you've been the weakest, but I've personally adored a lot of your entries, and so you also definitely deserve to be here.	SHEMALENA GOMEZ Unfortunately I wasn't really sold on this set of entries as a whole. I adored the Kate Bush song you sent - a brilliant choice - but I personally felt that the other two songs got a little lost amongst the rest of the pack. All very nice, but not amazing. It's difficult to judge your run in the competition. You've undeniably been a contender from the offset, sending very solid entries week upon week, but at the same time, I don't feel that many of your entries have stood out to me as a favourite. Nonetheless, you've been an exceptional, consistent contestant.
WEEDY WILLIAMS This was a divisive set of entries. Your element entry was excellent - a brilliant song that I really enjoyed - and the non-electronic entry was also very nice. However, your world peace entry, to put it bluntly, is probably one of my least favourite entries of the season, unfortunately. Probably the most obvious song you could've chosen for this category, and it came at the worst possible time. As such, your final ball appearance didn't quite reflect how formidable a force you have been throughout this season. Unlike the other queens, before this week, you had never sent an entry I'd disliked, and the statistics don't lie - you've been a brilliant contestant.	HIGHLIGHTS Andrélle: "Kaetteren" (Wk 1) "Keaton" (Wk 7) Gemma: "For din skyld" (Wk 5) "Capricorn" (Wk 1) Shemalena: "Mystery of Love" (Wk 8) "K" (Wk 2) Weedy: "Cecilia" (Wk 7) "Don't Beat the Girl Out of My Boy" (Wk 2)	LOWLIGHTS Andrélle: "Take My Breath Away" (Wk 4) Gemma: "Arabian Knights" (Wk 4) Shemalena: "Sanomi" (Wk 5) Weedy: "Imagine" (Wk 9) The difficulty I had in choosing highlights and lowlights is a clear indicator of how exceptional you have all been throughout this season - you allabsolutely deserve to be here and can be very proud of how you've done.

[Luiri]

Valérie's critiques

Who got the ball right, and who decided to throw them away ?

•••••

Andrélle
Concerning this week, I'm pleasantly surprised from you, as you're always used to.
Your week is full of pleasant surprises, but my absolute favorite has to be Zombie.
I'm like Callum on this situation, and I didn't knew the backstory of it

Overall, for me, you managed to prove that you were a strong candidate and you showed it overall.
I knew it from the start that you were going to be here for winning the whole competition.

Highlight(s) of this season: Oblivion, Keaton, Up to You
Lowlight(s) of this season: Take My Breath Away

Gemma Collins
The sleeping "beauty" is finally awake ? I've been waiting for you to wake up sis... and this is since Week 1.
With this week, you showed that you could bother, at least a bit of the competition.

Overall, as said earlier, I didn't really feel like you bothered much, and most of the time,
you failed at being an impressive candidate for me. Hope your rest is over sis.

Hightlight(s) of this season: Polly, Arabian Knights, Frozen Garden
Lowlight(s) of this season: Take Me To Church, Exit Music, For Din Skyld

Weedy Williams
With this week, I feel kinda disappointed, your first song is great but I'm not a fan of it, your second song got it all,
and your third song... well it's Imagine, so.. yeah.

Overall, for me, we're going hiiigh, we're going looow, yeah you and I, we're on a rollercoaster.
And yes, I had to.

Highlight(s) of this season: 99 Luftballons
Lowlight(s) of this season: They Long To Be, Macarena

Shemalena Gomez
I'm really amazed at the song you sent for the Four Elements part, your second song was fantastic aswell,
and the meaning behind your third entry shows how weird our world is.

Overall, for me, I would easily compare you with Andrélle, you were a strong candidate during the whole season,
and you were here to win it all, and it was proven with the quality of most of your songs.

Hightlight(s) of this season: Help Me, Saturn
Lowlight(s) of this season: No Limit, Sanomi

•••••

[Daniel]

Thank you judges!

My queens, this is it. I'll have to say it every season, but I am very proud of all of you
and everything you have achieved thus far. But only 3 of you can make it to the Final.
Sadly, we will have to let go of one of you tonight.
And I have made my decision.

SPOILER: Click to show

JUDGES

Callum / Luiri / Aless / alexeh

COMPETITORS

Dimitris / MaRtIn / Eke / James / Julian / Jens / @garameaning / Bas / Anesović / ClassifiedCat / Matt / αndreas

VIEWERS

Wysteria / Dylan / ✨ Nicole ✨ / George J. / agni / Ｊａｋｕｂ / jstårsz / Sel / Niklas / ✨💃 / +++++ / ROBERT 💙 / Alper / Aglan

[Daniel]

Andrélle

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Congratulations, my queen! You are part of my Top 3 queens!

[Daniel]

The next queen that has made it to my Top 3 is...

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Weedy Williams

[Daniel]

My last Top 3 queen is...

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Gemma Collins

Shemalena Gomez, I know you fought until the very end but I'll have to say
that this is not your time.

Now, sashay away...

[Daniel]