THE 25 AND OVERS:
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I'll admit it - it was quite hard to find out the age of some of today's singers so hopefully they won't be too mortally offended if they are under 25 and have erroneously ended up in this l'il category. Again, it is mainly people who are unsigned and who i think have something different to offer, a talent that can blossom if you will. And apologies to the under 25s in this category ;)
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Contestant One: Robert O'Connor (myspace)
Comments: Just by looking at him, I can tell Robert isn't 25 and over, so there is my first boob already. ACK! But that's ok, because we like Robert. A lot. God bless the Irish for continually sending over people who know how to sing and dress like a popstar. Spend The Night has a lovely piano background, as Robert's clear vocal puts an emotion and sensitivity into the song. You know someone has written a good song when you can imagine other artists dissecting it and building it into something new. STN could easily be a westlife ballad, something more rocking for mcfly or a nice vocal harmony song. Quite lovely. Also check out his cover of Gabrielle's Ten Years Time. Stunner. Plus - and regular readers know this is SO important - great popstar hair ;)
Song for your consideration: Spend The Night
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Contestant Two: Susan Enan (myspace)
Comments: What with Sarah McLachlan releasing a lush festive winter cd and Fiona Apple having a resurgence, it's no wonder that I am loving Susan at the mo... She produces a delicate chamber pop that houses folorn, romantic (to the max) lyrics and sweeping classical inspired instrumentation. If you've tuned into Bones recently (turn on for David Boreanaz, stay for the music...) then you may have heard her lovely tune Bring On The Wonder playing in the background. We love a good sensBRITive invasion...
Song for consideration: Bring On The Wonder
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Contestant Three: Caleb Grimes (myspace)
Comments: Caleb seems like a down to earth guy that you could have a beer with. If I drank beer, which i don't. But he could have a beer and I would probably have a cider so that i could pretend to look macho with a pint glass. He has that great everyman quality that shines across in his music, which reminds me a little of Dashboard Confessional - if you had messed up Chris Carraba's hair and taught him to be a bit dirty, And yes that's a compliment, Gritty, raw music is just my cup of tea sometimes and with tracks like Faded and Sunburn having cool sing-a-long choruses, you can't go far wrong here...
Song for consideration: Faded
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Contestant Four: Lindy Layton (myspace)
Comments: Remember l'il Lindy? She was the provider of an ethereal vocal on massive 1990 smash Dub Be Good To Me - a song so great, you get the feeling it could still be a hit today... Lindy over the years has become a bit of an expert at fusing together dub reggae sounds with cool club beats and making it into something fresh and original. She has a great distinctive voice (remember her cover of Silly Games) that shines on tracks like Trouble. Busy behind the scenes now, i still think the pop charts could use the voice of someone as effortlessly cool as Lindy...
Song for consideration: Dub Be Good To Me
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Contestant Five: Skott Francis (myspace)

Comments: Let's be honest. Skott is hot. He has great cheekbones, a great wardrobe and superb popstar hair that doesn't stray into dodgy rockstar hair category. He seems to be a clever chappie too and speaks 3 different languages! I struggle with English so I'm quite impressed with that ;) And just look at that six pack. I bet he doesn't eat Revels. But we're here for the music and it's lovely timeless soul inspired tunes that are gorgeous on a brisk Sunday morning (Lay Down), ideal for a bit of head bopping while driving (the funky Just Be Wise) or great get over yourself songs (my fave, So What). Take sometime to read Skott's biography and you'll find he has an impressive musical pedigree. Can't wait for a laid back album of soulful goodness...
Song For Consideration: So What (mp3)
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Voting is now finished in this category - check back for the winners on Weds...