[Lance]

Link: C4 Music Blog

This is the sort of performance you need to put in to get yourself voted off a reality TV show.

Unbelievable.

If things had been different, it could be Maria now in Woolworths adverts, chatting to a sheep or releasing covers albums in time for mothers day. A lucky escape, no?

We liked Maria when she was on 'X Factor'; not only because of what she had bursting out of her vest, but because she was amazing. A proper pop star who looked lovely, sang nicely and seemed like she loved every single minute she was on stage.

We liked her even more when we heard the tracks she had recorded before going on the show, although we wondered why songs this good had been carelessly left lying around at the back end of the internet.

We were a little excited at the news that she had been signed to SonyBMG, but when someone recently thrust an iPod into our hands with Maria's recently recorded album on it, there was some actual knee-wobbliness. We only listened to a few tantalizing snippets, but that was enough for us to decide that when we put some of our eggs in the Maria Lawson basket, we were right to pick that instead of throwing stuff at the Brenda bucket.

Potential first single 'Sleepwalking' is rather splendid soulful pop, whereas 'Black Mona Lisa' sounds like the sort of thing people would like to listen to when they do naughty rudes. It's a little raunchy. We had to have a sit down. Also on the album is 'Woman's Intuition' from her old band Skye.

In short, it's the first good thing to come from 'X Factor'. Ever. Even better than those hilarious stompy ladies from the first series.

Maria Lawson's first single is due in July, but until then we will have to keep our ears calm by listening to what we taped off the telly. Sigh.