[Red Moon]

X Factor favourite Alex strains voice

The strain is showing on X Factor favourite Alexandra Burke, as she admitted on Monday night she is having problems with her voice.

She told an audience at a private gig: 'I hope you feel better than I do' before singing only one song instead of the scheduled two.

But she fared slightly better than Aston Merrygold, the 20-year-old lead singer of JLS, who has lost his voice and mouthed along to his band's performance.

Talking to Metro, Alexandra insisted: 'I am fine, I'm just a bit run down and I don't want to overdo it before Saturday.

I had a late night after the show last Saturday and couldn't sleep because of all the adrenaline.'

She also admitted it was very scary being the bookies' favourite.

Despite that, she gave a powerful performance of You Are So Beautiful at the gig held at the Oxford Street store of programme sponsors Carphone Warehouse.

When Aston was asked about his health, he couldn't even reply.

His bandmates said: 'He can't speak.'

The finalists confirmed they didn't get to talk to Britney Spears on Saturday.

Eoghan Quigg said: 'We didn't get a chance to meet her but it was great to see her.'

Jonathan Gill of JLS said: 'It was just great to be on the same stage she had performed on.'

The boy band wowed two teenage girls by dragging them on stage to serenade them with Stand By Me.

Diana Vickers looked like she was having most fun, especially singing Blondie's Call Me.

She also sang Man In The Mirror by Michael Jackson - wearing 6in orange heels.

'I'm determined to do my best because it could be my last show on Saturday,' she confessed.

Source: Metro

[Adamw92]

Aww that's sad to hear, hopefully she'll be fine for saturday

[Wildcat!]

Man, I hope someone Youtubed those performances. If somebody finds it, can you please post it here!

[Christina]

Ahh please let her be okay!

[Tom]

I wonder if she'll get a free pass to the final if she can't perform?

[Novo]

this is good news

for diana

[Red Moon]

Originally posted by Tom
I wonder if she'll get a free pass to the final if she can't perform?

And what about JLS if they lose Aston, will they get a free pass too. Now that would be so funny a semi final of whining witch and the irish imp.

[Christina]

Originally posted by Tom
I wonder if she'll get a free pass to the final if she can't perform?

Doubt it.. cos she isnt 'little Diana from Blackburn'

[Red Moon]

Originally posted by Christina
Doubt it.. cos she isnt 'little Diana from Blackburn'

But she is so good:

Youtube video

[Billy]

Originally posted by Christina

Doubt it.. cos she isnt 'little Diana from Blackburn'

Or maybe because it's cos she didn't get a top doctor telling her she can't sing?

[Red Moon]

Originally posted by Billy21

Or maybe because it's cos she didn't get a top doctor telling her she can't sing?

Wait a sec, Diana doesn't need a top Doctor to tell her she can't sing, I could have told her that.

[Red Moon]

Alex and Aston are ill!

With just a few days to go before the all-important semi-finals, Alexandra and Aston have been struck down by illness.

Both competitors made it to The X Factor's secret Carphone Warehouse gig last night - but neither could sing as much as they'd like to.

Alexandra Burke bravely performed one track, You Are So Beautiful, for assembled guests - but plans to sing another track, had to be scrubbed as she dealt with throat pain.

JLS did perform two tracks - but instead of Aston singing lead vocals as he often does in Saturday's shows, the others, especially Oritsé, stepped up to the mark. Aston concentrated on clapping and working the crowd instead of singing in what the compere called "a trademark Britney move".

Of course, as the competition moves into the most important stage of all, neither competitor can afford to perform under par on Saturday night - so the pressure is on.

An exhausted Alex struggled with illness during rehearsals last week but pulled a top-notch performance out of the bag on Saturday night.

But she told us, "I am doing everything I can now so I can be better for the show this week".

"The most important thing is sleep - I've hardly slept since Friday. We don't get much sleep ahead of Saturday's shows, and then Ruth left, and that was awful."

"I absolutely have to sleep well tonight."

Aston didn't say much at all - but, bless him, he did do a lot of nodding and shaking his head!

Source: ITV

[XxShortyxX]

More digs at Diana, she can sing!

I hope they are wll enough for Saturday.

[Adamw92]

Originally posted by Red Moon

Wait a sec, Diana doesn't need a top Doctor to tell her she can't sing, I could have told her that.

He didn't mean like that, he meant unable to sing but i doubt anyone would get a free pass at this stage, a week before the final

[pinkmichk]

surely the mentors should have said if they were this ill for them not to perform at that secret gig to save voices for saturday hope they better by then

[LemonJam]

This might sound bad, but I hope Aston doesn't completley recover so we can hear more of Oritsé.