Amelia must Think about song choice says Craig

Amelia Lily sensationally survived the sing-off against Craig Colton on Sunday to keep her place among the X Factor contestants, but have her chances of winning the show been harmed as a result?

The X Factor judges were unable to decide between the bottom two acts and it was left to the public to seal the fate of the two singers. Craig didn’t impress the live audience with his rendition of the James Bond theme song License to Kill, originally performed by Gladys Knight and had to say his farewells after receiving the least votes.

Amelia beat three other acts to earn a return in place of axed Frankie Cocozza and won the accolades of the judges on her comeback appearance last week. Her show stopping rendition of Queen’s The Show Must Go On even caused the bookmakers to sit up and take notice and she emerged from the show as a surprising favourite to win X Factor. However, the 17-year-old from Middlesbrough was unable to make the same impact with Aretha Franklin’s Think on Saturday night’s show and found herself escaping the boot by the skin of her teeth.

Amelia was disappointed to find herself back in the bottom two after such a glorious return and understands she must quickly build up a fan base after re-entering the competition at such a late stage. “It was the worst thing I've ever had to do in my life but I'm so grateful to have been saved, I've just got to make sure I really put it out the bag next week,” she said after the show. 'I think these guys have got huge fan bases and mine isn't quite as big yet.

'Obviously I've been away from the competition for five weeks so I think it's just the thing of getting my fan base.'

Gritty Amelia is refusing to admit defeat and when asked is if she could win X Factor replied: “I'd like to think I can. I know I've got the determination to get to the final and I know I've got potential in me, it's just down to the public now to give me the chance.”

The bookies are keeping faith with the teenager and are having a hard time deciding between Kelly Rowland’s remaining trio of girls as the most likely winner. Victor Chandler is best price for Misha B at 9/4 and has Amelia at 5/2 while Janet Devlin is 3/1 with a  few bookies including William Hill.  Like Janet, the two outsiders of the remaining five acts have yet to appear in a sing-off, Little Mix are 9/1 at Blue Square and Marcus Collins is 18/1 at Coral.

  

Craig, accepts he was victim of a poor song choice and believes Amelia and the remaining acts need to understand how important this will become over the final weeks of X Factor. Speaking to Lorraine on ITV1 this morning, Craig said: “It's all about song choice now, I hope the other contestants learn from this as well.

But he added: "I really liked the song and I've listened to it back and I actually quite liked the vocal. I think it was one of my best vocals as well - but it is down to song and people's connections with songs as well."

Craig also revealed he is backing Little Mix to win X Factor: “I think there are a few front runners. But I think out of everyone who has made the biggest journey and has improved the most, I think it’s got to be Little Mix. They’ve come out of nowhere. They were always favourite to go early on and they have literally come out of nowhere. And I'm a massive supporter of Janet and Marcus as well. Marcus is my little pop star."