X-Factor / Mike Norman / 22 August 2011 /

Mike Norman was very impressed with the new X Factor judging line-up, but he was even more impressed with two teenagers on the opening night of audition shows.

When it was announced that Simon Cowell would be leaving the X Factor judging panel this year there was a nationwide collective groan amongst the show's millions of fans. On Saturday night, at about 9:30pm, the only question on my mind was, "Who is Simon Cowell?"

The X Factor needed a facelift, and it got one. But unlike Leslie Ash after lip surgery, this facelift looks perfect.

The star of the new judging panel is undoubtedly Gary Barlow. He's got a lot of Cowell mannerisms, but that's not deliberate. Barlow will be brutally honest if necessary, but he can also be sensitive, funny, and perhaps most important of all, incredibly accurate with his assessment of the talent he is judging.

The Take That frontman has five Ivor Novello awards to his name, and you don't win them without knowing a thing or two about what's required to be successful in the music industry - I should know, I've only got two!

Barlow's equally new sidekicks - Kelly Rowland and Tulisa Contostavlos - also look to be excellent additions to the show; one (Rowland) being the emotional and caring type of judge, the other (Tulisa) being quite strict and very straight-talking. And of course, Louis Walsh - the only permanent fixture in X Factor's short history - is back to live his life through our TV screens.

Saturday's opening show was quite brilliant, mainly because of the fact that it included two performers who - even at this very early stage - are impossible to envisage not being in the final TV stages (the final will be held at Wembley Arena this year by the way).

First up was Frankie Cocozza, an extremely likeable 18-year-old from Brighton. Not only does he have a pop star name, but he's got the looks, the voice, and the confidence verging on arrogance to do really well in the competition. But it was his refreshing honesty that made me chuckle. When asked why he wants to win the X Factor his reply was, "I want to try and sleep with as many women as possible". And judging by the tattoos on his bum - he has seven female names on there - he's not doing too badly already!

Cocozza didn't sing brilliant but he was certainly good enough to progress, and he will be good enough to go far in the competition. He does everything with a smile on his face, and his enjoyable cheek (personality that is, not his body part) will make the public love him.

Obviously it's very early to be making confident predictions, but if I'm confident about Cocozza doing well then you can multiply that confidence 10-fold when it comes to 16-year-old Janet Devlin.

The big clue that Devlin is a potential winner is that the ITV cameras have already been to her home, suggesting to me that she is pretty nailed on to reach the 'Judge's Houses' stage at the very least. Still, I'd wager heavily at this stage - if there were such a market of course - that she reaches the live TV stages. She has the voice and looks of an angel, and on Saturday - performing Elton John's Your Song - she produced what was quite simply a stunning audition. I love the fact that she doesn't lose her strong Irish accent whilst singing, that she is so innocent and cute, and that she has the potential to be quite outstanding.

I've watched her performance a dozen times now, and each time I'm absolutely mesmerised. True, there was a hint of Diana Vickers at the very start - which wasn't a bad thing by any means - but after that she demonstrated an incredibly distinguished voice, one that I could listen to for hours upon hours. I've got goose pimples just talking about her.

Below is a list of the performers that impress me as the audition shows progress, in the order of my preference. It will obviously be a list that will grow, some of the acts we'll never hear of again, some will go very far, but what I do know at this stage is that it will have to take a remarkable performance from someone to dislodge Janet Devlin from the top of this list.

X Factor 2011 ones to watch
Janet Devlin
Frankie Cocozza

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