X Factor is a Romanian television music competition that aims to find a new music talent to become a star. The first season began airing on September 17, 2011, on Antena 1 and ended on January 1, 2012. The winner received a price of €200,000. Based on the UK format, the competition consists of auditions in front of specialized judges that afterwards become mentors. Auditions for the show began in May, 2011 and concluded in June, 2011. The show is hosted by TV presenters Răzvan Simion and Dani Oțil, while the judging panel consists of recording artist and producer Adrian Sînă of the group Akcent, singer-songwriter Paula Seling and Radio DJ Mihai Morar.
Selection process
Auditions
Auditions for producers began in Cluj-Napoca, România, on May 14, 2011. They then took place in Constanța, on May 21 in Timișoara on May 24, 2011, on June 4 in Iași and concluded on June 11, 2011 in Bucharest.
Bootcamp
After the bootcamp period, there were twenty-four acts left. 16-24s: Sanziana Nicolae, Andrei Leonte, Cristina Dobrescu, Bogdan Medvedi, Bianca Purcarea, Tania Kramar, Irina Florea, Nae Ovidiu Nicolae
Judges houses
During Judges houses period, they were sectioned into three different categories. Paula Seling, helped by Alexander Rybak, Adrian Sînă, helped by Alexandra Ungureanu and Mihai Morar, helped by Laurențiu Duță
Contestants
The 12 contestants were confirmed as follows;
Key: – Winner – Runner up – Third Place Category (mentor)Acts 16-24s (Morar) Antonia Filip Irina Florea Andrei Leonte Ovidiu Nae Over-25s (Sînă) Diana Hetea Cristian Parmac Alin Văduva Iulian Vasile Groups (Seling) Duo Voice Refresh T&L X-Treme
Live shows
Results summary Color key –Winner –Contestant was in the bottom two/three and had to sing again in the final showdown –Contestant was in the bottom three but received the fewest votes and was immediately eliminated
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10Round 1Round 2 Andrei Leonte4th7.35%3rd9.21%6th8.83%2nd17.00% 2nd18.35%2nd19.56%3rd16.07%2nd24.34% 1st35.03% 1stWinner 51.0% Alin Văduva2nd19.48%1st26.77%3rd12.21% 1st19.81% 1st27.39% 1st31.30% 1st31.79% 1st24.53%2nd31.04%2ndRunner-up 32.5% Iulian Vasile8th4.77%7th7.15%5th10.25%7th7.38%6th10.15%5th9.91%4th14.97%3rd19.58% 4th12.79%3rd 16.5% Eliminated(Week 10) T&L6th7.20% 10th2.95% 1st20.73%3rd15.24%5th10.39% 6th7.53%2nd18.94% 5th 15.23% 3rd21.14% Eliminated(Week 9) Diana Hetea 1st21.19%2nd16.24%2nd15.13%5th10.25%4th13.26%3rd13.91% 5th11.75% 4th16.32% Eliminated(Week 8) Irina Florea5th7.21%8th5.01%7th7.53%6th8.82% 7th9.90%4th13.31% 6th6.48% Eliminated(Week 7) Duo Voice7th5.03%9th4.17%4th10.81%4th10.83%3rd13.77% 7th4.48% Eliminated(Week 6) Antonia Filip10th3.47%6th8.23%8th6.22% 8th6.86% 8th 6.94% Eliminated(Week 5) Refresh3rd18.99%4th8.99% 10th3.67% 9th 3.81% Eliminated(Week 4) Ovidiu Nae 12th 1.51%5th8.98% 9th5.94% Eliminated(Week 3) X-Treme9th3.63% 11th2.30% Eliminated(Week 2) Cristian Parmac 11th2.17% Eliminated(Week 1) Final showdown Ovidiu NaeCristian Parmac X-TremeT&L Ovidiu NaeRefresh Antonia FilipRefresh Antonia FilipIrina Florea Duo VoiceT&L Irina FloreaDiana Hetea T&LDiana Hetea T&LIulian Vasile No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated and who ultimately wins Morar's vote to eliminate Cristian Parmac T&L Refresh Refresh Antonia Filip Duo Voice Diana Hetea Diana Hetea T&L Seling's vote to eliminate Cristian Parmac X-Treme Ovidiu Nae Antonia Filip Irina Florea has not voted Irina Florea Diana Hetea Iulian Vasile Sînă's vote to eliminate Ovidiu Nae X-Treme Ovidiu Nae Refresh Antonia Filip Duo Voice Irina Florea T&L T&L Eliminated Cristian Parmac 2 of 3 Votes To Eliminate X-Treme 2 of 3 Votes To Eliminate Ovidiu Nae 2 of 3 Votes To Eliminate Refresh 2 of 3 Votes To Eliminate Antonia Filip 2 of 3 Votes To Eliminate Duo Voice 2 of 3 Votes To Eliminate Irina Florea 2 of 3 Votes To Eliminate Diana Hetea2 of 3 Votes To Eliminate T&L 2 of 3 Votes To Eliminate Iulian Vasile 16.5%to win Alin Văduva32.5%to win Andrei Leonte51.0%to win
Live show details
Week 1 (October 29/30) Theme(s): Number-one singles Group Performance: Oficial îmi merge bine Musical guest: Oceana — "Cry, Cry" + Contestants' performances on the first live show Act Song Result Ovidiu Nae "Down on Me"Bottom two Irina Florea "A Night like This" Safe Antonia Filip "Man Down" Safe Andrei Leonte "Dream Girl" Safe Alin Văduva "Eternity/The Road to Mandalay" Safe Iulian Vasile "How Deep Is Your Love" Safe Diana Hetea "Lângă Mine" Safe X-Treme "Free Your Mind" Safe Cristian Parmac "Don't Stop Me Now" Bottom two Refresh "Atât de singur" Safe Duo Voice "No me ames" Safe T&L "911" SafeFinal showdown details Ovidiu Nae "Grenade" Safe Cristian Parmac "Your Song" Eliminated
Week 2 (November 5/6) Theme(s): Romanian songs Group Performance: Billionaire Musical guest: Voltaj — "20" & "Dă vina pe Voltaj" + Contestants' performances on the second live show Act Song Result Ovidiu Nae "Dacă dragostea dispare" Safe Irina Florea "Mai frumoasă" Safe Antonia Filip "Tot mai sus" Safe Andrei Leonte "Vara trecută" Safe Alin Văduva "Dincolo de nori" Safe Iulian Vasile "Say Something" Safe Diana Hetea "Mi-ai frânt inima" Safe X-Treme "Banii vorbesc" Bottom two Refresh "Azi vii, mâine pleci" Safe Duo Voice "Dragostea rămâne" Safe T&L "Marionette" Bottom twoFinal showdown details T&L "Empire State of Mind" Safe X-Treme "Hush Hush" Eliminated
Week 3 (November 12/13) Theme(s): Songs from movies Group Performance: You're the One That I Want Musical guest: Touch & Go — "Would You...?" + Contestants' performances on the third live show Act Song Result Ovidiu Nae "Shape of My Heart" Bottom two Irina Florea "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" Safe Antonia Filip "Get the Party Started" Safe Andrei Leonte "Iris" Safe Alin Văduva "You Can Leave Your Hat On" Safe Iulian Vasile "I Have Nothing" Safe Diana Hetea "Take My Breath Away" Safe Refresh "All for Love" Bottom two Duo Voice "Over the Rainbow" Safe T&L "Bring Me to Life" SafeFinal showdown details Refresh "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" Safe Ovidiu Nae "Give It to Me Right" Eliminated
Week 4 (November 19/20) Theme(s): Love songs Group Performance: Don't Stop Believin' Musical guest: Holograf — "Să nu-mi iei niciodată dragostea" + Contestants' performances on the fourth live show Act Song Result Irina Florea "Marcas de ayer" Safe Antonia Filip "Hot n Cold" Bottom two Andrei Leonte "Only Girl (In the World)" Safe Alin Văduva "Fairytale Gone Bad" Safe Iulian Vasile "Sex Bomb" Safe Diana Hetea "I Will Love Again" Safe Refresh "Always" Bottom two Duo Voice "You Raise Me Up" Safe T&L "Ploaie în Luna lui Marte" / "Umbrella" SafeFinal showdown details Antonia Filip "Rehab" Safe Refresh "Right Here Waiting" Eliminated
Week 5 (November 26/27) Theme(s): Mentors' favorite songs Group performance: Beat It Musical guest: East 17 — "Thunder" + Contestants' performances on the fifth live show Act Song Result Irina Florea "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" Bottom two Antonia Filip "Bad Romance" Bottom two Andrei Leonte "It's My Life" Safe Alin Văduva "Ordinary People" Safe Iulian Vasile "De-ai fi tu salcie la mal" Safe Diana Hetea "Without You" Safe Duo Voice "I Will Always Love You" Safe T&L "Who Wants to Live Forever" SafeFinal showdown details Irina Florea "I Love Rock & Roll" Safe Antonia Filip "I Follow Rivers" Eliminated
Week 6 (December 3/4) Theme: Live Band Group Performance: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction Musical guest: Direcția 5 — "Îți mulțumesc" & "Ai un loc" + Contestants' performances on the sixth live show Act Song Result Irina Florea "Sweet Child o' Mine" Safe Andrei Leonte "Moves Like Jagger" Safe Alin Văduva "Sex on Fire" Safe Iulian Vasile "Always on the Run" Safe Diana Hetea "Mercy" Safe Duo Voice "Heal the World" Bottom two T&L "One"/"Where Is the Love?" Bottom twoFinal showdown details T&L "Back to Black" Safe Duo Voice "Hallelujah" Eliminated
Week 7 (December 10/11) Theme: Audience' choice and Mentors' choice Group performance: I Gotta Feeling Musical guest: Alexander Rybak — "Europe Skies" and "Fairytale" + Contestants' performances on the seventh live show Act Order First song Order Second song Result Andrei Leonte 1 "Supergirl" 7 "I'm Yours" Safe Diana Hetea 2 "Alejandro" 8 "We Found Love" Bottom two Irina Florea 3 "Privirea ta" 9 "Underneath Your Clothes" Bottom two T&L 4 "Love the Way You Lie (Parts I & II)" 12 "When Love Takes Over / Give Me Everything" Safe Alin Văduva 5 "Angels" 10 "Crazy" Safe Iulian Vasile 6 "Simply the Best" 11 "When a Man Loves a Woman" Safe Final showdown details Irina Florea 1 "If I Ain't Got You" Eliminated Diana Hetea 2 Video Footage* Safe
As a worldwide X Factor premiere, Diana Hetea wasn't able to perform a "Save Me Song" because she suffered of Laryngitis that night. So as a convention, the producers decided to put on a footage with all of her performances during the X Factor galas.
Week 8: (December 17/18) Theme(s): Musical Heroes / Mentor's Choice Group Performance: Another Brick in the Wall Musical guest: In-Grid - "Tu es foutu" & "Vive Le Swing" + Contestants' performances on the eighth live show Act Order First song Order Second song Result Andrei Leonte 1 "18 ani" 10 "Home" Safe Iulian Vasile 2 "Aïcha" 9 "Crazy" Safe Diana Hetea 3 "Un actor grăbit" 6 "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" Bottom two Alin Văduva 4 "Red" 7 "Cerul" Safe T&L 5 "Vino înapoi" 8 "Numb" Bottom two Final showdown details Diana Hetea 1 "Russian Roulette" Eliminated T&L 2 "Nobody's Perfect" Safe
Week 9: (December 24/25) Theme(s): Christmas Songs, Mentors' choice Group Performance: 24 December : Contestants from auditions — "Deschide ușa, creștine" 25 December : X Factor Finalists — "La casa di peste drum" Musical guest: Paula Seling — "Colindăm (Iarna)", "Timpul" & "Noapte caldă" + Contestants' performances on the ninth live show Act Order First song Order Second song Result Iulian Vasile 1 "Feliz Navidad" 6 "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" Bottom two Alin Văduva 2 "Human" 5 "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" Safe Andrei Leonte 3 "Last Christmas" 8 "Use Somebody" Safe T&L 4 "I'll Be Missing You" 7 "Iarna (Milioane)" Bottom two Final showdown details T&L 1 "Firework"/"Fly" Eliminated Iulian Vasile 2 "Kiss" Safe
Week 10: (January 1) Theme(s): Audition Songs, Celebrity Duets, Winner's Single Group Performance: We Will Rock You Musical guests: Vama ("Copilul care aleargă către mare"), Mandinga ("Danza Kuduro", "Zaleilah"), ROA ("Ne place", "Sonată în la minor"), Vunk ("Artificii pe tavan"), Laurențiu Duță feat. X Factor Finalists ("Amintirile") + Contestants' performances on the final live show Act Order First song Order Second song (Duet) Order Third song Result Alin Văduva 1 "Feeling Good" 6 "Pleacă" (with Vunk) 7 "Ain't No Sunshine" Runner-Up Iulian Vasile 2 "I Got You (I Feel Good)" 5 "Soarele meu" (with Mandinga) 9 "Hit the Road Jack" Third Place Andrei Leonte 3 "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" 4 "Vama Veche" (with Vama) 8 "Someone Like You" Winner
Ratings
#Date Viewers (thousands) Rating Audition 1 17 September 2011 652.000 5,6 Audition 2 18 September 2011 559.000 4,8 Audition 3 24 September 2011 801.000 6,9 Audition 4 1 October 2011 849.000 7,3 Audition 5 8 October 2011 888.000 7,6 Bootcamp 15 October 2011 652.000 5,6
References
External links X Factor Romania Official website