X Factor is a Danish television music competition to find new singing talent. In season 9, Sofie Linde Lauridsen replaced Eva Harlou as host. Thomas Blachman and Remee returned for their respective eighth and sixth seasons as judges, joined by newcomer Mette Lindberg. Lina Rafn, after four seasons as a judge, did not return. The winners were Embrace and Remee became the winning mentor for the third time and for the first time in the Danish X Factor history a judge has won two years in a row.
Judges and hosts
On March 20, 2015, it was reported that Lina Rafn was considering leaving X Factor. Five days later, it was reported that Rafn would be leaving the show. At the final of season 8 on March 27, Rafn said in an interview that she did not know if she would continue as a judge. Thomas Blachman said it was maybe time for three new judges. On June 22, Rafn said that she was in doubt about returning to X Factor because she also wanted to focus on her own career. On June 26, Eva Harlou announced that she would not be returning as host for season 9. On June 29, it was announced that Sofie Linde Lauridsen would replace Harlou as host. On 14 July, it was reported that Rafn had left the show. The following day, it was announced that Rafn would not be returning as a judge for season 9. On 10 August, it was announced that the judges would be announced on 12 August.
Selection process
Auditions Auditions took place in Copenhagen and Aarhus.
5 Chair Challenge The 5 Chair Challenge was back for the ninth season. Mette Lindberg mentored the 15-22s, Thomas Blachman has the Over 23s and Remee has the Groups.
The 15 successful acts were: 15-22s: Alex, Anna, Elena, Mads Christian, Reem Over 23s: Andrew, Cirke, Heidi, Jacob, Sarah Groups: 3 Levels, Clifforth & Hein, The Competition, Embrace, Katinka & Sigrid
Bootcamp Remee, Lindberg and Blachman took their contestants to the island of Fejø. Each judge had their own base. Lindberg took the 15-22s to an old mill, Blachman took the Over 23s to a nursing home, and Remee took the Groups to a bath yard.
The 6 eliminated acts were: 15-22s: Anna, Elena Over 23s: Cirke, Heidi Groups: 3 Levels, Katinka & Sigrid
Changes For the first time in the Danish X Factor, the two contestants in the bottom two would not sing the same song they sang earlier in the live show, they would pick their own song.
Contestants
Key: – Winner – Runner-up ActAge(s)HometownCategory (mentor)ResultEmbrace19-22HolstebroGroups (Remee)WinnerReem Hamze17Lyngby15-22s (Lindberg)Runner-upAlex Benson22Nærum15-22s (Lindberg)3rd placeAndrew Murray52HelsingørOver 23s (Blachman)4th placeClifforth & Hein43-47Give & FredericiaGroups (Remee)5th placeMads Christian16Copenhagen15-22s (Lindberg)6th place The Competition21Sindal & AalborgGroups (Remee)7th placeSarah Glerup30MariboOver 23s (Blachman)8th placeJacob Bering23SkanderborgOver 23s (Blachman)9th place
Live shows The live shows started on February 19, 2016 at DR Byen. Colour key –Contestant was in the bottom two and had to sing again in the Sing-Off –Contestant received the fewest public votes and was immediately eliminated (no Sing-Off) –Contestant received the most public votes
Contestants' colour key: – 15-22s (Lindberg's contestants) – Over 23s (Blachman's contestants) – Groups (Remee's contestants) Contestant Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 1st round 2nd round Embrace 3rd14.10%1st22.64%1st22.68%2nd22.08%1st23.45%1st29.68%1st41.25%Winners59.72% Reem Hamze 1st26.70%2nd18.12% 3rd15.76%1st24.57% 3rd22.98% 3rd24.81%2nd39.45%Runner-Up40.28% Alex Benson 5th7.28% 4th12.79% 5th11.39% 5th12.70% 4th20.36%2nd27.46% 3rd19.30%Eliminated(Week 7) Andrew Murray2nd15.39% 5th9.93%2nd16.88% 3rd16.66%2nd23.27% 4th18.06%Eliminated(Week 6) Clifforth & Hein 4th12.09% 3rd16.23% 4th13.63% 4th13.24% 5th9.94%Eliminated(Week 5) Mads Christian 6th6.92% 6th9.69% 6th10.76% 6th10.75%Eliminated(Week 4) The Competition 7th6.91% 7th5.72% 7th8.91%Eliminated(Week 3) Sarah Glerup 8th6.30% 8th4.88%Eliminated(Week 2) Jacob Bering 9th4.30%Eliminated(Week 1) Sing-Off The act that received the fewest public votes was automatically eliminated. Remee voted out Jacob Bering Sarah Glerup Mads Christian Mads Christian Alex Benson Lindberg voted out Sarah Glerup Sarah Glerup The Competition — Clifforth & Hein Blachman voted out Jacob Bering The Competition The Competition Mads Christian Clifforth & Hein Eliminated Jacob Bering9th Sarah Glerup8th The Competition7th Mads Christian6th Clifforth & Hein5th Andrew Murray4th Alex Benson3rd Reem HamzeRunner-Up EmbraceWinner
Live show details
Week 1 (February 19) Theme: Signature
+ Contestants' performances on the first live show Act Order Song Result Embrace 1 "You Don't Own Me" Safe Jacob Bering 2 "Hotline Bling" Bottom two Alex Benson 3 "Somebody to Love Me" Safe Clifforth & Hein 4 "Your Love Will Blow Me Away When My Heart Aches" Safe Sarah Glerup 5 "Strict Machine" Bottom two Mads Christian 6 "Locked Out of Heaven" Safe The Competition 7 "Girls & Boys" Safe Reem Hamze 8 "Stay" Safe (Highest votes) Andrew Murray 9 "Tick Tick Boom" Safe Sing-Off details Jacob Bering 1 "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" Eliminated Sarah Glerup 2 "Time" Saved Judges' votes to eliminate Lindberg: Sarah Glerup Remee: Jacob Bering Blachman: Jacob Bering
Week 2 (February 26) Theme: Scandinavian songs Musical guest: Julie Bergan ("All Hours")
+ Contestants' performances on the second live show Act Order Song Result The Competition 1 "Mamma Mia" Bottom two Reem Hamze 2 "Lost in the Girl" Safe Andrew Murray 3 "Get the Fuck Out of My Mind" Safe Clifforth & Hein 4 "Hjem"Safe Alex Benson 5 "Some Die Young" Safe Embrace 6 "Frit Land" Safe (Highest votes) Sarah Glerup 7 "Vi to er smeltet sammen" Bottom two Mads Christian 8 "Uopnåelig" Safe Sing-Off details The Competition 1 "Rollercoaster" Saved Sarah Glerup 2 "Enjoy the Silence" Eliminated Judges' votes to eliminate Remee: Sarah Glerup Blachman: The Competition Lindberg: Sarah Glerup
Week 3 (March 4) Theme: Songs from the contestant's birthyears
+ Contestants' performances on the third live show Act Order Song Result Reem Hamze 1 "No Scrubs" Safe Clifforth & Hein 2 "Light My Fire" Safe Alex Benson 3 "Missing" Safe The Competition 4 "Basket Case" Bottom two Mads Christian 5 "Trouble" Bottom two Andrew Murray 6 "El Toro" Safe Embrace 7 "Ready or Not" Safe (Highest votes) Sing-Off details The Competition 1 "Mr. Jones" Eliminated Mads Christian 2 "Life Is Worth Living" Saved Judges' votes to eliminate Lindberg: The Competition Remee: Mads Christian Blachman: The Competition
Week 4 (March 11) Theme: Radiohits (songs that have been in the top 10 on the Danish airplay chart)
+ Contestants' performances on the fourth live show Act Order Song Result Alex Benson 1 "Hold Back the River" Bottom two Embrace 2 "Ain't Nobody (Loves Me Better)" Safe Mads Christian 3 "Stitches" Bottom two Andrew Murray 4 "Galgary" Safe Clifforth & Hein 5 "Free" Safe Reem Hamze 6 "Hello" Safe (Highest votes) Sing-Off details Alex Benson 1 "The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore" Saved Mads Christian 2 "It Will Rain" Eliminated Judges' votes to eliminate Lindberg: Refused to choose between two of her contestants Blachman: Mads Christian Remee: Mads Christian
Week 5 (March 18) Theme: David Bowie songs Musical guest: Emilie Esther ("Inescapable") Group Performance: "Let's Dance" + Contestants' performances on the fifth live show Act Order Song Result Clifforth & Hein 1 "The Man Who Sold the World" Bottom two Andrew Murray 2 "Life On Mars?" Safe Reem Hamze 3 "Quicksand" Safe Embrace 4 "Absolute Beginners" Safe (Highest votes) Alex Benson 5 "Space Oddity" Bottom two Sing-Off details Clifforth & Hein 1 "The Drugs Don't Work" Eliminated Alex Benson 2 "Rewind" Saved Judges' votes to eliminate Lindberg: Clifforth & Hein Remee: Alex Benson Blachman: Clifforth & Hein
Week 6: Semi-final (25 March) Theme: Viewers choice; Audition songs Musical guest: Citybois ("Purple light") and ("Hot body") + Contestants' performances on the sixth live show Act Order First song Order Second song Result Andrew Murray 1 "School's Out" 5 "All Right Now" Eliminated Reem Hamze 2 "Born to Die" 6 "Nirvana" Safe Embrace 3 "Fast Car" 8 How to Be a Heartbreaker" Safe (Highest votes) Alex Benson 4 "Gravity" 7 "Last Request" Safe The semi-final did not feature a Sing-Off and instead the act with the fewest public votes, Andrew Murray, was automatically eliminated.
Week 7: Final (1 April) Theme: Free Choice; Duet with Musical Guests; winner's single Musical guest: Phlake ("Angel Zoo") and ("Pregnant") Group Performances: "Never Forget You" (MNEK and Zara Larsson; Performed of Alex Benson, Reem Hamze, and Embrace); "Thank You for the Music"/"Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" (ABBA/Silentó); (auditionees); "History" (One Direction) (Performed of X Factor 2016 contestants)
+ Contestants' performances on the seventh live show Act Order Free Choice Song Order Duet with Musical guests Order Winner's single Result Alex Benson 1 "Crazy" 4 "Painkillers" and "Tunnel Vision" (with Patrick Dorgan and Mads Langer) N/A N/A (Already eliminated) 3rd Place Embrace 2 "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" 5 "Shackled Up" and "Casual" (with Alex Vargas and Scarlet Pleasure) 8 "Commitment Issues" Winner Reem Hamze 3 "Where Are Ü Now" 6 "Golden" and "I Won't Let You Down" (with Brandon Beal and Christopher) 7 "All That I Want'" Runner-up
References