Posted under mtv
By Eric Ditzian
With all this gossip about Susan Boyle’s purported meltdown and speculation that she almost quit the show and is now holed up in a safe house away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi, it’s easy to forget one little thing: She hasn’t won anything yet.
The “Britain’s Got Talent” finale isn’t set to take place until tomorrow night, at which point nine other contestants will be singing, dancing and otherwise competing with Boyle for the crown and the chance to perform in front of the queen. With that in mind, MTV News took a look at the remaining field to give our take on who’s favored to triumph:
Susan Boyle
Who else in the competition has become a household name? Who else has been trailed relentlessly by tabloid hounds? Who else was granted an audience with Her Holiness Oprah Winfrey? Of course, all this exposure could lead to a Boyle backlash. And there’s no doubting that Susan’s performance of “Memory” last weekend was, at least initially, shaky. But come on — front-runners always win, right Adam Lambert? Maybe not. Still, all Boyle needs to do is step out onto the stage and do what she does best, what made her a household name to begin with: sing.
Chances for Victory: 4.5 out of 5
Shaheen Jafargholi
The dimpled 12-year-old who lives with his mom and his cat got off to a rough start during his first performance, when judge Simon Cowell cut him off just a few lines into his cover of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie.” Good thing he did, because Shaheen then busted into a super-soulful rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Who’s Lovin’ You” and rocketed into the top tier of “BGT” contenders. For his semifinal performance, Shaheen again chose a song that didn’t seem to suit a preteen boy: “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from the musical “Dreamgirls.” But the kid has got a serious set of pipes on him, and he’ll sound great singing the freaking phone book.
Chances for Victory: 3 out of 5
Stavros Flatley
File this one under total head-scratcher. A shirtless middle-age man with a potbelly and his pudgy young son pulling off muscle-man stances onstage? The father/son duo locking arms and performing an absurd variation on “Riverdance”? I must be missing something that the rest of Britain isn’t, because the comedic dance troupe won the “public vote” over Shaheen. I guess I’ll defer to Cowell on this one: “I should hate you, because it’s sort of rubbish but brilliant.”
Chances for Victory: 2.5 out of 5
Aidan Davis
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves: The 11-year-old hip-hop dancer still needs to triumph in tonight’ semifinal to earn a slot in tomorrow’s competition. But watch him pop, lock and moonwalk — the Brit’s got talent! Last year a teenage dancing phenom named George Sampson took the “BGT” crown, so it’s anybody’s guess if a been-there, done-that suspicion will hurt Davis’ chances. If you ask me, though, Davis has more style and more grace than Sampson ever had.
Chances for Victory: 1.5 out of 5
Flawless
During their first performance, this group of North London dancers professed a desire to “chase the dream, not the competition,” and then proceeded to flip, kick and twist their way into the finals. Some of their extraordinary moves simply defy description. No doubt they’re more talented than Davis, but they’re missing the 11-year-old’s “aw, shucks” cuteness factor.
Chances for Victory: 1 out of 5