Factor X (Spanish TV series)

Factor X was the Spanish version of the British television music competition The X Factor, created by Simon Cowell. The show, which aired on Cuatro, followed series 2-3 of the British format, with three categories, mentored by one judge each, whom choose the acts to represent the category in the live shows. The judges were singer and DJ Miqui Puig, headhunter Eva Perales and music radio producer Jorge Flo. Nuria Roca hosted the show. The first series was won by María Villalón. The second series was won by Vocal Tempo.

Series summary

     "16-24s" category
     "Over 25s" category
     "Groups" category

Series 1 (2007)

The first series, started its run on Sunday 13 May 2007. The show was then broadcast nightly with 'Los Castings' (the auditions), which lasted until 20 May 2007. From the 21 May until the 27 May 2007 'La Selección Final' (final selection) was shown, again nightly. On 28 May 'Las Galas' (live shows) began. Factor X proved successful for TV station Cuatro. It achieved an average audience of 12.3%. Factor X live shows were shown at 10pm every Monday evening.

Finalists

Key:

     – Winner

     – Runner-up

     – Third place

Results summary

     – Contestant announced as safe (no particular order)

     – 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

     – Contestant received the fewest public votes and was immediately eliminated (no final showdown)

Series 2 (2008)

The second series started its run September 1, 2008 with the auditions. The first "gala" or live show was aired on September 22, on primetime. In a similar fashion to the last seasons in the original British series, each gala had a different theme (number-one hits or 80's music, for example). Five acts were chosen for the finals in each category, and an additional contestant was chosen in the middle of the season through Internet auditions

Finalists

Key:

     – Winner

     – Runner-up

     – Third place

Results summary

     – Contestant did not against public vote

     – Contestant announced as safe (no particular order)

     – 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

     – Contestant received the fewest public votes and was immediately eliminated (no final showdown)

Post Factor X

A few weeks after the first series ended, eventual winner María Villalon released a debut EP entitled María Villalon, an album with all the songs she sang whilst in the competition. A few months later, she released her debut album Te Espero Aquí, which made the Spanish top 40 album chart, just like her debut LP did. But she wasn't the only one who received a record deal, runner-up Angy released her debut self-titled album (with the artistic name Angy) a couple of weeks after Villalon's debut album release. She also began an acting career starring in the teen drama television series Física y Química, aired on Antena 3. 3rd placed Walter released a single, but it didn't see much success. Angy's debut single 'Sola En Silencio' was a major hit across Spain, making the top 20 in Spanish Los 40 Principales. In turn, Maria Villalon's first two singles 'Aguita De Abril' and 'Te Espero Aqui' failed to gain chart stardom, but her second album saw the success of its lead single 'La lluvia' which made it into the top 5 in Los 40 Principales.

Months after the contest finished, 6th placed Leire Martínez's popularity boosted as she was chosen to replace Amaia Montero as the new lead singer of La Oreja de Van Gogh, one of the best-selling pop bands in Spain and Latin America.^[1] Her first album with the band, A las cinco en el Astoria, was released on September 2, 2008 reaching the number-one spot in the Spanish charts.

8th placed Ailyn submitted a song to Salvemos Eurovisión, the Spanish selection for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, but failed to get to the final round. She was later chosen to be the new female vocalist of the Norwegian Gothic Metal band Sirenia.

References

External links

• Official site (Spanish)
• Cuatro casting call page (Spanish)

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