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| Here are the live finalists in Dannii's category of the 14-24 Boys. |
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Age:22
Home: Newport, South Wales
Occupation: Works in an asbetos removal company
Andy Williams is no stranger to X Factor auditioning having been sent home by the judges when he tried it out at age 19. Over the past five years, Andy has been working with his brother, Lee, 25, in an asbestos removal company. Both him and his brother live with their parents in Newport. Completing his first audition successfully made Andy decide he'd get a tattoo just like his dad and brother. |
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Age: 18
Home: West Lothian, Scotland
Occupation: Gap Sales Assistant
Leon Jackson is an only child having been raised by his mother in West Lothian where they live. Having purchased an iPod earlier this year and recoded his singing voice, Leon impressed friends who decided more people should get to hear Leon's vocal talent and got him involved in karaoke. About to embark on a course in architectural technology, Leon's chance to be in the Final 12 has enabled him now to look to his singing. His favourite music artists include Jamie Cullum and Michael Bublé. |
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Age: 24
Home: Birmingham, (born in Powys, Wales)
Occupation: Vocal studies student and Personal trainer
Rhydian Roberts is a professionally trained baritone singer having developed his vocal talent over the past seven years. He was raised in Powys and now lives in Birmingham where he has been attending university. Il Divo and Russell Watson are his favourite music artists. Rhydian had an interest in weight lifting at a younger age. Rhydian is convinced the "whole of Wales" would buy a record he released. |
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| Here are the live finalists in Sharon's category of the 14-24 Girls. |
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Age: 23
Home: Wembley, London
Occupation: Virgin Active Gym Receptionist
Alisha Bennett got all inspired to participate in this year's The X Factor after watching Leona Lewis take the title last year. Alisha also lives minutes away from the Fountain Studios where the live shows have been filmed and could not help but notice the crowds shuffle in and Alisha didn't want to miss any of the action. Alisha is very close to her mum, Sharon who describes them both as "Ab Fab" as she admits they are loud and flamboyant. Previous work for Alisha has involved being a style advisor for Top Shop in keeping with her passion for fashion and shopping and music-wise, Alisha has been involved with a church gospel choir and has been taking up singing lessons in the past year. |
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Age: 15
From: North London
Occupation: Student
Emily Nakanda is The X Factor's first youngest contestant to participate at the age of 14. She lives with her mum, stepdad and elder brother, Terry. Her family have said they are "Very blessed to have her with us," after Emily got through a serious illness of peritonitis last year. Emily loves all kinds of music and has been involved with school and church choirs. |
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Age: 19
From: Tamworth, West Midlands
Occupation: Works in her parents' pub.
Kimberley Southwick lives with her parents in Tamworth at their pub, The Fox. She regularly gets involved in the pub's karaoke and attended Italia Conti for around a year before deciding it wasn't for her. She has previously featured on Michael Barrymore's My Kind Of People. Kimberley has had previous jobs including one at a call centre which she found boring and also dressing up as an elf at a Santa's grotto which she rates her worst job. Kimberley has a passion for country music. |
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| Here are the live finalists in Louis' category of the 25 and Over. |
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Age: 37
Home: Luton, Bedfordshire
Occupation: Primary school teacher
Beverley Trotman has been involved in music most of her life having been singing in choirs since the age of four. She is a member of the award-winning Kingdom Choir who have featured as backing choirs on previous series of The X Factor and tribute show, Grease Is The Word. Beverley lives with husband Jonathan and their two children: Tianna, 12 and Luke, 10 and enjoys her job as primary school teacher. Leon Barnett, one of the players for West Bromwich is one of Beverley's nephews. |
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Age: 31
Home: London
Occupation: Dance teacher
Daniel Debourg began his career at the Royal Ballet at the age of 11 and by age 17 was working as a professional dancer at the Rambert Dance Company. A serious knee injury in 2001 forced Daniel out of his dancing role but more work came his way when he got to work with R. Kelly when he got signed up with Dreamworks in the US. Unfortunately, Daniel's material never got released when Dreamworks was bought out and so Daniel returned to London to concentrate on dancing, ballet and some modelling. Daniel has a three year old son, Theron. |
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Age: 34
Home: Tamworth, West Midlands
Occupation: School catering manager
Niki Evans inspiration for participating in The X Factor came about when she found an application form for auditions amongst her late father's belongings. In his memory, Niki decided she'd pursue her singing career and take part in the series. Niki had previously tried to enter the music scene. She featured in bands at age 12 and age 16 where in the latter case she had been signed up with Pete Waterman but there came no chart success. Niki lives with her husband, Darren and they have two sons: Morgan, 12 and Jonah, 10. |
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| Here are the live finalists in Simon's category of the Groups. |
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Futureproof are: Aaron Delahunty, 19, From London, Works as an administration assistant at a market research company; Adam Chandler, 21, from Maidstone, works as a singer; Matthew Protheroe, 17, from London, works as a sales assistant and is a student; Richard Wilkinson, 23, from Leeds, unemployed and Sean Rumsey, 20, from Warwickshire, works as a student and part time in a service station.
:: Futureproof were formed from some of the contestants in the 14-24 boys category who had been turned down at the Boot Camp stage as solo performers.
:: Aaron Delahunty was born in London and has been seen busking around the Covent Garden area having performed since the age of 10. He has a variety of talents including rapping, dancing, songwriting, music production, as well as singing.
:: Adam Chandler lives with his mother and sister in Maidstone, Kent where he was raised. He attended The Brit School and now works full time as a singer and in promotions. He has been singing for the past 11 years. At the age of 18, Adam was in charge of his own entertainment company. Adam enjoys the music of Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra.
:: Matthew Protheroe began his career having trained at the Sylvia Young Theatre School. He has had the opportunity to appear in the West End production of 'Ragtime The Musical' and featured amongst backing vocals for Westlife in the past. Matthew lives with his parents and brother in London.
:: Richard Wilkinson lives in Leeds with his parents and elder brother. From the age of 14 Richard had taken a keen interest in singing and since has been performing and hopes The X Factor will give him his big break.
:: Sean Rumsey lives in Warwickshire with his two brothers and three sisters. He has been singing for the past eight years and has previously attempted to make it big as a singer when he qualified for a place in the finals of Teen Idol and made it as far as Boot Camp in the 2006 series of The X Factor in a group called 'Ste and Sean'. |
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Hope are: Charlie Mole, 23, from Sunderland, works as a beauty therapist; Emily Biggs, 17, from Torquay, a student; Leah Lauder, 20, from London, a student; Phoebe Brown, 16, from Adelstone, Woking, a student; Raquelle Gracie, 20, from London, works as a singer and actress.
:: Hope were formed from some of the contestants in the 14-24 girls category who had been turned down at the Boot Camp stage as solo performers.
:: SiSi Jaglef was originally one of the members of Hope but following the revelation that she had an unspent criminal conviction which contravenes the application rules for The X Factor, producers withdrew her from the competition.
:: Charlie Mole lives with her partner, Lee and five year old son, Jack in Sunderland. She has just completed her course in beauty therapy and was about to embark on this as a full-time career before finding herself in the final 12 for The X Factor.
:: Emily Biggs lives with her parents and elder brother, Andrew in Torquay. She had her first taste of singing in public when she got to perform during the ad break for one of the showings of The Sharon Osbourne Show. So impressed were Sharon and Louis Walsh on that show, Emily couldn't miss out on giving The X Factor a go.
:: Leah Lauder lives in London with friends and has a keen interest in everything spritual. She hopes that she can be that person that people can look up to as she has always been in search of inspiration women in the media to look to.
:: Phoebe Brown lives in Surrey with her mum and younger brother and has just completed her GCSEs. She has been busy having singing lessons and attending the Guildford School for Acting.
:: Raquelle Gracie lives in London and was born in Manchester. She studied at Italia Conti for three years and has featured in a number of acting performances. She has a keen interest in following her dreams as a singer and actress and demonstrated to the Simon Cowell at Boot Camp that she can also do the splits. |
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Same Difference are siblings: Sarah Smith, 18, a student and Sean Smith, 21, an entertainer, both from Portsmouth.
:: Same Difference siblings Sarah and Sean Smith live with their parents and grandmother in Portsmouth. Sean left home at age 17 to take up work on cruise ships and has featured in a number of pantomimes. Sarah has attended the Italia Conti school since age 16 and has just achieved her diploma. Sarah has also been doing some modelling. |
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