X-Factor is a famous program started in Britain by Simon Cowell, American Idol judge and talent scout. This show then spread to the United States and Southeast Asia. Judges play an active role in talent building, helping the candidate grow their popularity. If you can be one of the few who participate, you need to know how to pass the rigorous auditions, stay focused, and stand out from the other contestants.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Finding Your Voice Stamp
Step 1. Find your voice extension
Unless you're lucky enough to naturally have a perfect voice, know that developing vocal skills takes a lot of work. To learn how to develop your voice and push it to the limit, you must first understand what vocal timbre you have, so you can find suitable songs and work on your repertoire.
To start developing your vocal skills, sit at the piano and sing some notes that you can play easily, effortlessly, then try to match your voice to the piano note. Look for songs that naturally fit your key
Step 2. Take singing lessons
One of the most interesting aspects of X-Factor, when compared to other talent shows, is that if you are admitted you will have a teacher. This doesn't mean you can start from scratch. By building a good reputation with a singing teacher, you will become a good student, which will help you improve your skills and learn the techniques needed to become a great singer.
- A good teacher will help you learn the fundamentals of singing and will increase the material at your disposal. You can't hear everything, but a good teacher will offer you songs that bring out your voice like never before.
- Learning from constructive criticism is fundamental, it makes the difference between being a good singer and being a good singer who wins. Look for a good teacher who can teach you how to improve and how to learn from mistakes.
Step 3. Work on improving the pitch and vocal range
Try to reach the highest notes and the lowest notes within your vocal range, then strive to develop a wide range of material. If you could go on in the competition, what would happen if you were asked to sing a song in D and you can only sing in B flat? You could only do this by practicing and pushing your voice.
Step 4. Work on stage presence
You may also be a great singer, but without charisma on stage it will be difficult to win X-Factor. It is therefore important to develop your moves on stage, just as it is important to develop your voice. It is not just a singing competition, you must have the X-Factor that sets you apart from the others. For this you must also work on the stage presence.
- It is difficult to say what "presence" is, but it is easy to recognize it. Just look at videos on You Tube of Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and Robert Plant to understand what it means to have that gift.
- Singing into a microphone is more difficult than it sounds. It would be good to practice and learn how to use it to enhance the voice. You don't want to stand in front of the judges and turn off the microphone, or keep it too far away and lose the essence of your voice.
Step 5. Look at older editions of X-Factor
Even if you already know who won, one of the best exercises you can do is to see how the winner went through the entire race. Who seemed to be the favorite at the beginning? Who seemed to have no hope? You can learn a lot by looking at how those who came before you acted.
- Each X-Factor finalist has something that sets them apart from the others. Look for your unique feature and decide how to make it noticeable over the course of the show. Plan for the long term.
- Think about the ideal path to achieve your goals during the season. What to do to avoid being a loser in the middle of the season?
Part 2 of 4: Pass the Audition
Step 1. Find out where the auditions are held
The audition sites are prepared months before they take place, so visit the X-Factor site to check where the audition van is. Follow the show on social networks to be updated and not risk being excluded.
- You can fill out the registration form online. Otherwise you can also do it on audition day, but it may take some time.
- Generally the selections take place in different cities of Italy, so look for the one closest to your home.
- Before arriving in front of the judges, you will have to pass several a cappella selections that may take place in cities other than the first.
Step 2. Prepare the song for the audition
Before performing, you need to have the song ready, memorized perfectly, and rehearsed several times. You have to focus on this. It doesn't have to be a famous song, but a song that enhances your voice. You will get extra points for songs that the judges do not know (since they cannot compare it with the original) or for songs written by you.
Step 3. Show up early, well rested and prepared
Make sure you have had a good night before the audition, avoid drinking alcohol in the previous 24 hours and stay hydrated. Eat something before showing up for the audition because it could take all day.
- Camping is often prohibited in audition venues, but try to arrive early. In any case, you may have to stay there all day and the first auditions may not go any better than the last ones. Show up when you see fit and only worry about your performance.
- To register for the audition, you must present an identity document. If you are a minor, you must be accompanied by a parent who must present his identity document. After signing up, you will receive a bracelet and a ticket, then you will have to wait until they call you.
Step 4. Warm up for the audition
The worst part will be facing the wait. You will likely be anxious and bored at the same time, so try to relax, but also be ready for your performance. Warm up your voice as your teacher taught you and try to stay as calm as possible.
You will meet many singers who do strange and elaborate rituals before their performance, but try to ignore everything around you and stay focused. Do what you know how to do, this is not the time to change
Step 5. Stay calm and be confident
When they call you, you will begin to fidget. Keep calm! If you have prepared well, you must have faith in your song and in your ability to pass the audition. You have to tell yourself: “I can do it”.
- Focus on the details of your performance, intoning the song well, hitting the notes and throwing yourself into the performance. Don't worry about the cameras, the celebrities and everything the audition represents for you. Just think about the song. That's exactly what the judges want.
- Don't flatter the judges just because they're celebrities. If you are upset, don't try to disguise it with fake enthusiasm. They are just people, so answer their questions truthfully and try to perform as soon as possible.
- It is true that you have to stay calm, but sometimes strong emotions can affect the judges. For example, telling about the adventure you went through to take the bus to go to the audition, or saying that maybe you will lose your job because of your love for music, could somehow help you.
Step 6. Sing your best
The first thing the judges want to hear is an outstanding performance. The look and attitude are certainly important, but these factors will then be modified and shaped during the competition. Don't worry about anything, sing with all your heart.
- Don't think about winning during the audition, focus on the present to give your best. Just worry about being admitted to the race.
- It must be clear that you want to become a singer. The judges are looking for people who believe this is their dream. They want stars who want to be stars, to give the audience someone to believe in.
Step 7. Forget about weird tricks
Wearing eccentric stage clothes, playing tambourines, or making other odd attempts is not a good idea, you will just get knocked out. The judges might laugh if you were a little bizarre, but they wouldn't be particularly impressed. I'm looking for a voice, not a comedian.
Acoustic guitars can help you stand out from the crowd. If you are able to play and propose a song that has an acoustic accompaniment, go ahead and bring the guitar
Step 8. Get someone to accompany you
People want to empathize and the most popular competitors are those supported by family, friends and acquaintances in the area they come from. Bring as many people as you can, who can scream and celebrate when you are admitted to the competition after the audition.
Part 3 of 4: Winning the Show
Step 1. Focus on the next step
X-Factor is a marathon, not a sprint. No performance, episode or single moment will make you win, so focus on every little step. Listen to the judges, learn from criticism, work hard to improve and move on.
Not necessarily all performances have to be perfect, but each one has to be good enough. Don't worry about being the best singer every night, but try to stay consistent and credible as an artist
Step 2. Try to pass Boot Camp by learning as much as possible
You will work with one of the judges and you probably won't like everything he tells you. The ability to learn from criticism and hard work to improve will earn you points, so go ahead and react well to comments. X-Factor is not looking for divas or first women, so leave your ego aside.
- Part of the training process is a change in your appearance, so it can be helpful to have a slightly unkempt beard or disheveled hair before the transformation. In this way, the transition from a simple "you" to a superstar will be more sensational and will have a positive effect on both the judges and the fans. The show tends to create characters that the audience can find themselves in, competitors to cheer on from the heart, so a big change is something that can work in your favor.
- According to Demi Lovato, X-Factor judge in America, the look is just as important as your voice, if not more. You take this part of the competition very seriously.
Step 3. Present the different aspects of your personality
Present yourself as a multi-talented artist, with so much to offer fans. Those who only know how to sing, even if very well, will soon be overshadowed by more complete and likeable artists. Knowing how to dance, have uncommon hobbies, have a particular personal history: these are all elements that impress the judges and those who watch the show.
Can you play the piano? Can you sing in German? Can you break dance? Save these talents to reveal them throughout the show, so you can surprise your audience at the right time. If you feel like your performance is boring the judges, you'll have an ace up your sleeve to surprise them and lift the situation
Step 4. Collect votes from your city
The winners of X-Factor, no matter how different in style or ability, have one thing in common: good support from the hometown. If you want to win, you need to stay in touch with your hometown and get your friends and family to vote like crazy for you.
Don't get too crazy. Get in touch with the local press, rather than trying to reach the national press. If you give an interview to a local newspaper, emphasizing how much you love your origins, how important the place you come from is, you will immediately have many fans who will fight for you
Step 5. Stay in touch with your fans
Spend time on social networks to increase your visibility and respond to your fans.
You will be very busy, so ask a trusted friend to help you follow the flood of emails, friend requests on Facebook and other social networks. He will always have to be nice and polite, as he is your online representative
Step 6. Expect everything
Try to be flexible and accept what comes. It is impossible to prepare for everything, also because the show changes from year to year; your life is very likely to change because you have been on television. Try to be sporty and professional, that's what the judges expect. Act as if it were normal for you.
Step 7. Try to be nice and friendly
Remember that by participating in this show, you will be there for all to see, and that sudden fame can make some participant selfish. So don't criticize others, show your best side and try to get the audience to your side. Don't make up a false sad story. If you are eliminated, no one will want to buy your music.
Make sure the audience knows you want to win. Try to be confident and not appear as if you are there by accident; take this opportunity seriously, otherwise you will not be voted on
Part 4 of 4: Stand out
Step 1. Choose the right song
Although the performance of the song is the most important part of the show, the choice of the piece itself is equally important. If you want to win X-Factor, you have to show that you have a good ear, as well as a good voice, by identifying the right songs that enhance your skills and positively impress the audience.
Don't be afraid to be trivial. Online searches for words related to X-Factor include "time, love, truth, opportunity, eternally, always"
Step 2. Try to create an alternative to traditional music, but at the same time don't be too whimsical
The winners of X-Factor are seen as the "novelty". This means that people must encounter something in you that they haven't seen recently. If you sing like Adele, there won't be many reasons why people should vote for you.
- The willingness to stand out from others, however, must not be at the expense of the marketability of your music. Bringing Marilyn Manson songs will surely set you apart from others, but it's not the kind of music that those who watch X-Factor listen to. You can't be too subversive or weird, but you have to stick to more traditional genres.
- The winners of X-Factor are aimed at a wide audience: rockers, pop lovers, teenagers, grandparents. What can you do to come up with music that works for everyone?
Step 3. Be polite
In a sense, a "star" attitude is expected from stars. This means whims, weird habits, and a whimsical look. You don't need to look like a diva to stand out. Newspapers influence what the public thinks of you, so try to appear polite, down-to-earth, and naturally gifted.
Don't tell judges or reporters things you might regret
Step 4. Accept what the judges tell you
They have been successful in the music industry so you have to take what they tell you seriously. They've been there before you, they know how to do it and will be able to offer you constructive criticism. In any case, keep in mind that the voting public does not particularly appreciate those who allow themselves to be passively shaped, but tend to cheer on the contestants who know how to stand up to the judges at the right time. Use common sense.
Step 5. Build a heart-wrenching story
There is one thing that always works to win X-Factor: emotion. If you can convince the public that you not only want to win, but that you have fought hard to get where you are, you will be close to winning.
- You must have a good reason for choosing to sing. It could be that your grandmother, who recently died, sang when you were little; or the only way to relate to your brother was through music, or that you were targeted at school and music was your refuge. Find a story that people can relate to.
- You don't have to go overboard, trying to create a character to pity, and avoid making up completely false stories. Just tell something that arouses emotions and that makes the public sympathetic towards you. No one will want to follow someone who has been very lucky in life and who hasn't struggled.
Advice
- Be spontaneous. Try to be what you want a singer to be, but don't change too much.
- Trust but don't overdo it. That's not what the judges want.
- You have to stand out, but in the correct way, without flirting with the judges.
- Don't be too bold. You don't have to think that you are better than everyone else.
- Ask relatives and friends to listen to you and give you an honest opinion. You don't want to be one of those who think they're gifted only to be awkwardly brought back to reality.
Warnings
- If the judges take you out, don't worry. If that's what you really want, improve and try it next year!
- Many get eliminated the first time around, but if you really want to make it, work for it. Dreams are just a reality that hasn't come true yet!
