Manchester crooners will be handed the chance to wipe the scowl off Simon Cowell’s face at this weekend’s X Factor auditions.
For the select few, it is the beginning of a dream as it offers the chance to follow in the footsteps of some of the world’s biggest music stars, who started their X Factor journey in Manchester.
On Saturday, 2014 hopefuls will descend on Emirates Old Trafford for this year’s auditions for the ITV primetime show, desperate to get a ‘yes’ from Cowell and co.
Previous Manchester auditions have attracted huge numbers of entrants, with the open auditions in 2006 pulling in nearly 20,000 contestants.
This year’s hopefuls will be looking to repeat that feat and impress the panel to progress through to the next stage.
And some have already made it through to be invited back to the closed audition stage on Sunday.
Got though to the next round of X factor! Next Audition is a private one Sunday in Manchester! excited 🙂 #xfactor pic.twitter.com/I6GliVwiA6
— Max Fox (@maxfox1989) May 1, 2014
Got through first X factor audition!! Next stop Manchester May 4th!! Let’s have it!! 🙂
— Lee Wainman (@LeeWainman1) April 29, 2014
Many hopefuls, such as Florida-born Chelsea Browne, got through to the closed auditions by virtue of sending in a video of themselves singing and were invited to strut their stuff for the judges.
@SimonCowell just got email to audition on x factor in manchester on sunday the 4th. #excited
— Chelsea Browne (@Floridachica94) April 30, 2014
Chelsea has her own YouTube channel where she has posted videos of her singing cover versions of famous songs, including Beyonce, Rihanna and Lorde.
Take a peak of what Simon Cowell will be treated to on Sunday:
It is a path that has been trodden by a number of stars before, most notably by 2005 winner Manchester‘s Shayne Ward.
Ward’s debut album went to number one in the UK and released his third studio album in 2010.
Three of the biggest names in world music auditioned in Manchester in the same year – as Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles and Zayn Malik took the tentative steps that would lead to the formation of global chart-toppers One Direction.
Despite a ‘no’ from Louis Walsh, Styles made it through his Manchester audition with the firm backing of Cowell.
Louis and Zayn fared better and managed to wow all three judges at their live audience auditions.
Music mogul Cowell announced his return to the show for the first time in four series, replacing the departing Gary Barlow as head judge.
Cheryl Cole also returns to the panel this year, having won the show twice before, and the pair will be searching for more global superstars in Manchester.
If anybody needs persuading to audition, 2011 champions Little Mix are helpfully on hand to do just that.
Image courtesy of ITV via Youtube with thanks
