There were astonishing scenes last night as Ludwig Van Beethoven, arguably the most talented X-Factor contestant since Darius Danesh, was voted off the show after losing out in a controversial sing off between the mercurial maestro and bubbly blonde, Cyndi Cooper.
After voting to save sexy Cyndi, judge Louis Walsh blasted Beethoven for his arrogant behaviour, telling him, ‘Look son, I’ve been in the business for some forty years and I know musical talent when I see it, and you quite simply, don’t have it.’
The sing off was farcical at times. After finishing in the bottom two, the long legged Cooper sang the Adele oldie ‘Rolling in the Deep’. However Beethoven refused point blank to perform ‘Dancing Queen’, the number selected for him, insisting instead upon conducting a hastily assembled mass choir in a rendition of his self-composed piece ‘Ode to Joy’. After triumphantly putting down his baton, the German genius turned and glared defiantly at the panel of judges.
Singer Kelly Rowland was first to break the stunned silence. ‘I don’t get it. You come on this show here and spin some sympathy story about going deaf, and then claim to have written a well-known piece of music that is always on the telly, in adverts and stuff. I’m sorry but I think you’re a fraud.’
The temperamental Teutonic’s mentor, Take That’s Gary Barlow was forced to agree with his fellow panellists: ‘You plagiarise other people’s music, don’t sing the songs selected for you, then insist upon getting other singers to come in and perform ‘arias’, whatever those are,’ he said adding, ‘You don’t even play an instrument. You’ve been carrying that ear trumpet ever since you came on the show and we’ve yet to hear you play a single note on it.’
In an interview immediately after the programme, Beethoven admitted he was gutted not to have progressed further but wished everyone well. He then announced that he was going to hit the town with fellow contestants Jermaine Brahms and Courtney Liszt.
