Post by neil6147 on Dec 17, 2007 5:26:14 GMT 10
TEEN singer Leon Jackson won X Factor last night and Kylie Minogues heart.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGKqZ7scY58
The Australian singer was blown away by the talented Scots shop worker as the series reached a gripping climax.
In a nail-biting finish, Leon, 18, became the first Scot to win the talent show after beating Welsh opera singer Rhydian in the final.
He is now certain to score the Christmas number one with the Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston hit When You Believe.
Stunned Leon wept with joy and said: Its not real, its not real after host
Dermot OLeary announced the winner.
There was just one per cent of the vote between bookies favourite Rhydian and the former shop assistant who is now
destined for a life of stardom.
Leon wept after singing the winning
song and said: It means the world to me. I never in a million years thought I could win. I set out in this competition because I loved singing and I would be able to give my mum a better life.
Leon always vowed to win the TV
contest to improve mum Wendys life after she brought him up as a single
mum. His dad died from flu at the age
of 39. Wendy was in the crowd last night and was also in tears.
Earlier, Kylie had sang Better The Devil You Know with Leon in front of the 12,000 crowd at the live final.
Kylie looked stunning in a black lace catsuit and danced on the piano before performing the swinging
version of her hit with the Scot.
Afterwards, she admitted being
smitten by his talent and looks,
saying: I love his voice and hes cute and adorable and everyone loves him.
Ive certainly fallen under his spell. I think Leon could go all the way and have a great pop career.
Leon, from Whitburn, West
Lothian said: I cant believe Ive just shared a stage with such a
superstar, its incredible.
He faced Rhydian and brother-
sister act Same Difference in the fight to land a s1million deal. The duo were the first voted out.
A show insider said: Kylie is
certain he has got what it takes to be an absolute star.
And judge Louis Walsh has tipped him to emulate his singing hero Michael Bublm. Louis said: He has improved so much and it is amazing given he hadnt sung in public before. He could be as big as Bublm.
The pair have performed a duet and Bublm appeared on a previous X Factor episode to back Leon. The teenagers favourite song is Bublms You Dont Know Me and he sang it last night to great acclaim.
Simon Cowell said: I thought it was brilliant. Im 25 to 50 per cent
Scottish so we can enjoy this together it was great.
Earlier, the final blasted off with a
festive flavour.
After Leon sang White Christmas, Sharon Osbourne told him: You came ina shy little boy and what I see is a
confident, gorgeous young man.
Rhydian won a standing ovation after returning to sing You Raise Me Up with opera star Katherine Jenkins. Cowell said: If you are going to award the prize for who has been brilliantly consistent throughout, you have to give it to you.
In Scotland, hundreds of Leons friends gathered as a huge screen beamed the show into his former high school
Whitburn Academy.
Amid scenes of incredible jubliation, deputy head teacher Margaret Fallon said: He has done so well and improved so much. Everyone is so proud of him.
Meanwhile, ITV2 presenter Fearne Cotton looked bemused by Leons response when asked how he was going to celebrate.
The West Lothian teenager replied: Im getting steaming.
At a press conference at midnight, Leon said: Im pleased Ive done my country proud in becoming the first Scot to win it. I want to say a massive thank you from the bottom of my heart to everybody who picked up the phone.
Im not sure what Im going to do with the money yet. That hasnt been the focus for me.
Its just all been about the singing and not the money. Its just been
brilliant.
Mum Wendy, a medical receptionist, said Im so pleased. Leon only started singing in public in the karaoke in
January. Before that he used to wander around the house with his iPod in his ears singing and I would tell him to be quiet because I was watching
Eastenders.
The first time I ever heard him sing in public was on the X Factor stage.
The only Christmas gift I want is for Leon to come home for a while.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaaGhh5f3-c&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8xrmZAihz0&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuY6cHjvgdc&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGKqZ7scY58
The Australian singer was blown away by the talented Scots shop worker as the series reached a gripping climax.
In a nail-biting finish, Leon, 18, became the first Scot to win the talent show after beating Welsh opera singer Rhydian in the final.
He is now certain to score the Christmas number one with the Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston hit When You Believe.
Stunned Leon wept with joy and said: Its not real, its not real after host
Dermot OLeary announced the winner.
There was just one per cent of the vote between bookies favourite Rhydian and the former shop assistant who is now
destined for a life of stardom.
Leon wept after singing the winning
song and said: It means the world to me. I never in a million years thought I could win. I set out in this competition because I loved singing and I would be able to give my mum a better life.
Leon always vowed to win the TV
contest to improve mum Wendys life after she brought him up as a single
mum. His dad died from flu at the age
of 39. Wendy was in the crowd last night and was also in tears.
Earlier, Kylie had sang Better The Devil You Know with Leon in front of the 12,000 crowd at the live final.
Kylie looked stunning in a black lace catsuit and danced on the piano before performing the swinging
version of her hit with the Scot.
Afterwards, she admitted being
smitten by his talent and looks,
saying: I love his voice and hes cute and adorable and everyone loves him.
Ive certainly fallen under his spell. I think Leon could go all the way and have a great pop career.
Leon, from Whitburn, West
Lothian said: I cant believe Ive just shared a stage with such a
superstar, its incredible.
He faced Rhydian and brother-
sister act Same Difference in the fight to land a s1million deal. The duo were the first voted out.
A show insider said: Kylie is
certain he has got what it takes to be an absolute star.
And judge Louis Walsh has tipped him to emulate his singing hero Michael Bublm. Louis said: He has improved so much and it is amazing given he hadnt sung in public before. He could be as big as Bublm.
The pair have performed a duet and Bublm appeared on a previous X Factor episode to back Leon. The teenagers favourite song is Bublms You Dont Know Me and he sang it last night to great acclaim.
Simon Cowell said: I thought it was brilliant. Im 25 to 50 per cent
Scottish so we can enjoy this together it was great.
Earlier, the final blasted off with a
festive flavour.
After Leon sang White Christmas, Sharon Osbourne told him: You came ina shy little boy and what I see is a
confident, gorgeous young man.
Rhydian won a standing ovation after returning to sing You Raise Me Up with opera star Katherine Jenkins. Cowell said: If you are going to award the prize for who has been brilliantly consistent throughout, you have to give it to you.
In Scotland, hundreds of Leons friends gathered as a huge screen beamed the show into his former high school
Whitburn Academy.
Amid scenes of incredible jubliation, deputy head teacher Margaret Fallon said: He has done so well and improved so much. Everyone is so proud of him.
Meanwhile, ITV2 presenter Fearne Cotton looked bemused by Leons response when asked how he was going to celebrate.
The West Lothian teenager replied: Im getting steaming.
At a press conference at midnight, Leon said: Im pleased Ive done my country proud in becoming the first Scot to win it. I want to say a massive thank you from the bottom of my heart to everybody who picked up the phone.
Im not sure what Im going to do with the money yet. That hasnt been the focus for me.
Its just all been about the singing and not the money. Its just been
brilliant.
Mum Wendy, a medical receptionist, said Im so pleased. Leon only started singing in public in the karaoke in
January. Before that he used to wander around the house with his iPod in his ears singing and I would tell him to be quiet because I was watching
Eastenders.
The first time I ever heard him sing in public was on the X Factor stage.
The only Christmas gift I want is for Leon to come home for a while.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaaGhh5f3-c&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8xrmZAihz0&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuY6cHjvgdc&feature=related
