Again, this will be VERY subjective, but it's fun to take a look back at some of the best live performances of this season.
So, what performances made the list?
Sydnee Carter
[GIRLS]
Week: Top 10
Her quirky tone may not sound as fresh and unique anymore than say five years ago, but there's vulnerability to her delivery that's pretty admirable. Her vocals were wobbly in parts, but her version was still good.
Tee
[BOYS]
Week: Top 10
While not his best vocal performance, there's something undeniably compelling about this. Everything worked for Tee here. The stage production was brilliant, his vocals were on point, the grit to his voice added dimension to the performance, and it was just all-around entertaining.
Brothers 3
[GROUPS]
Week: Top 10
Not a fan - I don't think I'll ever be - but hey, they managed to keep me interested throughout the performance. I don't know. I thought this was their shining moment on the show. Their vocals sounded great together, they added a little gimmick to the whole proceedings with that trumpet, and they looked like they were having fun. Good for them!
Marlisa
[GIRLS]
Week: Top 5
Very nice. Her tone worked perfectly with the song, there's a clarity to her diction that even Ariana Grande would wish for, and her runs were precise. If she hadn't botched that first note, this would've ranked a lot higher.
Reigan Derry
[OVERS]
Week: Top 12
The whole harness thing was obviously a gimmick, but it worked. The half sounded ordinary, but when she hits the second half, everything just soared - no pun intended. The build up and dynamics of her voice throughout the performance was astounding.
Jason Heerah
[OVERS]
Week: Top 8
The crazy eyes was a little crazy, but what's not to like about this performance? The fact that he pulled off his vocals with a spot on pitch while playing a drum set was pretty impressive.
XOX
[GROUPS]
Week: Top 10
Their vocal transitions were a little uneven, but THAT note! There was something about it that's quite riveting. I'm not sure if it was the insane range of one of the singers or Serenity's swagger, but this worked.
Marlisa
[GIRLS]
Week: Top 4
I didn't usually buy into her emotions as most of her interpretations during the early part of the competition came off bland, but the intensity here was unbelievable. There's a conviction to her delivery that resonated really well and that also made up for a fantastic soaring vocals.
Dean Ray
[BOYS]
Week: Finale
I will say this: X Factor Australia ALWAYS comes up with the best Winner's Single in any singing competition in the entire world! The song fits perfectly with his voice, range, and his whole vibe. Oh, it's a hit waiting to explode.
Reigan Derry
[OVERS]
Week: Top 7
I thought this was a great material to begin with and it somehow brought back the ragged soulful quality of her voice. Power and pitch were on point, and the last half was superb.
Marlisa
[GIRLS]
Week: Finale
It was much better than what I would have imagined, mainly because she was able to connect to the lyrics brilliantly. Her vocals were gorgeous and she delicately balanced her pitch and dynamics to a perfect degree.
XOX
[GROUPS]
Week: Top 13
This proved that they were probably one of the most relevant and contemporary acts this season. Their harmonies were on point, the energy was contagious, the little choreography was a nice touch, and the rap breakdown was brilliant.
Marlisa
[GIRLS]
Week: Finale
I have to admit, they both hit a couple of sharp notes somewhere throughout the performance, but this was one fine moment for Marlisa. Her voice stood out surprisingly well against Jess Mauboy and that vocal flourishes towards the end was impressive. Plus, the chemistry between the two was palpable.
Reigan Derry
[OVERS]
Week: Top 4
She sounded really really good on this song. Her smooth tone and impressive range was on full display here and the liberties she took with the melody were flawless.
Reigan Derry
[OVERS]
Week: Top 6
Reigan probably delivered a stunning vocal performance with Burn For You. Her vocal dynamics were great, the way she navigated the melody during the verses sounded beautiful, and how she powered her voice through towards the end was sublime. Just lovely.
Dean Ray
[BOYS]
Week: Top 5
This was the side of Dean's vocals that I didn't expect. The modulation to his voice was outstanding, his softer tone sounded pretty, his transitions were spot on, his falsetto was solid, and his ability to connect to a song like this was refreshing.
Reigan Derry
[OVERS]
Week: Top 11
The song choice itself was a recipe for disaster, but Reigan handled the song well and pulled it off effortlessly and with flying colors. She was a vocal beast and this proved that she's unbelievably versatile.
Dean Ray
[BOYS]
Week: Top 9
Who knew Dean could pull off something as vibrant as this? I'm used to something more moody for him and to breakout and nail Budapest was a pleasant surprise. This was an incredibly charismatic performance with enough joy and quirk to the whole number. Like Reigan, Dean proved to be quite versatile.
Marlisa
[GIRLS]
Week: Top 5
I personally wasn't a fan of Marlisa at the beginning as she came off as a fantastic karaoke singer. She didn't take enough risks with her phrasing choices, liberties with the melody and whatnot. So while this wasn't particularly original - she just basically colored the lines of Sia's vocals - the overall effect was amazing. Her vocals were top notch and there's fire in her eyes that I haven't seen prior to this.
Dean Ray
[BOYS]
Week: Top 4
I thought his vocals sounded fantastic, his falsetto was solid, and his vocal control was impeccable. I thought the arrangement was also good as it build up quite nicely. Oh, and his connection to the material just made me swoon. Beautiful.
Jason Heerah
[OVERS]
Week: Top 7
Breaking the list of Dean, Reagan, and Marlisa performances was Jason's terrific version of Latch. There was nothing earth shattering as this seemed like the usual slowed down version of a dance song, but his distinct vocal tone and texture was front and center here. I thought his performance showed some good dynamics and it's the kind of music that suits him best.
Marlisa
[GIRLS]
Week: Finale
Let me reiterate: X Factor Australia ALWAYS comes up with the best Winner's Single in any singing competition in the entire world! Marlisa's tone was used in great effect on this song, and it highlighted the strengths of his vocals. Plus, there's meaning to the song that's not entirely sappy, but still uplifting.
Reigan Derry
[OVERS]
Week: Top 13
Not sure about the song choice at first, but she managed to make something out of Katy Perry's least interesting single to date. She hit some really impressive note, the staging was probably the best I've in any of the singing competition in years, and just the fact that she was able to pull off with all the sand in her mouth was a stellar achievement.
Reigan Derry
[OVERS]
Week: Top 10
At first, I thought it was the beautiful song that made this performance special, but she actually showed some brilliant vocal control, a couple of beautiful little touches, and great tone. She also made some notes be so pure and clear and used her vibrato for emphasis. Oh, and this was her most passionate performance on the show.
Dean Ray
[BOYS]
Week: Top 6
Exquisite. His tone on this song was pure magic, his vocals soared to great effect, his phrasing was lovely, the arrangement with just a piano to accompany his vocals was brilliant, the build up was amazing, the vocal dynamics was incredible, and yes, I could on and on and on and on, but I don't think I have enough adjectives to further prove how much I loved this version.
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