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Barking's mad for Stacey Solomon as the diva goes home
By
David Smyth
9 Dec 2009
Barking and Dagenham screamed as one when a new famous daughter returned for a brief performance in preparation for the biggest weekend of her young life.
Giddy heights: Stacey Solomon, with son Zach, meets fans as she is applauded by her mentor Dannii Minogue
Hundreds of fans braved the rain, the cold and a shouty TV person ordering them to “go mental” , in order to watch X Factor finalist Stacey Solomon sing three songs in her local theatre.
Stage diva: Stacey is much more confident on stage
She was watched by her TV mentor Dannii Minogue and her entire family. Her father threw sweets from the balcony and her young son Zach waved a light sabre as the 20-year-old giggled and swooned in the way that has now endeared her to millions.
Adoring: screaming fans greet the X Factor star for her three-song set in Barking
Her remaining X Factor rivals, Joe McElderry (the cutesy boy band-type and hot favourite) and Olly Murs (the wiggly-dancing Will Young-type) were also on home turf yesterday, wondering whether in a year’s time they’ll be back in a private jet or panto costume.
Their ousted former rival, Danyl Johnson, was forging his new career last night by singing at a charity event at Selfridges in Oxford Street.
This Sunday one of the surviving contestants will win Simon Cowell’s big-money record deal, though as we have seen in the past that is no barrier to the others getting the same thing. Success in a phone vote might not necessarily be reflected in the charts.
Past runners-up JLS and Rhydian Roberts are still doing well, while victors such as Steve Brookstein and Leon Jackson are doomed to live on only as pub quiz questions. Then there is Leona Lewis, the only genuine international star to have emerged from six series of the talent show in the UK. It may be too much to hope for any of them to achieve the same level of success, though Solomon displays a similar arena-filling voice and fondness for standing still singing big ballads.
The songs she performed at Barking — What A Wonderful World, Somewhere from West Side Story and Over The Rainbow in the style of Eva Cassidy — kept things slow and simple in the Lewis mode.
Yet a more accurate comparison may be with Susan Boyle, for that magical transformation that takes place between the person who speaks and the person who sings. Between songs Solomon is hilariously giddy, a breathless natterer straight out of Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky. They call her the Dagenham Diva but she is ordinary to an almost cartoonish extent. “I can’t believe people turned up,” she gasped.
Such naivety has swelled her fanbase but whether she wins on Sunday or not — as Boyle has already demonstrated — if she is going to succeed beyond this competition Solomon may need to toughen up.
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Reader views (10)
I really still can.t understand how shes hasn't got a record deal yet but them awful twins(JED-WARD) get a song in the charts the music industry is all wrong somebody up there must of had too much to drink or be related to AMY WINEHOUSE lol. Come Simon give the girl the break the whole world wants to see as Dani Minouge is to busy to do it her self. COME ON SIMON!!!! PLEASE PLEASE.
- Martin Thorpe, wigan Lancshire GB, 17/03/2010 00:49
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Stacey was amazing and I still can't believe she came third in the competition! But I think she can be a great star all over the world. And I going to buy all her cd's. I hope the cd's will come the The Netherlands aswell. That would be easier to buy. 
Stacey, you are amazing and I will always be a realy big fan forever! Hope you are comming to The Netherlands once!
- Peter, Stein, The Netherlands, 26/12/2009 13:29
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Yh she may be cutesy ditzy and able to sing a bit but can she write her own material or play her own music, its time the charts were given back to the real musicians and band rather than the latest kareoke singer from the x factor which is why I will be supporting Rage Against the machine with their anthemic killing in the name for this years christmas number 1
- Monkphish, london, 09/12/2009 21:49
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Maybe she can sing (sort of) but she sure as hell can't speak. At least no language I understand, I've never heard her string two words together. Says it all really.
- Paul, Kent, 09/12/2009 18:47
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Stacey will be around for years, she is a great singer, and can sing any kind of song, she will get better and better in the coming years, I can see her making lots of CDs full of songs for every generation etc; I am a fussy buyer, but I would buy her CDs, and yes I have already bought susan boyle's CD etc.
Stacey would also make a good actress in sit-com type programes or stage shows, she has a lot of humour about her, and you can't help but like her.
Essex Girls; really are good fun, and never boring.
- Mickinlondon, london, 09/12/2009 17:00
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Actually Andy Abraham is doing well on the soul scene , Brenda is a stage star, Maria is still making music(all were on the x factor when it was a more credible show) ."
I am sorry, but WHO ARE these people you just mentioned. I live by Brenda and she cant even get a gig in Dunstable
- Keith Price, Luton, Emgland, 09/12/2009 16:17
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Actually Andy Abraham is doing well on the soul scene , Brenda is a stage star, Maria is still making music(all were on the x factor when it was a more credible show) . just because these (far more ) talented bunch are not silly 'pop stars' doesn't mean they are not successful.
Stacey will become one of those pub quiz questions............she is no susan boyle in the singing stakes thats for sure.
- Kh, London UK, 09/12/2009 14:56
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I was at this. Very random. My wife were wandering through Barking for no other reason than we'd never been before. Some X-Factor researcher stopped us and invited us to the show. It was good fun, but I was probably the oldest person there by about ten years (I'm 33). She's a great singer, but would really benefit from some stage coaching.
- David Waddell, London, UK, 09/12/2009 12:58
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The best feamle singer left in the competition since silly Cowell chose the talentless Jedward over Lucie Jones and Miss Frank. Go Stacey
- Keith Price, Luton, Emgland, 09/12/2009 11:22
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As Robbie Williams commented about Stacey........"Every Home Should Have One!"
- Mike Coventry, Hertford GB, 09/12/2009 10:55
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