Tim: She might not have been the winner of X Factor last year, but given that she is basically responsible for Uptown Funk existing in the UK, history may well be on her side.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBRH4mFODwM
Tom: Before we go any further: who’s that unimpressed bald man at 0:33? A security guard? A spurned non-sax player? We may never know.
Tim: HAHAHA, and suddenly that’s the most entertaining part of the whole thing.
But for all the rest of it, we have Fleur cementing her position alongside JLS, Olly Murs and One Direction as an X Factor non-winner who is going to succeed. This is a woman who knows without a shadow of a doubt that the stage is hers, the song is hers and the future is hers for the taking.
Tom: Agreed: you want to talk about the “X Factor”? It’s right there. That big, held note in the middle eight is brilliant.
Tim: Name checking herself in the lyrics, the look on her face after she’s been thrown in the air and the enormous amount of vigour that’s thrown into the dancing in the final section – it’s all confidence, and it’s all warranted.
Tom: Apart from the fact that the track is terrible.
Tim: Oh, please. Seriously? It’s a great track (aside from the fact that it’s called Sax but it’s the trumpets that get all the glory, and admittedly I have no idea why a relationship might depend upon saxophone skills) and a great performance.
Tom: The trumpets is one of the things that irks me, sure, but the basic concept and the style would be considered a bit dated ten years ago. Five years ago, Mr Saxobeat just about got away with it. But really? “You’ve got to play that sax”? I’ll grant you the “run it back” line is catchy, but it just seems a bit… weird.
Tim: Lyrics, fine, but you surely not comparing this to Mr Saxobeat? That was a summer dance track, a gimmicky loop repeated, a novelty track. Whereas this, well, you do remember Uptown Funk, right? And how it was absolutely everywhere? This takes a whole load of inspiration from that, sticks some great up to date female vocals on top (that pre-chorus is bang on) and all adds up to one hell of an introductory track.
How much more do you need to kickstart a career?
Tom: Ask me again later when the chart comes out. If this beats Ben Haenow, I’ll be disappointed.
Tim: Time of writing, iTunes has Fleur at 2 and Ben at 18. I wouldn’t get your hopes up.