Achille Lauro during the X Factor 2024 Home Visits. Credit: Virginia Bettoja
With this episode of the X Factor Home Visits, we officially know who the contestants are that we will see in the live episodes of the programstarting next Thursday, October 24th, again on Sky and streaming on NOW. The Sky Original show produced by Fremantle has arrived, in fact, at time of Home Visitshistorically among the most enjoyable episodes of the format. The contestants move away from the television studios and the impact on the public and join their judges in a large house in the middle of the countryside (complete with a swimming pool). There they perform and have the opportunity to get to know each other better. Each judge is then asked to eliminate one of their artists and thus select the 3 artists to bring to the Live Show.
X Factor: Achille Lauro’s Home Visits
We start with Achille Lauro who reaches the villa together with his maid Perla (“She is the manager of the house”). She is an incredible character: she alternates sweetness (as when she prepares an apple pie for Lauro together with some competitors, explaining that it is her favourite) with a hilarious rigidity. Let’s hope that Sky, after this TV appearance, will give her even more space in the program (vote for Pearl? 10!).
In addition to her, Achille Lauro – who celebrates his birthday on the day of filming – also invites her to dinner some dear friends: Boss Doms and Frenzy.
Achille Lauro during the X Factor 2024 Home Visits. Credit: Virginia Bettoja
Achille Lauro’s Home Visits begin with Patagarri and their unreleased song The bank in the center. It’s a good song, which brings out their particularity and their theatrical mood which makes them unique in this competition. But the question is one: what future can they have in Italian discography? VOTE: 6
Then comes the 17-year-old singer-songwriter from Verona Lorenzo Salvetti. Achille Lauro loves his emotionality madly: you can see. While singing on the piano The greatest words of Coez confirms that he knows how to be very intense. Songs like this allow us to see his ability as a performer. He has crystal clear talent. Among the best of the program so far. VOTE: 9
And here is the 28 year old originally from Tunisia Ibrahim Guiblawi (aka Ibra). Sing Heathens and once again he shows his unique tone (as Lauro himself recalls, amazed). He brings interesting diversity to the program. Lauro asks him if he also sings in Italian. «I’ve tried countless times but I can’t», he confides. It could be a problem. RATING: 7 AND A HALF
The young rock band (and Lauro’s X Pass during the Auditions) plays Empty city of Mina. Their commitment to a piece in Italian is appreciable (and what a piece!) though it’s not among their best performances. VOTE: 6
The decisions of Achille Lauro
Before communicating your decisions, two members of Patagarri, a swing quartet from Milan, express some doubts about their participation in the program (“We are not used to being in such a context”). Lauro underlines the importance of hard work, explaining that he almost appreciates those who are hungry more than those who have simple talent. Achille Lauro brings Lorenzo Salvetti, Les Votives and Patagarri to the Live Show. Ibrahim Guiblawi eliminated.
X Factor: Jake La Furia’s Home Visits
Jake La Furia during the X Factor 2024 Home Visits. Credit: Virginia Bettoja
The rap duo formed by two boys from Viterbo unites Words words by Mina a What word by bnkr44. The result is a banal mix between autotune and a lack of incisiveness. RATING: 4 AND A HALF
After a swim in the pool, the 29-year-old from Turin Francesca Siano (aka Francamente) performs in front of Jake La Furia guitar and vocals with The Rhythm of the Night. Very delicate with a powerful vibrato. RATING: 8 AND A HALF
The Verona rock quintet The Foolz bring …And the moon knocked. The frontman has a beautiful voice and their sound works well. However, they do not have such a strong identity. RATING: 6 AND A HALF
The 17-year-old Bulgarian singer closes Home Visit. Sing, after a paste for nothing light prepared by the Potara, Talking to the Moon. For the umpteenth time sing divinely. «You’re good at ballads», Jake tells her, impressed by her talent. She’s perfect for The X Factor. And he could have a bright future in the world of recording. RATING: 9 AND A HALF
Jake The Fury’s decisions
The judge brings Elmira Marinova, Francamente and The Foolz to the Live Show. However, the Potaras were eliminated.
X Factor: Paola Iezzi’s Home Visits
Paola Iezzi during the X Factor 2024 Home Visits. Credit: Virginia Bettoja
Dimensione Brama starts with their version of Can’t Get You Out of My Head. The seven Roman boys (all under 30) transform the hit into an elegant pieceexcept for a few passages. Paola expresses some doubts about the guitarist: «He seems to want more space, a more leadership role». VOTE: 7
The Italian-Scottish singer-songwriter born in 2003 brings Friday I’m in Love dei The Cure. «It’s certainly happier and less melancholic than the original version», he says Paola Iezzi. «But he was fine. I had the right freshness». He’s right. A good performance. RATING: 6 AND A HALF
The electro duo Frammenti brings Born Slippy (Nuxx) by Underworld with some unreleased, almost recited parts that have the value of social criticism. «It seems to me that you say what you want to say through music», comments Paola Iezzi. A performance that though it doesn’t show us sides of them that we didn’t yet know. VOTE: 5
Laura Fethau, the 23 year old from Pordenone (formerly X Pass di Paola), closes. He does it with If I Were a Boy who sings in a traditional way and quite flat. She adds an unpublished part in Italian written by her (avoidable? yes). VOTE: 5
Paola Iezzi’s decisions
Dimensione Brama, Laura Fethau and Pablo Murphy go to the Live Show. Fragments eliminated.
X Factor: Manuel Agnelli’s Home Visits
Manuel Agnelli during the X Factor 2024 Home Visits. Credit: Virginia Bettoja
Punkcakes begin. The punk band made up of five 20-year-olds from the province of Arezzo brings I’m Scum. «I was a bit afraid that you were a second generation punk band that did Italian-style covers, speeding up the songs», confides Agnelli. But then he dismisses them with «You are a real band». They have the right attitude. But what future do they have on X Factor? RATING: 6 AND A HALF
Con Hey of the Pixies Beatrice Fita, a 20-year-old singer-songwriter from the province of Como, tries to hit Manuel Agnelli. Compared to his previous performances it is less convincing. It’s as if he can’t find the key to fully expressing himself. But he appreciates it a lot. RATING: 6 AND A HALF
The 17 year old from the province of Monza (X Pass by Manuel Agnelli during the Auditions) arrives with EARFQUAKE di Tyler, the Creator e play with music and words. She is more mature than she may seem. «Shades are your forte» comments Agnelli. RATING: 7 AND A HALF
Danielle – real name Daniel Gasperini – closes this year’s Home Visits. The 29-year-old multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter from Pesaro with very long hair (“But I had it even longer”) is a little gem. His version of Love yourself a little it’s very intense. RATING: 8 AND A HALF
Manuel Agnelli’s decisions
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The judge brings Punkcake, Mimì Caruso and Danielle to the Live Show. Eliminated Beatrice Fita.
Oh, fantastic! "X Factor" is back, folks! And here we are, folks, diving into the delightful chaos of "Home Visits." It’s like a family reunion gone wrong—where everyone sings instead of arguing over who stole whose mashed potatoes.
Kicking things off, we’ve got Achille Lauro’s elegant fiasco, complete with his housekeeper, Perla, who frankly deserves a show of her own. I mean, what’s a competition without a bit of domestic diva drama? She’s baking pies and laying down the law—it’s like a reality show crossover of "The Great British Bake Off" meets "The Real Housewives." I’m here for it! 10 points for Perla: the real star of the show!
Now, I don’t know if anyone noticed, but Achille Lauro himself is apparently a birthday boy during filming. So, in the spirit of generosity usually reserved for a fifth slice of cake, let’s go through the contestants like we’re tasting wines at a posh dinner party—although I am definitely more of a cheap beer guy.
Patagarri starts us off with their unreleased song, "The Bank in the Center." And as much as I appreciate their theatrical mood—voted a solid 6—I can’t help but wonder: will they end up in the charts or just on a meme about bad auditions?
Next up, we’ve got Lorenzo Salvetti—17 and already more emotional than I was at the last three weddings I attended. This kid really knows how to turn on the waterworks! 9 points—he’s like the Italian Adele, just slightly younger and much less likely to be in a pub in London crying about heartbreak!
Then we have Ibrahim Guiblawi—not to be confused with the pudding you try to pronounce after a few drinks. I mean, we love diversity in music, but is it just me, or does the poor fella seem like he can’t catch a break in Italian? Singing "Heathens" with a tone that makes pop music sound like classical; I’d give him a solid 7.5, but can we get a translator on stage?
Moving on to the young rock band with an ambitious name, “The Foolz,” performing “Empty City”—and let me tell you, that performance could make a cement factory feel lively! They’ve got potential, but right now, they just seem to exist. A full 6 from me—but maybe a little more flavor next time, eh?
And then we’re diving into the realm of decisions. Achille Lauro chooses to bring Lorenzo Salvetti, Les Votives, and Patagarri to the Live Show, which raises questions—did he eliminate Ibra because he didn’t sing in Italian or because the dude bought him socks for his birthday? Anyone could lose in that fierce competition!
Switching gears, let’s talk Jake La Furia. His visit is like a rap showdown in your grandma’s living room. Seriously, two boys from Viterbo mixed up some old Classic hits with a sprinkle of autotune—which gave me more of a headache than my Uncle Larry’s karaoke night. A 4.5 doesn’t feel too harsh, right?
But then we have Francesca Siano (aka Francamente)—who if she doesn’t become a household name soon, we might as well give up on dreams! She sings “The Rhythm of the Night” with the kind of vibrato that could shake your grandmother’s wallpaper off. An 8.5 from me—book her now before she’s stolen away by someone who doesn’t appreciate proper vibrato!
Topping her, our 17-year-old Bulgarian songbird—what a voice! 9.5! Gave me goosebumps straight after a sneeze! She’s more than ready for the big leagues, and honestly, if she doesn’t win, we’ll have to seriously reconsider our musical tastes—like, just what is wrong with us?
Then we’ll have to pop over to Paola Iezzi’s segments—first with Dimensione Brama, who took “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and rewrapped it like last month’s sandwich—a solid 7, but I felt it lacked substance!
Bringing up Frammenti, their performance of "Born Slippy" made me want to born nappy—but not ’cause it was so good. I’m saying 5, and that’s generous.
Crowning our evening, a comedian’s glee at Laura Fethau butchering “If I Were a Boy.” Honey, we need to discuss those “unpublished” lyrics, yeah? 5 points, girl—let’s work on that!
In the end, we bid farewell to some good talent while welcoming more to the extravagant Live Shows. Now, this is an X Factor I can get behind! I can feel the tension in the air like a family member at dinner waiting for the turkey to be carved!
So, let’s get ready—because "X Factor" is cranked up to eleven, and I’m ready to laugh, cry, and cringe all while cheering for our budding stars! Till next week, folks, let’s keep the pies warm and the drama simmering! Cheers!
