It's true, Cher went hard..., for me it was great to see an unwatered down act doing the music they clearly love..., esp' as that is the music that is some of the most relevant these days in terms of what young people actually listen to. It kills me that it only ever seems to be the most dated of acts going through, or they seem to want to completely overhaul any ounce of urban-sass from the acts.

@Dev, I think that's a valid point that you mentioned because I wonder if a black act could have gotten away with such an audition, in a word I think not because at the auditions it seemed they didn't really put through urban types, unless they were 'urban nerd'-like and very mainstream in appeal. If there is any urban-ness in the mix it always seems to get converted into that motown-ish thing we've heard a gazillion times. That's the main reason I know many great singers who won't go on that show, they don't get to perform the music they're into.

NB. I also thought it was funny Cheryl liked her so much, as that's clearly the sort of music Cheryl listens to in her personal tastes but unfortunately doesn't have the talent to deliver it herself nor mentor it in others, while Louis and Simon don't understand Hiphop/RnB whatsoever which is why they don't manage undiluted urban acts and are consistently unable to add those elements to the straight up ballad singers with a passing feel for the genre that go on the show either i.e. Leona.