DESPITE harsh criticism from the judges following his own interpretation of a disco classic, Essex boy Sam Callahan has once again sailed through the live shows, taking him one step closer to the X Factor title.
Scroll down to listen back to Sam's performance from last week.The 19-year-old failed on last Saturday's episode to impress Gary Barlow with his version of Relight My Fire, a disco song from 1979 that Take That covered with Lulu in 1993, but he was first to learn he'd received enough votes to avoid the sing-off on the Sunday results show, and punched the air in disbelief.
The singer/songwriter from Great Totham now joins the final eight acts fighting it out for the reality show title, and has promised to give 100 per cent to each of his future performances in order to silence his critics.
After hearing particularly harsh criticism from Gary Barlow and Nicole Scherzinger, Sam said: "I think that since Boot Camp I came up and said look, this is not The Voice, this competition is the X Factor and I know I haven't got the best voice in this show, I've said that from day one, but I come out and give 100 per cent each time.
"And I will continue to do that, and continue to work hard to try and please everyone."
The former Sylvia Young Theatre school pupil came out fighting on Saturday's live show with a boxing-themed performance of Relight My Fire.
But he was torn apart by Gary, who looked horrified at Sam's rendition of a song he himself covered with Take That at the peak of their fame.
"You're a lovely lad… but I hated that performance, I really did," said the 42-year-old, who later lost his own act Kingsland Road in the sing-off.
"The vocals were really exposed. You're not the best singer in the competition and the problem for you is that everyone else is so much better than you."
Despite being told it was "a great performance" by Sharon Osbourne and that he was one of the hardest working contestants in the competition by mentor Louis Walsh, Sam appeared deflated at the comments.
But the public proved their huge support for the self- confessed "flirty fella" when it came to the telephone vote, with presenter Dermot announcing the former Woodham Ferrers pupil as the first through to the next round of live shows.
