On Wednesday’s X Factor, the remaining 7 contestants had the daunting task of singing a Michael Jackson song, in front of a studio full of the King of Pop’s family including Jackson’s brothers Marlon, Tito and Jermaine and Jackson’s mother Katherine, and his children, Prince, Paris and Blanket.
That’s a lot of Jacksons in the house!
“When I heard it was Michael Jackson week, I was really excited because my family has a connection to him,” Chris Rene told us in his pre-performance video package. “My grandfather was a songwriter. He wrote Rockin’ Robin and then the Jackson 5 picked that song.”
When it came time for Chris to rehearse his chosen song, his mentor L.A. Reid told him he wanted to see a little more Chris and a little less Michael in Chris’ performance. Rene took those words to heart and by performing Jackson’s I’ll Be There in his own style and flair, he showed us why he belongs in the top 7.
Wearing a bedazzled Letterman jacket with an M on the left breast, Rene sang MJ with a bit of a hip hop flair. The judges all liked Chris, with the exception of Simon Cowell. “The vocal was a little shaky at the top,” he said. “When the rap kicked in, it was much, much better. I think you’re going to need a lot of support from your home town tonight.”
Nicole Scherzinger disagreed. “What’s so amazing about Michael Jackson is that you always feel his spirit though his music, and I felt your spirit tonight and it was so beautiful,” she said.
To vote for Rene, call 855-843-9306 . Watch his performance below: