Ryan Dunn

By Sarah Bull

Great potential: Gamu Nhengu, 18, wowed the judges with her interpretation of Katrina And The Waves' hit song Walking On Sunshine

The new series of The X Factor kicked off in style with a series of inventive and entertaining performances which left judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Cheryl Cole stunned.

While Cheryl Cole's malaria and Dannii Minogue's pregnancy leave have perhaps been the most reported factors of the programme so far, the focus was most definitely back on the music tonight with a series of stunning songs from some hugely talented performers.

The most emotional performance of the night came from the Glasgow auditions in the form of 18-year-old student Gamu Nhengu.

Teary-eyed: But Gamu started to get emotional when she told of how her single mother had sacrificed everything to bring up her and her two brothers

Gamu told the judges how she wanted to give back something to her mother, who had struggled to raise her and her two brothers on her own.

Before going on stage she said: 'We live in Scotland, just me, my two little brothers and my mum. My mum and I are really close - she's a single parent and she pays the bills.

'If I've got to change my family's life by doing what I love, that is the ultimate.'

Don't worry: Gamu's mother rushed onto the stage at the end of her performance to give her a hug

New line-up: Judges (left to right) Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell with Geri Halliwell, who was standing in for Dannii Minogue, watch as Gamu performs

Singing her own version of Katrina And The Waves' Walking On Sunshine, Gamu proved an instant hit with both the judges and the audience.

Simon told her: 'You sang one of my worst songs ever, but you did something different with it. I really, really like you. You've kind of got this really cool old school jazz voice, and I think you're really talented.'

Breaking down when she heard the judges' comments, Gamu said: 'This means everything to me - I really want to give something back to my mum.

Disco moves: The judges weren't sure what to expect from Stephen Hunter, but were impressed by his voice

Burn baby burn: However, his dance moves didn't go down too well with the judges, who told him to change his routine

'She works really hard and I've never been able to... I really want to give something back to her.'

After getting four yeses from the judges, Gamu was joined on stage by her mother, who hugged her and started crying herself when Simon told her: 'Your daughter did great, we think she's really talented.'

Other notable performances of the first episode included 41-year-old house husband Stephen Hunter, who made the judges laugh with his entertaining performance of Disco Inferno, complete with hilarious dance moves as he kicked off the show.

Not so good: George Bicknell, 70, and the lead singer of Diva Features were a flop on the show

Big ambition: Diva Features said they wanted to be playing at the interval of the Super Bowl when they were asked where they wanted to be in five years' time

And while it seemed unlikely he would be going through to the bootcamp stage, he won the judges, who were joined by guest judge Geri Halliwell, over with his cheeky style.

Following the performance, Geri said: 'Stephen, I really loved it. I thought you were entertaining - you had a mixture of vulnerability but a bit of a diva. I think you've got potential.'

But Simon had mixed feelings on the singer, adding: 'Taking the horrific dancing to one side, I think you do have a good voice. But I think the little boy lost routine has to go now because you're not 16.'

Despite this, he received four yeses from the panel and will now be seen at bootcamp.

Listening out: But Simon and Louis didn't think the trio had what it takes to realise their huge dream

While X Factor is known for finding some of the most talented singers in the UK, it is also famous for showing some of the worst - to hilarious results.

The first shockingly bad performance of the evening came from trio Diva Features, who said they wanted to be performing at the Super Bowl during half time in six years' time.

But Simon was less than impressed with the group, telling them: 'It sounded and looked like you just met each other at the bus stop five minutes ago.'

The rest of the judges agreed with Simon, and the group left disappointed after getting four nos.

Singing waitress: Lynn Frances O'Neil said she had been banned from singing for one day at her restaurant work, but Simon said she could sing every night if he owned it

However, nothing could have prepared the judges for 21-year-old student Emedy Ecilo's performance of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean.

It was so comical that Cheryl Cole was forced to put a mug in front of her face to try and hide the fact she was laughing so much.

But comedy wasn't enough to put Emedy through to the next round, and he got four nos from the judges.

There's always one group who comes on as a duo or trio and it's decided that one singer has a better voice than the rest.

G and S: Peter and Caroline provided an entertaining performance with Don't Stop Believing

Painful: But Peter's terrible singing was difficult for judges including Cheryl to listen to

Tonight that was G and S, otherwise known as Peter, 37, and Caroline, 21.
As they launched into a performance of Journey's Don't Stop Believing, the beginning of which Peter missed his cue for, it quickly became clear that Caroline was the one holding the song together.

So the judges gave her the chance to perform on her own, after checking it was ok with Peter, who supportively watched her from the back of the stage.

Following her performance, Simon said: 'You're very lucky to have a friend like that, having said that, there is a comparison issue which is that you are better than your friend but I'm not sure in the real world if your voice or your confidence is actually good enough.'

Much better: When Caroline was given the chance to sing on her own, she performed much better

Supportive: She was watched by supportive friend Peter from the side of the stage

But it wasn't enough to convince Simon she deserved to go through, and he said no, while Cheryl, Geri and Louis all said yes - putting her through to the next round.

Singing waitress Lynn Frances O'Neil was also another standout performance when she sang Phil Collins' True Colours and left the audience speechless with her incredible voice.
After admitting she had been banned from singing at the restaurant she works in on a Sunday, Simon laughed: 'If I owned the restaurant I would have you singing every night of the week' before leading the judges in four yeses.

Massive potential: Mark McGregor proved a hit with judges, including Geri Halliwell

Following the previous success of JLS on The X Factor, there were a host of groups all keen to follow in their footsteps on the show.

The first one to be shown was Noir, who got four yeses after singing Lady Gaga's Paparazzi at the London auditions.

But Jahm, who originally decribed themselves as 'like N-Dubz or Black Eyed Peas', weren't quite so good and left the judges speechless for several minutes before one member of the band asked, 'How was it?'

Dice: The tummy-baring girlband Dice went down well with the judges, but Cheryl Cole told them to ease up on the fake tan

Electrolytes: Cheryl told this group they would be better suited performing on a children's show

Simon replied: 'If you want me to be honest, probably the worst group we have ever had on the show. I have never heard anything like that, it was atrocious.'

Louis added: 'It was like three cats getting strangled in a bag,' while Cheryl commented: 'I very rarely say this but it was actually quite shocking.'
Needless to say, the band didn't get through to the bootcamp stage.

Other bands who took to the stage included Dice, who went down well with the judges but who Cheryl told to 'Ease off on the fake tan!'

Jahm, with an h: The band appeared promising at first, but completely murdered their performance of Lady Gag's Bad Romance

Speechless: None of the judges knew what to say when Jahm finished their performance

The comment caused a row between Cheryl and Simon, who accused her of being catty before pouring out a saucer of milk for her later in the show.

Madonna wannabe Katie, 24, certainly stood out from the crowd in her 80s inspired outfit and huge curly blonde hairdo, but divided judges with her performance.

After Simon told her to choose a different song from her first choice of Etta James's At Last, Katie chose to sing We Are The Champions by Queen before forgetting her words.

Madonna wannabe: Katie, who said she was inspired by 80s icons including Freddie Mercury, divided judges

At Last she managed it: Katie finally got through to the next round with her performance of Etta James' At Last

She was eventually allowed to sing her first choice and was put through to the next round after she was labelled 'likeable and quirky' by the judges.

The show was finished with a truly memorable performance from single mother Shirlena Johnson, who performed her own version of Duffy's Mercy.

Before the performance, Shirlena said: 'I first started singing when I was 18. I was trained in opera style but I like other styles too, pop music, 1940s music.'

War of the words: Simon accused Cheryl of being catty after telling one girlband they needed to ease up on the fake tan

Catty: Simon tries to stop laughing as he pours out a saucer of cream for an unamused Cheryl

However, her rendition of Mercy was truly unique and was another one which left the judges speechless.

But the response from the crowd was enough to convince the thoroughly entertained judges that Shirlena should go through to the next stage, with Simon adding: 'You know what I love about you - you're fantastically nuts.'

And it seems the first episode is the first of many entertaining and shocking shows to come, judging by the sneak peek of tomorrow's show we were shown.

Mercy me: Shirlena Johnson's performance of Mercy was truly memorable and entirely unique

Hilarious: The performance, which won the audience over, was enough to put her through to the next round

As well as footage of guest judge Katy Perry swooning when one particularly hunky male singer took off his top, the sneak peek showed a shocking cat fight when one girl hit her bandmate after their performance didn't go well at the auditions in Birmingham.

Following the incident, Cheryl can be heard exclaiming, 'Oh, my God! She punched her!', while the rest of the judges appeared confused about what had happened.