Layla Rae Cash - Live on Star Factory Season 2 - Week 2

A rushing sound can be heard on the camera before the name "Layla Rae Cash" is flashed up on the screen, shimmering with some falling stars. Some gentle music then begins to play as a video clip comes into focus, showing the beautiful and innocent looking fresh-faced Layla Rae Cash sitting at a desk wearing a pair of headphones, a microphone in front of her. Her speech is drowned out by the music, but she is smiling at someone across the desk as she speaks, and appears to be happy and chatty while being interviewed. After a while, a voiceover plays over the top of the clip as it continues to show the interview.



“The last week has just been one of the most fun times of my lil old life, you know? I had the chance to get myself interviewed on the radio, and it was great fun to just go in there, and chat about the music and the show. I was like shocked that they even wanted to interview me....I mean, I ain't famous," she laughs. "But everybody at XFMLA was so nice to me, and they did their best to make me feel like I was someone important.

"We talked mostly about the show and how I've found it so far, and it was like I was a lil old shining star. But after it I had the chance to speak with my coach Hayden Merjos, who has been fantastic to me, and he told me that it was important that I should not let the fact that I was interviewed get into my head, and that I should be trying to keep my feet on the ground so that I don't get complacent; but I don't think I'm big headed enough for that." She giggles a lttle.

The camera changes and cuts to a video clip of an empty Star Factory arena, the stage filled with people milling around and trying to change lighting and other stage props, while Layla and Hayden stand at the front of the stage, deep in discussion about something. Hayden points all around the arena and Layla nods a little and brings her hands to her cheeks and smiling, her face turning a little red with either embarrassment or nerves.

"Over the last few weeks since the bidding process of the show, I have had a chance to get down and work hard with my mentor Hayden Merjos, and try to learn something from him before the start of this competition for real! I was real happy when I was bid on by three different judges after I sang my first song at the bidding night, but when it came to it, I was delighted to hear Hayden wanted me. I have his CDs in my car and I just love his acoustic music. I chose Hayden because I just feel like he was the closest to me in terms of style and musical vision, but also because he is one of the most honest people in music, and I think that is important when y'all are learnin' and tryin' to grow as a musician or anythin' else in life.

“Has Hayden told me anything honest yet? Yeah, he told me that my performance was good, but that I have to open my eyes and look at the people who are watchin'. He said that no one can feel the emotions if I close my eyes and shut them out. I feel like it was a good pointer, cos when we watched the tape back from the first week, I had my eyes closed for a lot of that. I feel like Hayden's honesty will stand me in good stead in this contest, and I feel that he is gonna push me hard, which I need."

The camera fades out and then a graphic is displayed with a lot of different news stories flashing up on the screen, all of which are referring to one thing in particular, the spat between the judges that dominated the majority of the chat about Star Factory since the auditions. Again, the video plays as the voiceover from Layla Rae comes back over the top of it.

"I think it's been a real shame that the news about the judges fightin' with each other has been such a big thing in the first week of the show. I mean, obviously, it gives people more reason to watch the show, but I feel like it's a little sad that Miss Brittany and Miss Tisha can't be friends, because they are both like, you know, fantastic singers and huge stars, and it woulda been nice to see them able to work together.

"Also, I met Miss Katie Coyle when she came to one of my rehearsal days with Mr Hadyden, and she was just the loveliest girl, and not the least bit worried about not bein' on the show, so I don't know why it was the case that they felt they had to make such a big thing about it. I just hope that all the judges can get back to being friends with each other, cos I don't like to see them all fightin'. I've never liked conflict or nothin'. It makes me feel a bit sad."

The next camera cut comes again to show Hayden and Layla in a large white room. Hayden is sat on a stool with an acoustic guitar in his lap, while Layla is stood beside him, a sheet of paper in her hand, which she is reading as she sings a little before lifting a hand to her mouth and laughing. She nods and then starts again. After this, the camera shows her sat in a studio facing the camera, with the characteristic big smile that has epitomised who she is in the early part of Star Factory. She nods as she is given her cue to speak.

"I have to say, when they told me that I was gonna have to sing a song by Mr Hayden, I was like excited and nervous all at the same time, you know? I'm a big fan of his, so it is an honour to get the chance to sing one of his songs live on stage, but at the same time, the guy will be sitting like 10 feet away, and if I do his song all wrong, then I'll have to look down and see him there. I really wanna do it justice. The guy is a wonderful singer, and he is a great songwriter.



The song that I will be coverin' is one of my favourites ever by Mr Hayden, and it came out just last year on his most recent album. I told him that it was the one I wanted to sing, and I think he was happy with that choice. It's one that is called Standing Still, and it was a single for Hayden a few years back. I really like it, because it has a sort of warm feelin', but it also has the ambient sorta tone and acoustic feelin' that just makes it perfect for me. I'm gonna do my best to make it seem like the song that it deserves to be."

She smiles at the camera one last time before the pre-recorded video fades out, and the image is replaced by Layla Rae stood at the side of the stage, this picture is live, as she waits to go on the stage to sing her second song, and the roar of the crowd out in the arena can be heard for the first time that evening. She looks at the camera and waves a hand clad in a black lace glove, a wide smile spreading over her face before the camera fades once more and cuts back to the front of the empty stage

---

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, singing Standing Still by Hayden Merjos; It's LAYLA...RAE....CASH!

After the very encouraging first week performance that had made her one of only two acts to be bid on by three judges, the arena is filled with a much louder cheer than experienced in the first week when this unassuming star had taken the stage. Her charm and her honesty and happiness when talking had undoubtedly won her a lot of fans in her first few weeks in the spotlight, and those people make themselves heard as the stage darkens a little. As the sound dies down slowly, and the lights on the stage turn towards the centre, there is a shimmer at the rear of the stage, and the big screens are filled with images of silvery falling stars, which illuminate the stage and cause gasps in the audience at the beauty of the graphic.

After a few seconds of the stars graphic, the big screens at the back slide sideways and open to show Layla Rae Cash stood there at the top of a small staircase. Far from her style in week one, where she wore a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, this time the singer is dressed in a long, flowing black strapless dress, slashed to the hip on the right hand side to display one of her long shapely legs. She looks stunning, and as she comes into focus, there is another cheer emanates from the crowd in front of her. Layla beams and steps forward into the smoke that creeps around the stage floor and licks at the bottom of her legs and her feet. She smiles and walks slowly down the stairs, microphone in a hand clad in a black lacy glove. As she walks forward, a gentle acoustic guitar played by a man sat on a stool near the back of the stage starts to play, accompanied by a slow and quiet piano, sounding sad and lonely against the more dominating guitar track.

Layla stops at the front of the stage when she reaches her microphone stand for the first time, putting the mic on it, and she looks up at the audience during the sad instrumental, the pain now evident in her eyes as she begins to search her mind for a memory that will bring the depressed theme of the song out in her own emotion. She casts a sad look down at the stage of the floor and then takes her microphone off the stand again. Just before she starts to sing, she looks down at the judging panel, where a smartly dressed Hayden Merjos gives her a knowing nod that eases her nerves and drives the confidence within her.



As Layla opens her mouth to sing the first verse of the song, it is evident immediately just how dynamic and versatile her voice can be. While last week's showing displayed her more high-pitched and powerful vocal throughout the strong ballad by Kelly Clarkson, her voice this time is lower and quieter, wrapping itself around the sombre lyrics that lament a love lost, and how the struggle to get over someone can leave you feeling like time is standing still. As she sings the slow first part of the song beautifully and nails it perfectly, the lights of the stage are dimmed, leaving her as the main focal point, and allowing her to shine. The camera fades from a long shot of her to an image of just her face, showing that she is getting into the theme of the song, as there appears to be just the smallest hint of a tiny tear forming in the corner of her left eye, the last remnant of a memory of a love that was lost.

Picture everything you've ever loved
Walking away to a new place to lay
Hoping they will find their way back
To you, to your space

One can only imagine what to do, Hope my words are speaking
Loud and clear to you
One can only imagine where we'd stand, Far apart
Or still hand in hand?

For all that the first part of the verse had allowed Layla to show how her vocals can be low and soft, the second section of the opening is a lot higher, and there is a slight cheer that rises in the audience as the singer takes a step back, bending her legs slightly as she effortlessly slides from low and quiet to higher and more powerful without a single waver or hesitation in her voice. As she sings the second section of the song in her higher tone, the stage lights begin to align themselves with her voice, and there is a slight turning up of them, the smoke appearing to subside slightly as the stage, and Layla, prepare themselves for the transition from the verse to the chorus.

When the chorus starts for the first time, there is a gentle yet still audible drum fill, and then a small burst of light as the slightly more powerful and louder chorus begins. The screens at the back show an array of pocket watches, none of which are ticking, simulating the notion of time standing still, as Layla sings through the chorus. This is the part of Layla's version of the song that sounds most like her own and more distant from the original. The guitar suddenly comes more into play, and the chorus takes on more of a country feel. She takes a step back from the microphone again as she reaches a hand out as if to try to grab the audience, her eyes confidently staring out at the crowd as she displays a new found belief in herself that had not seemed quite as evident in the first week of the competition. She shakes her head from side to side occasionally, and it is clear to everyone that this very high pitched and powerful chorus is being embraced by Layla, every single note and word drawing out an emotion that is very real to the singer. It's only at the last line of the chorus that she slows her singing and brings her pitch down once again, never sounding out of breath or under pressure at any time.

It's as if today I've lost my will,
Nobody moves, I can't feel
Something deep down inside of me
It's like I'm standing still

The chorus then ends, and the stage lights turn down slowly once again, as Layla brings the microphone down from her mouth, her eyes briefly turning downwards towards the floor, the emotion of the song clearly gripping her, driving her to sing it to the best of her ability, and it is definitely working. She sounds truly magnificent. Ahead of the second verse, the piano reappears in the song, and the pace of the song is slowed right down again as it comes back into the more emotional section of the track once again. A sad smile spreads across Layla's face, the microphone gripped in both hands in front of her as she again stares off into the distance as if remembering a sad time in her life when the song would have spoken to her the most.

The second verse, with its more personal vocals directed at someone else, prompts Layla to walk away from her mic stand and the front of the stage. Her dress flows behind her, looking magnificent and atmospheric, as she walks towards her guitarist sat on a stool near the back of the stage. She sings the low and quiet part of the song again, and as she reaches the musician, she places a hand on his shoulder, turning and running it slowly down his arm. She continues to deliver her almost flawless vocal as she stares down into the eyes of the guitarist, symbolic of the lost love mentioned in the song, and then she walks slowly around him once, the smoke that is on the stage being blown around a little by her trailing dress and looking magnificent as it almost swirls around them both.

The higher part of the verse then sees Layla back away from the guitar player, moving towards the front of the stage while still facing him. As she sings into her mic, she reaches out a hand to the guitarist, and the further from him that she gets, the more the light around him starts to dim and fade. It eventually leaves him sat almost completely in darkness as Layla gets closer to the front of the stage once more. She gets there just as it reaches the time for her to sing the chorus, and she spins around, sending her dress swirling around her, just as the lights burst into life again and the pocket watches on the screen reappear. This time, throughout the powerful chorus, Layla again reaches out to the crowd, before holding her hand out to the camera operator and staring down the lens of the camera with another tear in her eye. It is clear from the look in her face that she has really gotten into the emotion of the song and executed the original feeling in the song perfectly.

When you moved on I lost my life
My purpose, my strength, so what will it take today?
To get you back, my faith or my mind?
But I seem to stay so far away

One can only imagine what to do, Hope my words are speaking
Loud and clear to you
One can only imagine where we'd stand, Far apart
Or still hand in hand?

It's as if today I've lost my will,
Nobody moves, I can't feel
Something deep down inside of me
It's like I'm standing still

The second chorus ends, and then as the lights dim once again, they go further, this time leaving just the one single beam of light down the centre of the stage, where Layla is positioned in front of her microphone. She reaches up and attaches the mic to the stand, gripping it with both hands initially, before she brings them back down to her side again. When she begins to sing the bridge, she is surrounded by darkness, and only she can be seen, almost presenting an imagery of isolation and being alone without anyone in the world to turn to. She is also not backed by any music at this part of the song, leaving her gorgeous vocal perfectly displayed and highlighted for all to behold.

The bridge sees Layla raise her arms slightly, still keeping them at her side. She then reaches the crescendo of the section and the higher-pitched and more powerful part, at which point she allows her face to show some emotional pain and sadness in its expression rather than just with her eyes. She closes her eyes momentarily, bending her knees and bringing her arms a little higher as she works through her emotions once again and perfectly executes every note. She looks down at Hayden for the briefest of seconds, and he nods at her once more. When she reaches the last few notes of what is undoubtedly the most emotive part of the track, she reaches up and removes the microphone from its stand, bringing it back into her right hand as she still stands there, bathed in the light of the single beam from directly above her. Layla then takes one big deep breath and looks out into the audience with a slight smile on her face.

I'm not much on lingering with luck, but I hope it will find it's way
Bloody knees and all, willing to just take the fall
Stare me down all day
No one will bother to help me fix this problem but my own
Have you ever seen a day so long?

The sound of a drum beat then comes from the back of the stage and Layla looks slightly to the side before raising the mic to her mouth. She starts to sing the chorus one last time, the key higher and more powerful than it has been in those which went before it. Suddenly, the lights on the stage burst one one final time, and as the graphic at the back returns to the falling stars that had preceded Layla's arrival, she is all of a sudden bathed in sparks that rain down on the stage from high above. The chorus is much more energetic and allows Layla to sound far more voiciferous and powerful than earlier in the song. She lifts a hand above her head as she works through the chorus for the last time, showing amazing confidence and a miraculous talent that shows why she was one of the most sought-after acts during the first week of live shows. She looks down the lens of the camera one final time as the chorus slows right at the end of the song, and she slowly sings the last line, very quiet and much lower, showcasing her ability to work through a range of octaves with ease and style.

It's as if today I've lost my will,
Nobody moves, I can't feel
Something deep down inside of me
It's like I'm standing still

It's as if today I've lost my will
It's like I'm standing still

When the song ends, Layla brings her mic down in front of her, and the piano plays two or three final notes. At that point, the lights return to normal, the raining sparks stop, and Layla is left standing looking up at the audience again. She smiles and wipes a tear from her eye with the back of her hand, as the roar of a very impressed Star Factory crowd encompasses her. She brings a hand to her mouth, a little shocked at the massive reaction to her performance and then waves at the audience one last time as she returns the microphone to its stand.

JUMPING TRAINS - CURTAIN CALL - SECOND PERFORMANCE



The four members of the band all appear on stage after a puff of smoke. The band are wearing darker clothes than in their previous performance, giving them a sexier image. Darryl is at his drums at usual and winks at the audience before beginning to play the drums to start off the song. JJ, who is shirtless, and Ian also come into action and start playing their guitars. It is clear from the offset that this song has a more raw sound compared to the beautiful R&B, laid back original version performed by Tisha Jackson. Farrah takes centre stage holds up one hand, showing off some attitude as she sings the opening lines. She takes the mic out of the stand and walks up and down the stage. Her voice seems more relaxed and easier on the ears than in her previous performance which saw her sing in a think Bajan accent. A group of dancers leap onto the stage from either side in a ballet like manner. The dancers are both a mixture of males and females who seem to be wearing an all in one black jumpsuit. It covers the whole body, even their heads. The male dancers pair up with a female dancer and start a routine which is similar to 'play fighting' whilst doing some ballet. The graceful dancers fill the stage and continue this routine as Farrah moves onto the pre-chorus. During this section of the song, golden lights fill the stage. Farrah swerves in and out of the 'fighting' dancers who seem to be representing the anger in the song. She starts to walk down the stairs, leaving the stage whilst singing.



Shut up, Shut up, Shut up
The clock reads 4 in the morning
And you stroll in like its pm
Hold it buddy, Hold up
You worked all day and you smell like…
A fresh bar of Irish Spring
Let me see your phone, cuz I’ve been repeatedly calling?
Hand it over so I can take it and smash in your forehead

Gotta take a breath, you don’t want to catch a case
This is the last time, I can’t take this ish, It’s over
You make me so tight, so tight, so tight, so tight
Boy, you ain’t right, ain’t right, ain’t right, ain’t right

Upon arriving at the chorus, Farrah is now at the judge's panel. She sits on the desk next to Johnny and starts singing to him, dedicating the song to him. She places her hand on his shoulder and sings to his face, playing the role of his girlfriend. She then slides off the desk and walks along the panel and looking out into the live audience. As she walks, she sort of bounces, causing her luscious curls to bounce around in the air. She speaks into the mic as the chorus finishes and the boys play a small instrumental segment. 'Come on, we're gonna show this boy we ain't messing. We're so over!'. She walks back up onto the stage and steps over the dancers who are now laying on the floor, rolling around on top of one another, 'fighting'. She carefully hops over them and sings the next verse. She then picks up a male dancer from the floor by his neck and sings the line 'You aren’t equivalent to a man, so take your curtsy, cuz taking bows are banned' to his covered face. She then pushes him away and he falls down to the ground. The boys in the band continue to play, concentrating on their instruments and seem completely oblivious to the whole dance routine going on right in front of them. The music provided by Ian, JJ and Darryl really shows their versatility as players. In their previous performance, they played a light and upbeat reggae/pop track but now they were reinterpreting a classic R&B song and making it a more aggressive and passionate sounding track.

So go on and, shoodoo doo doo, standing ovation
Make your exit, it’s a curtain call
This is the final call, for you baby
Calling a curtain call, it’s over, I called curtain call
Hey baby, ooooh weee ooooh, ooooh weee ooooh

If this ever, causes inflicting pain of intrest, to either party, then I’m so sorry
I’ve faced so much, trepidation, In the love story
But trust you taught me a valuable lesson, all your sorries are sorry
Womp, Womp, Womp, Enough hiding, I am calling you out in the open
You aren’t equivalent to a man, so take your curtsy, cuz taking bows are banned



Gonna take a breath, you don’t want to catch a case
This is the last time, I can’t take this ish, It’s over
You make me so tight, so tight, so tight, so tight
Boy, you ain’t right, ain’t right, ain’t right, ain’t right

As the chorus returns for a second time, the three boys seem to be playing more aggressively to compliment Farrah's strong and powerful vocals. She takes the mic out of the stand and walks towards the front of the stage and looks out into the audience. Connection with the audience is something she is known for and this performance is no different. She then moves back a little, more towards the centre of the stage and sings the 'ooooh weee ooooh' notes in a very light and gentle manner which contrasts greatly to the way she was just singing. The golden lights suddenly project a waving effect which fills the stage, as if the band are underwater. A variety of different waving and swirling projections dance around the stage and spread out into the audience. The back up dancers on the stage resume the play fighting routine as the song goes on. Farrah places the mic back in the stand when it comes to the next verse. During this verse the back up dancers walk around the stage and then one by one stand next to Farrah, encircling her. The dancers all move around in a clockwise circle as she sings the verse. When she finishes, the dancers all fall to the floor and remain there.

So go on and, shoodoo doo doo, standing ovation
Make your exit, it’s a curtain call
This is the final call, for you baby
Calling a curtain call, it’s over, I called curtain call
Hey baby, ooooh weee ooooh, ooooh weee ooooh

I packed all your stuff, I want it outta my house
Tonight, it’s going down like the royal rumble
On me like white on rice, white on rice, boy let me go
You woke up my neighbors, Now they up watching us
You better go, Mrs. Monroe, Says she’s calling the cops
Boy how many times, I gotta beg you to stop
That was the last straw, You can’t come back



A spotlight focuses solely on Farrah as she sings the bridge and final section of the song. She holds on to the microphone stand and moves her hips side to side in a smooth swaying motion. As she sings she closes her eyes, feeling the anger in the song and represents this through her powerful vocals resembling her mentor's which is quite hard to do. Farrah keeps her eyes closed and runs her hands up into her hair as the bridge continues. In the darkness of the rest of the stage, the three boys; Ian, JJ and Darryl all do their thing, keeping the smooth and classic R&B going, sounding fresh and silky. Farrah belts out a variety of high and powerful notes that don't seem possible for such a small girl to be able to reach, however she proves everyone wrong and manages to do this with great ease. Her vocals seem even stronger than in the previous performance. Unlike her reggae tones, a rather angelic and diva like voice seemed to have been present throughout the whole song. Towards the end of the bridge, at the 'We been fighting all night....' line she opens her eyes and points to the audience singling out a male member as if dedicating it to him. On the last line, Farrah puts her hands together in a praying position when she says 'Curtain Call'. The music by the boys slowly fades out and Farrah looks down at the ground. The audience cheer and wolf whistle.

It’s 4 am and you make a (uh) wanna fix a martini
It’s way too late to drink, That’s it, Curtain Caaaaaalllll
Get out my haaaallll, Curtain Caaaaaaallll
You make me so tight, so tight, so tight, so tight
Boy, you ain’t right, ain’t right, ain’t right, ain’t right
Boy I am calling checkmate, You messed up the last time, It’s over
So don’t touch me, It’s over
We been fighting all night, Boy hang it up, The curtains are closing
It’s the end of your show, look at the credits roll, Curtain Call



Farrah, Darryl, JJ and Ian all smile as the lights slowly come up. Darryl stands up from behind his drums and takes a little bow. Farrah giggles whilst the crowd still cheer. 'Thank you so much'.