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After last week's rather sexy yet controversial performance on the Star Factory stage, there has been quite a commotion surrounding Lashes; a group of four young girls who are likely to split opinion, shocking some and delighting many more throughout the course of this competition, the eyes of the audience are trained on the stage eagerly after the video promo from the girls has finished. For a short while, the stage sits in darkness, before a sharp hissing noise can be heard, and some pink and purple smoke starts to spill across the stage, hugging the floor like some sinister blanket. When the entire stage floor appears to be swimming in a luminous yet sinister vibrant carpet, a bass drum starts to thump out loud. First on sharp and solitary beat, followed by two very quick and short beats in succession. After another few short seconds of darkened silence, a consistent and solid beat starts to emanate from the speakers, as the stage lights pulse in time, changing from pink to purple to white again and again. Feeling the energy already, the crowd starts to clap along in time to the beat, many already on their feet before Lashes have even hit the stage.

Eventually, among the solidly beating bass drum, pictures of the faces of each of the Lashes girls start to flash up on the backdrop, one after the other, each obscuring one half of their face with a leather gloved hand. After this, the pink letters L-A-S-H-E-S flash up one after the other before they disappear from view completely, and the arena goes silent once more, eliciting a huge cheer from those in attendance. Then a single picture flashes up on the screen...



The very second that the image of Brittany Knox, heavily made up and with the trademark black chain around her mouth which personifies the track "Leather Love" flashes on the back screen, a huge bassy note fills the arena, as the sound of what can only be described as dubstep shakes the very core of the building. After a few short upbeat notes make their way up, battling against the deep roar of the bass, there is another silence, filled by a pink light fanning out across the back of the stage. It turns quickly to white once it is at full width, just in time for the lashes girls to step out from the backdrop of a plume of pink smoke, and stopping atop a set of stairs, looking possibly even sexier and more provocative than they did the week before.

Despite the fact that Natalya had taken the lead last week with vocals and really grabbed the limelight, this time Lily-Rose is the first to open her mouth, walking to the edge of the staircase clad in a tiny pair of leather shorts, she smiles as she dances along to the opening verse of the track, her vocals perfectly backed by the slow thumping dub sound behind her which drives up the energy in an arena which is already awash with screaming fans. As she reaches the end of the second line, Lily walks to the edge of the staircase, seductively running her hand along the barrier, throwing her head back and letting her knees slowly bend as she sings the words to Brittany's most controversial track.

We were alright for a short time baby,
But I've been under you for too damn long,
Now I'm aroused and I feel like maybe,
I wanna tie you down, and it feels so wrong.
Now that you found this side of me you can trust,
I'll take control, I'm gonna make you com-bust.
My golden hair sweeps all over your face,
Don't I look good in leather and lace?



The very second that Lily says the word 'lace' two pink fireworks are set off, one from each side of the stage, and they cross quickly above the centre of the setting, showering the stage in the same colour of sparkles, just as the girls start to descend the stage, and the music changes slightly, the bass drum thumping and getting progressively, building up to a much faster chorus, with a seriously trance inspired synthesised sound which reeks of pure elation and joy,a much poppier affair than the opening verse. The camera cuts to Natalya, and she plays up to the attention, seductively licking her lips slowly as she stares down the lens. Each of the girls touches a foot down onto the stage as they start to sway side to side quickly through the pre-chorus, the only part of the track that they harmonise on, their voices sounding beautiful in union all the way through the fast-paced section.

And when I worked out where the power lay,
You thought I would be good to you,
Who knew my innocence would go away-ay-ay!
You can beg and scream and call my name,
Don't ever tell me what to do,
I'll tie you down with leather, it's my game-ame-ame.



Following on from the pre-chorus, Natalya takes to the front of the stage, strutting to the very edge with a real purpose in her stride. As she stops to sing the chorus, each of the other three girls standing in a row a few paces behind her, Natalya stares out into the crowd, her heavily made-up eyes shining in among the lights and smoke which now totally engulf the floor of the stage. When she sings the chorus, Natlalya is backed by her bandmates who are poised behind her, an array of leather-clad men, each dressed in a different colour trying to paw and claw at them, their advances spurned and turned away by a simple extended arm as the girls display the power, both in their minds and in the bedroom, that they feel they command over the men in their respective lives. Natalya, alone at the front, exudes the greatest aura of power, as she stands alone, the men at the back merely an after thought for her as she slowly moves a hand up the side of her thigh, then her leather clad side, before running through her blonde hair and raising it into the sky.

Leather Love, Leather (Leather! Leather!)
I'm gonna tie you tie down slowly (Tether! Tether!)
It's my Leather Love, Leather (Leather! Leather!)
You are so helpless down below me (Terror! Terror!)
Kiss! Quick! Tie you down!
I'm gonna make your head spin around,
Given! Refused! I'm on top!
I'll kiss you all the way....now pop!

Leather Love, Leather (Leather! Leather!)
I'm gonna tie you tie down slowly (Tether! Tether!)
It's my Leather Love, Leather (Leather! Leather!)
You are so helpless down below me (Terror! Terror!)

Next to turn to the limelight is Gemma Kane, who appears to have taken none-too-kindly to having been seemingly pushed to the back of the queue to allow Natalya to be what is obviously the lead singer of the group. In what is clearly an attempt to steal the limelight, she walks slowly to the front as her section of the song comes in, and the music returns to its more bass-led dubstep sound. As Gemma, dressed in leather trousers, a stunning lace cut-off shirt and a top hat, reaches where Natalya stands, she reaches an arm around her bandmate and pulls her in close to her. Natalya, always the perfect person to show off and never shy, plays along and stares into Gemma's eyes as she sings the next section of the track, the two illuminated by the dimmest of pink lights, which seems to almost buzz along in time with the slow beat of the song. The two seem to get closer all of the time throughout the verse, with their apparent game of "sexy chicken" leaving them only inches from each other's face. As Gemma reaches the last line of the song, they each seem to close their eyes, as if daring the other, before they pull away micro-seconds before their lips touch, in what is clearly a very cleverly choreographed move.

Now that I've taken control,
It's like you want me more.
Now that I'm grasping the pole,
You won't walk out that door.
I'm takin' over, you got me all up in your mind,
My filthy leather is the ties that bind.
My filthy leather...my, my filthy leather
I've tied you down and now you're losing your mind!



When this verse finishes, and Gemma and Natalya split from their almost kiss, each of the girls stand together once again in a semi circle in the centre of the stage. As they slowly gyrate in time to the funky and trance-driven track, each of them is then confronted by a man dressed in leather, sliding on his knees so that he is positioned in front of a member of the band. As each of them seem to beg, staring up at the girl in front of them, Gemma, then Natalya, then Lily, and finally Mercedes, lift a stiletto-bottomed foot up in the air, gently placing it on the shoulder on the man in front of them. Then, as one big bass note hits, they each kick out with their foot just as another firework goes off, sending their respective men flying backwards and sprawling across the stage. The whole stage then goes dark, save for a spotlight illuminating Mercedes Gomez, who is wearing tight leather trousers and a midriff-bearing top. She strides meaningfully towards the man who is lying on the stage in front of her, as he tries to back off and begs her not to come closer. The music is very subdued now as Mercedes slams a foot down on either side of the unfortunate man, and then slowly lowers herself to sit on his chest. She binds his hands above his head as she speaks the words to the bridge against just the faintest musical backing. Towards the end of her section, the music builds slowly, before reaching a huge crescendo where the chorus comes back in.

Dont' be scared boy I won't take you out,
I just wanna make you scream and shout,
My leather love is just a game,
A game designed to keep you tame.
Don't be afraid,
Don't be afraid,
My leather love is just a game,
My leather love is just a game,
My leather love is just a,
My leather love,
My leather love,
My leather love is just a game!


The second that the word game is hit for the last time, the stage lights flash back on, and Mercedes jumps back into position beside her bandmates, just as more pink sparkles light the stage in a remarkably vibrant shower, the focus once again turning back to Mercedes for the finale as she expertly hits the tone and nature of the overly sexy chorus perfectly once more, pretending to even tie herself up with her microphone lead. The rest of the band also look to really be enjoying themselves as they provide brilliant backing vocals, proving just how amazingly this band can perform together.

Leather Love, Leather (Leather! Leather!)
I'm gonna tie you tie down slowly (Tether! Tether!)
It's my Leather Love, Leather (Leather! Leather!)
You are so helpless down below me (Terror! Terror!)
Kiss! Quick! Tie you down!
I'm gonna make your head spin around,
Given! Refused! I'm on top!
I'll kiss you all the way....now pop!

Leather Love, Leather (Leather! Leather!)
I'm gonna tie you tie down slowly (Tether! Tether!)
It's my Leather Love, Leather (Leather! Leather!)
You are so helpless down below me (Terror! Terror!)

The stage goes dark amidst a sea of cheering and screaming from the audience.