Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

After winning the X Factor, (just about) getting a #1 with his cover of Miley Cyrus's (horrific) The Climb, taking the post-Leona requisite nine months out to record an album and 'realising' he was gay in the meantime, what's Joe decided to launch with in the hope that he will go down amongst the ranks of Alexandra and Leona rather than Leon and that middle-aged cabbie who won years back?

Yes, dear readers, a cover.

But wait! It's not just any old shit, he's decided to actually go with something good!

In true X Factor male-winner fashion, Joe's decided to launch with something that was HUGE in Europe to begin with - and is also, coincidentally, one of my favourite tracks from last year (and one of my favourite videos!).


Donkeyboy - Ambitions

Amazing, yes? They spent about 12 weeks at number one in Norway last year with the track (and a similar amount of time at number one with the follow-up, Sometimes. So yeah, basically the Norwegian equivalent for the Black Eyed Peas in America last year), and were due to launch in the UK with it in March this year, but nothing came of it - bizarre, seeing as you'd have thought the track at least warranted a token BWO-esque playlisting on Radio 2 which went nowhere. However, that all makes a lot more sense when you find out that Joe's team, well...


Joe McElderry - Ambitions

I know, those live performances are going to be truly painful to behold. Overall though, I'm not quite sure what to think. I adore the track, and getting more stunning overseas tracks picked up and recognised is no bad thing (think Natalia Imbruglia's classic reworking of Ednaswap's otherwise anonymous Torn, for one), but if this is what stopped Donkeyboy from getting a proper push in the UK I can't help but be a little bit annoyed. Still, as long as it doesn't flop I'll be happy - hopefully it'll pave the way for more foreign classics being picked up! (If I don't get a cover of Margaret Berger - Will You Remember Me Tomorrow? smashing in the near future I will scream, let that be said.)

So, the best of luck to Joe. Knowing the great British public though, it'll probably flop in at #4 before crashing out while some shit like Start Without You reigns eternal. Alas!