Melanie returns, looking glamMelanie Amaro, the somewhat forgotten champion of "The X Factor USA's" inaugural season, has all but disappeared since she won the show in December 2011. Other than that silly Renaissance-Faire-ish Pepsi Super Bowl commercial with Elton John (soundtracked by a bizarre '90s-club remix remake of Aretha Franklin's "Respect"), and a few "download it for FREEEEEE!" television promos for her unnecessarily Auto-Tuned official debut single during "The X Factor" Season 2, she's stayed largely off the radar. But finally, she has released her first music video for that single, "Don't Fail Me Now," and while I'm still not totally feeling the song, I have to stay, Mel is looking gooooood these days. Maybe those rumors of her L.A. Reid-mandated makeover were true after all.
The ombre hair! The flamingo-pink lip lacquer! The curves! The cat-eyes! The giant hoop earrings! The signs of an actual personality! Melanie is working it here, and it all sort of works. The video is even making me like the single a little bit more, which is a good (and unexpected) thing.
What do you think of Melanie's new video? Do you think she has a chance of finally becoming a real pop star and actually earning her much-hyped $5 million contract? Let me know.
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