'X Factor' groups 'told to emulate JLS'

Published Saturday, Jul 4 2009, 18:02 BST | By Daniel Kilkelly

ITV / Rex Features

JLS star Aston Merrygold has claimed that the boyband's X Factor success has led to higher expectations for the show's groups.

The 21-year-old singer and his bandmates Marvin Humes, Jonathan 'JB' Gill and Oritsé Williams were labelled "the best band we've had on The X Factor by far" by judge Cheryl Cole last year. They later finished in second place, losing out to Alexandra Burke in the final.

Groups hoping to impress the panel this year have been instructed to emulate JLS by creating "contemporary" dance routines, according to Merrygold.

"You have to raise the bar everytime and I think on the show we did that," he told the Daily Record.

"Because we moved around and made what we did contemporary which no group had done before, due to that they've changed the show format around this year with the group section. You have to go into auditions with some kind of dance routine apparently.

"We've made our stamp on The X Factor and that's a great thing. We did it on The X Factor and now we'd like to leave our mark on the music industry."

JLS will release their debut single 'Beat Again' on July 13.