The X Factor Season 3, mercifully, has come to an end. And the finale represented everything strange and uneven about the competition, lowlighted by an odd montage to departing judge Demi Lovato (an admitted substance abuser) that featured her often taking swigs from a cup and defying Simon Cowell. The punchline? Demi drinks Annoying Juice. Lovato’s reaction, as caught on camera in a candid moment? “That’s f-cked up,” she said to Kelly Rowland. But… oh… right: there was also a winner to crown. Carlito Olivero was eliminated first, leaving it down to Jeff Gutt and the adorable twosome Alex & Sierra. And the champion is… ALEX & SIERRA!!! “Thanks for not making fun of my weird faces all the time,” Sierra said, shocked, soon after hearing the news. So, hey, at least the show got the winners right. Or did it? Do you agree with the outcome? Did Alex & Sierra deserve to win The X Factor? YES! No, it should have been Jeff! No, it should have been Carlito! View Poll »
The X Factor Top 10 took to the stage last night, with contestants covering a wide range of artists. There were takes on Elton John… One Direction … Queen… and The Beatles, just to name a few. But were any of them actually any good? That’s the question we’ll try to answer below… Rion Page – “Your Song” Jeff Gutt – “Bohemian Rhapsody” Tim Olstad sang John’s “Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word” and seemed to lose all control when he stood up and walked away from the keyboard. Not much originality or emotion here. Jeff Gutt went all “Bohemian Rhapsody” on viewers, after talking about his son once again in his introduction video. It was okay. But the songs requires the right kind of theatrical performer – and Gutt isn’t him. Khaya Cohen finished in the Bottom 3 last Thursday and tried to make up for that with “Let It Be.” But the staging was very odd and there was far too much yelping. That’s never a good thing. Josh Levi told us that “Sweet Dreams” were made of this and it was a solid vocal performance. As usual, though, it was also over-produced, as the artist starting off in a red telephone booth for some reason. Still, points for being in tune. Alex & Sierra sang “Best Song Ever” and it was terrific. These two are our favorite. They improved on the original version. Rion Page was a close second, dedicating “Your Song” to her baby brother. Her best vocal to date. Josh Levi – “Sweet Dreams” Alex & Sierra – “Best Song Ever” Carlito Olivero used holograms for his rendition of “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction.” That was plaid weird. The singing itself wasn’t too awful, but not much really stood out. Except for the holograms. And that isn’t a compliment. Lillie McCloud did great work on “This Woman’s Work.” She brought the emotion to Kate Bush’s classic track and nearly made Kelly Rowland cry. Ellona Santiago went with Ellie Goulding’s “Burn” and lacked any real passion while doing so. Some pitch problems also plagued this performance. Restless Road wants to “Fix You,” per Coldplay. Too bad the harmonies were all over the place, making us wonder why Simon Cowell gave the group a standing ovation. Oh, right, he’s their mentor. What a dumb concept. Who was your favorite from the evening? And who do you foresee going home tonight?
Victoria Carriger is a mother of eight. But somewhere in between parenting, the Missouri native found some time for voice lessons… because she blew The X Factor panel away last night with her cover of Kelly Clarkson’s “Because of You.” “I thought that was extraordinary,” Simon Cowell said simply, while Demi Lovato added: “It was very unique. I feel the pain in your voice, and I’m rooting for you.” Victoria Carriger X Factor Audition This audition was enough to move Carriger on to the Top 40. Here is your look at those 40 contestants and how they have been divided up: BOYS – Paulina Rubio Carlito Olivero Chase Goehring Timmy Thames Isaiah Alston Tim Olstad Al Calderon Josh Levi Isaac Tauaefa Carlos Guevara Stone Martin GIRLS – Demi Lovato Khaya Cohen Bree Randall Jamie Pineda Simone Torres Rion Paige Danie Geimer Rylie Brown Primrose Martin Ellona Santiago Ashly Williams OVER 25s – Kelly Rowland Lillie McCloud Jeff Brinkman Rachel Potter Kristine Mirelle Victoria Carriger James Kenney Allison Davis Denny Smith Lorie Moore Jeffrey Gutt GROUPS – Simon Cowell Glamour Good News Yellow House Canyon Alex & Sierra Roxxy Montana Andrew Scholz, Zach Beeken, Colton Pack put together in a male country group Millie Thrasher, Summer Reign, Celine Polenghi put together in a girl group Emery Kelly and brother duo put together in a boy band