Somehow, X Factor managed to fill the first 15 minutes of the show with pure filler. The contestants told us what goes on behind the scenes during the week, in a really unnecessary video package. But right after, host Mario Lopez got down to business. The first contestant to be sent straight home was Ellona Santiago. As Mario said her name, a look of pure shock crept up Ellona’s face. Seems like all the praise from the judges had gotten to her head. “This is ridiculous,” said judge Demi Lovato. Although I am surprised Ellona was sent home, I am not upset to see her over the top performances go. Sorry.

Emblem 3 from last season of X Factor performed their single “Just For One Day.” These guys are from my hometown, so I’m going to throw some love their way and just say the song is super catchy. It’s also nice to see that they stayed with their original California surfer sound they began with last season. After their performance, the bottom two were revealed: Carlito Olivero and Rion Paige.

Before Carlito and Rion sang for their lives, Little Mix, from X Factor UK, performed “Move,” from their second album, “Salute.” The performance just proved further that X Factor is actually pretty good in every other country. But moving on, Rion Paige was up first with Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me.” Her spirit was obviously shaken, and her downward spiral continued. While Rion went for emotion, Carlito played up the sex appeal with Usher’s “You Make Me Wanna.” He walked through the audience, even finding a girl to sing to from the crowd. While I haven’t been a fan of Carlito’s, he has been improving. The competition seemed to be getting to 13 year old Rion, with each week getting worse and worse. It’s no surprise that the judges voted to send Rion home, except for Rion’s mentor, Demi Lovato.

The only reason I’m sticking around to finish watching X Factor is for Alex and Sierra. And, let me be honest, to get a few laughs from Paulina Rubio’s incomprehensible critiques. And before I get any “English is her second language!” comments, it also is for my mom, but she can form comprehensible sentences in English. But anyway, X Factor had the contestants sing two songs last night: a divas song, as well as an unplugged rendition of whatever they wanted.

Restless Road started off the night with Taylor Swift’s “Red.” Not sure Taylor Swift should be considered a “diva,” but okay. The band actually seemed to have practiced a little bit. They looked so much more comfortable on stage, and their harmonies seemed to be a little tighter, although I can’t help but think they had help from some back up singers. The deep voiced one, Zach, needs to be careful and take more control of his voice. Judge Kelly Rowland said they “found that thread that ties you guys together as a group… but you need more energy.” Paulina Rubio said something about someone named Collin, and Simon Cowell told them they “HAVE to be in the final.”

Rion Paige sang Carrie Underwood’s “See You Again,” which proved that being in the bottom two last week really got to her. She had sharp notes everywhere, and it was a bit painful to listen to. Simon told her it was “not the best song to choose perhaps,” which was the closest any of the judges to giving Rion a real critique.

Jeff Gutt sang Mariah Carey’s “Without You.” Not sure if this should count as a diva song since it was originally done by Badfinger. But the performance began a little sleepy towards the beginning, but got much better towards the end. He hit the notes, and on this show, that’s more than expected. Demi Lovato told him, “You got the X Factor.” Paulina Rubio must be drunk as she again just threw some words together and hoped for the best. Simon told Jeff, “You are quite boring as a person,” which sadly, is true. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jeff go home tonight.

Ellona Santiago wowed the judges with Lady Gaga’s “Applause.” I just don’t understand the praise thrown at her. Her “fierce” attitude, her outfits, and her dancing, just don’t mesh with her innocent 13- year old like face. She had a ton of pitchy moments, but somehow the Simon still believe she went from “being a mouse to a little tiger.” Demi, taking a cue from Paulina’s language skills, told her, “I couldn’t be more prouder of you.”

Finally Alex and Sierra came on to perform “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child. I love them. They’re stage presence is improving every week, especially for Sierra. Her vocals were so on point for this. The simple arrangement allowed for their vocals to truly shine, and it was nice to see Alex without a guitar. Amazing. Amazing. These guys don’t need to win this competition for me to buy their first records. Simon told them they could win this show, and gave kudos for taking risks and not using gimmicks to get votes.

Carlito Olivero performed Jennifer Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud.” I stopped paying attention after a few moments, but could immediately tell that switching songs last minute hurt him. He needs just go home already. I have nothing else to say about him.
Restless Road was up again to take on the theme of “unplugged.” They gave a nice rendition of Avicii’s “Wake Me Up.” I’m still not sure why Colton is the lead singer. Andrew has a nicer tone, and with some more vocal coaching, could easily front the band. Their harmonies still need some work, which makes me think they’re not getting enough vocal lessons, or they’re just tone deaf. The band finally showed some emotion other than just cheesy-ness, and Colton was even crying! Which made Demi cry and tell them how beautiful their performance was.

Rion Paige did slightly better with her second song, “Glass” by Thompson Square. She still messed up a few notes, but the judges, of courses, failed to mention so. Demi was in tears again, as she told Rion, “Every word of that song is what you’re about… It’s so inspiring and I love you.”

Jeff- performed Elton John’s “Daniel,” for his brother, who was in the audience. He sounded just fine, and it was nice to see him with a guitar. But just like Demi told him, it was a bit “stale.” Two boring performances, and I’m sure Jeff will be going home tonight.

Ellona Santiago tried and failed to deliver on Beyonce’s “If I Were a Boy.” The beginning was problematic, and she failed to hit the final run, causing the begninng and end to be a pitchy mess. There were some nice moments in the middle, but she shouldn’t have picked such an ambitious song. Without the craziness behind her, her vocals are front and center, which unfortunately was not a good thing. The judges seemed to be listening to a different person as Demi told her, “I’m so happy that you know, that Simon gave us that advice because it really did showcase your vocals.” Kelly noted that she enjoyed when Ellona softened her notes, and to explore the softer tone a little more. I think that was the nicest way to tell her that her big notes were awful.

Alex and Sierra, once again, delivered an amazing performance. These two are geniuses when it comes to song choice as they took on A Great Big World’s “Say Something.” Sure, they didn’t stray from the original much, but why should they? Sierra was noticeably shaky on the piano, but didn’t miss a note. The duet was simply beautiful. If these two get sent home tomorrow, I will lose all hope in America’s musical taste. (Or atleast the 14 people who vote for the show.) Demi was moved with the performance, and with the fact that the duo couldn’t take their eyes off each other. Paulina said something about mathematics and babies. Simon said the most obvious statement of the night, “In so many ways, this is my favorite performance of the season.”

Carlito butchered “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King. His flip flop between Spanish and English here didn’t work. There were a few times I couldn’t understand him at all. The arrangement was corny, didn’t feel “stripped down.” GO HOME ALREADY. But, I’m not holding my breath for that. Kelly somehow thought that was his best vocal so far. Paulina, after saying something about “open his nose” which Simon thought was “oily nose,” said “we’re not going to ‘loss’ you.” And that unfortunately, is probably the sad truth.

Prediction: Jeff Gutt and Rion Paige will go home.

It’s big band night on X Factor, which probably meant absolutely nothing to most of the contestants, as almost all picked a contemporary song and turned it to fit the theme. The performances were mediocre as per usual. And I’ve officially decided, this is the last time I’ll ever keep up with X Factor.

Rion Paige sang John Anderson’s “Swingin,” which got her praise from all the judges. Her vocals were not on point, as she seemed to struggle through the song as she skipped around on stage. She sounded out of breath the majority of the time, so I’m not quite sure how to take Simon Cowell’s comment that she showed what kind of artist she would be in the “real world.”

Restless Road gave a painful rendition of “Life if a Highway.” Sure, Kelly Rowland was right when she said the guys sounded more cohesive, but that didn’t stop lead singer Colton Pack from bombing a good majority of his solos. Why he’s still the lead singer, I’m really not sure. Demi said they “look like stars up there.” Okay, then.

Jeff Gutt impressed with Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good.” The simplicity really allowed his spot on vocals to shine through. He felt genuine with his performance. The judges agreed it was his best performance so far. I’m still not sure I can see Jeff having much of a career after the show, but he is by far the most consistent.

Jeff Levi stole the show with Bruno Mars’ “Treasure.” This kid has the best stage presence out of anyone on this show. It comes so naturally to him, and so far, he’s the only contestant I can see “making it” outside the competition. The judges loved it, but Simon felt the choreography was a bit dated and theatrical.

Carlito Olivero was cheesy beyond belief while performing a medley of Ricky Martin’s “La Copa de la Vida/Maria Maria.” This performance was much better than his past few, but that doesn’t mean much. He’s back to his “latino” roots, and as a latina, I don’t care for it. He doesn’t have as much “swagger” as the Ricky Martin’s and Enrique Iglesia’s of the world. He stills seems to be trying way to hard, and he doesn’t seem original. The judges loved him, Kelly noting that he finally looked like was having fun.

Alex and Sierra completely reworked Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble.” The outcome was ambitious, and while some moments didn’t work for me, it, again, showed the duo’s creativity. These guys would have been better suited for a show like The Voice, but what can you do? It’s nice to see contestants taking risks on such a stale show. Alex still performed circles over Sierra, but her voice and stage presence is improving fast. While Kelly wasn’t a fan of the rendition, Demi said, “You guys made me like it… It’s so different from the original song… and that’s what artists do, you turn a song into your own.”

Lillie McCloud sang “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess. To be completely honest, I don’t have much to say about her performance since Candy Crush stole my attention during her performance, except during the super powerful last note, which allowed her to show more range. She has the best voice on this competition by far, but she’s dull. Simon told her the entire performance was too contained, which Kelly simply replied, “Shut up.”

The last solo act was Ellona Santiago with “Mama Knows Best” by Jessie J. Her vocals were much better than last week, but she still hit a few sharp notes. I understand that other 17 year old artists have worn outfits like hers on stage, but Ellona just looks too young to pull it off. It made me uncomfortable to watch her prancing around in super short shorts. Her dancing, the stage, the outfit, the dud notes, all made me feel like I was watching a pop star wannabe still. The judges threw tons of praise at her, except for a tiny bit of criticism from Simon who remarked, again, to lose the dancers since “it’s a bit dress up now.”

All the contestants came together for a group number of “Cry Me a River,” which I’m not even going to bother critiquing because those things are horrendous. Also, way to try to bring in a celebrity mentor a la The Voice…

Although I’ve given up trying to figure out how America will vote…:

Prediction: Lillie McCloud and Carlito Olivero will be sent home.

It’s British Invasion week on X Factor, which only means one thing: I hope you have your alcohol ready for the X Factor drinking game because this might as well have been called, “One Direction’s New Album is Coming Out Next Week, So We Need to Remind You How Successful They Are Because of X Factor, In Case You Forgot.” And guess what, ONE DIRECTION WILL PERFORM ON THE SHOW TOMORROW!

The mentors mostly had strange song choices for their team members, which led to disappointing performance after disappointing performance. With British acts crossing over so well to America recently, it’s a shame that the mentors picked mostly songs from the old big guns: The Beatles, Elton John, Queen, and The Rolling Stones. More contemporary artists would have made the show more entertaining. There was no Adele, Cheryl Cole, Jessie J, Ed Sheeran, or an obvious choice for Khaya Cohen, Amy Winehouse.

Jeff Gutt opened the show with Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” While Jeff has a cool voice, Kelly was delusional in thinking he could hit Freddie Mercury’s notes, and alas, he didn’t. He struggled here and there, and made no attempt to make the song his own. The stage set up with the thrown was beyond cheesy. Jeff is becoming more and more a caricature of rocker. If he doesn’t find a way to become his own artist, he’ll be out soon. The judges loved it, though, Simon even calling this Jeff’s best performance.

Tim Olstad decided to get behind the piano to show more personality with Elton John’s “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word.” While the piano playing allowed for Tim to look slightly more comfortable on stage, he was still dull. Some people can sing, but not all of them can be entertainers, and unfortunately, this just doesn’t seem to be in the cards for Tim. I’m not sure what Kelly and Demi saw onstage, but they went so far as to call Tim sexy. Simon called him a hamster. If Tim doesn’t go home this week, there is something seriously wrong with X Factor.

Khaya Cohen went with The Beatles’ “Let It Be.” I can’t really wrap my head around this. Why did she not sing an Amy Winehouse song? Was Demi purposely trying to sabotage her? The performance was good, because girl can SING, but not one of her best vocals. I feel for Khaya, she shouldn’t go home, but there’s a strong chance she will. Simon told her, “The fact that you were in the bottom two last week was a joke.” He also said her shyness was holding people back from voting for her, and that she needs to “smile, bring puppies,” whatever it takes to come across more likable.

Josh Levi was up next with “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by the Eurythmics. This kid is definitely the most commercial performer on the show, but needs to take more control. The staging was cheesy, and the dancing took away from focus on his vocals. Kelly says he needs more “freedom” in his performance, and Demi admitted the dancing needs some work. Simon told Josh,  “Your mentor is actually mad.” There was a battle of accents, but Simon was right.

Alex and Sierra sang, wait for it, One Direction’s “Best Song Ever.” (Take a drink!) I love that they are artists. Every week they show something original. The rendition was really cool and collected, but Sierra was all over the place. Alex upstaged her a bit with his vocals and overall better stage presence.  Kelly felt the same as she said, “Alex, you were so much stronger than sierra.” Demi on the other hand said “This was your best performance yet. I’m actually going to go home and download that on iTunes.” Simon always proud of his groups predicted, “You carry on like this, guys, and I think you could win this.

Rion paige gave her best performance so far with Elton John’s “Your Song.” It was a great song choice. She kept it simple, and commanded the stage with just her voice. For the first time, it didn’t feel as though she was over singing with too many runs. The judges loved it, and Simon was in disbelief that this powerful voice came out of a 13 year old.

Carlito Olivero created a mess with The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction.” While his vocals were a bit better than previous weeks, the arrangement was awful. He would have been better off singing the Britney Spears version. The backtrack was overpowering, the screens were horrendous. Paulina is proving to be an awful, awful mentor, and I have a feel she won’t be back next season (if the show comes back even). The judges all gave out different advice, and Carlito seemed eager to oblige all of them, which is most likely his problem. Carlito seems to have no input in his performances, from song choice, to arrangement to staging. If he does, well, then.. He should stop trying to be a performer.

Lillie McCloud took on Kate Bush’s “This Woman’s Work.” Lillie’s main problem this season has been coming off dated, so I don’t really understand why Kelly gave her this song to sing. A more suitable choice would have been Adele. Lillie is an incredible singer, nobody can deny that, but she’s just so dull. I’m indifferent towards her as a performer, until she starts getting better songs. Demi said, “I think I’d like to see you utilize your range more.” Not sure what Simon was listening to, but he “thought that was absolutely brilliant… You just made me realize how good you are.”

Ellona Santiago was also on board the disaster train with Carlito. Her rendition of Ellie Goulding’s “Burn,” was pitchy, cheesy full of awful hair and clothes. Demi’s face in that quick shot during the middle of the performance said it all. While this girl sometimes impresses, I’m over it. Her determination to be next teen pop star is coming across as trying too hard.  Kelly told her, “You always bring something extra to the stage, and I was missing that today.” Simon was more harsh saying,”You’re a brilliant performer… However, at the moment it’s like I’m watching an actress… at the moment you’re like a dancing, singing puppet.”

REMINDER, One Direction is going to be here tomorrow! (I don’t think I have any more alcohol left to take another drink.) After the little reminder, Restless Road was given the pimp spot with “Fix You” by Coldplay. The guys attempted to turn the song into a country track, which just didn’t work. While Zach was certainly trying to be less awkward and move around more on stage, he still looked stuff. I laughed during that performance, and I shouldn’t have given the subject of the song. This is all over the place. Kelly felt the same way adding, “It needs to be more cohesive. Zach, you gotta loosen up” Paulina went in a compete circle with her critique saying, “You guys don’t show yourself… you need more, (bah bah bah look) at eachother. Uh but youre good,” or something like that. Demi gave the best criticism saying, “I think you’ve done better. I feel like Andrew your harmonies were off… It’s what Kelly said, it wasn’t blending well. I think Simon spent more time focusing on your performance than your vocals his week.” Simon was a bit deluded in his comments (probably couldn’t see clearly with those $$$ in front of his eyes) saying, “I think it was by far one of the best performances of the night.”

Sorry X Factor got your drunk, go drink some water.

Prediction: Carlito Olivero and Tim Olstad will be sent home.

Last night’s X Factor started off with a glimmer of hope for the show after last week‘s questionable eliminations. The show began by announcing that after some evaluation, they would bring back a contestant as a wild card. Would they bring back fan favorite Danie Geimer? Nope, of course not. Why would we possibly think that X Factor would bring back someone with immense talent? Instead, Josh Levi, who gave an awful performance last week, was brought back.

Josh kicked off the Motown themed night with Jackson 5’s “Who’s Lovin’ You?” His performance was a huge improvement from last week’s flop, but that’s not saying much. While the style of music was very suited to his voice, the vocals were at time shaky, and he lacked any passion in the performance. Nevertheless, the judges loved it, Simon Cowell even claiming he went from “zero to hero” from last week to this.

Rachel Potter followed Josh’s performance with a country version of The Isley Brothers’ “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You).” While Rachel demonstrated flawless vocals, and an energetic performance, the version of the song felt inauthentic. While Demi Lovato enjoyed the performance telling Rachel she brings “so much to the stage,” Simon felt differently saying that she made a beautiful song “insane.” Harsh, but we have to agree.

Carlos Guevara sang Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” Carlos was barely audible for the first part of the song, and once you could hear him, it lacked all charm. The performance and arrangement was lazy and dull. If it weren’t for the second chance the contestants have been given for tonight, I would suspect Carlos would be in danger of going home. Also in would-be danger of going home had last night’s votes counted, Tim Olstad. The singer performed last, a great spot, and yet failed to deliver. Tim performed Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There.” Demi and Kelly Rowland agreed that while Tim has a great voice, he still lacked any sort of performance skill. Kelly said, “It was a watered down version of ‘I’ll Be There.'”

Country trio Restless Road performed “Easy” by The Commodores. The harmonies were much tighter than last week’s performance, but lead singer Colton made a lot of pitch mistakes, which Paulina Rubio called out in one of the rare moments she had something smart to say. Regardless, the audience loved it, with the girls screaming so loud Demi gave up trying to give feedback and left it with a simple, “Well done, boys.” Despite the mistakes, Simon believes these guys will make it to the finals, and let’s be real, they probably will.

Ellona Santiago, who was having SUCH a hard time juggling the competition and taking her SATS, wowed the judges and the audience with The Supremes’ “Baby Love.” This young 17 year old clearly has the superstar dancer/singer image in mind for herself, and she can do it. She impressed with being able to dance and sing, with only a few breath issues. But, perhaps it was the outfit, came off as trying a little too hard. Regardless, the girl can sing. Jeff Gutt also impressed the judges with his take on Lionel Richie’s “Say You, Say Me”.” This performance was easily Jeff’s best, as he not only sounded great, but was passionate. Simon told him, “That was outstanding. Really, by a mile, the best vocal of the night.”

Boyfriend/girlfriend duo, Alex and Sierra gave a sultry rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” The two have an ease at mixing their voices, and clearly know what type of artists they want to be, which in a competition like this, is refreshing. But, as I’ve said before, the way the two perform needs work. Sierra was staring at Alex lovingly, but the song is about cheating? Maybe I’m just being picky, but they need to show some range in performance ability.

Khaya Cohen made The Temptations’ “My Girl” into a current jazz song, which is all due to her Amy Winehouse-esque voice, as Simon commented. She, with Ellona, is a powerhouse young singer in this competition. The difference between the two is what Simon commented on last week: Khaya isn’t likable. She needs to rewatch herself as she’s getting critiqued, and see how she comes across. Not good. Carlito Olivero seems to have the opposite problem (not exactly a good thing?). While his rendition of “Stop! In the Name of Love” showed off a more tender part of his voice, he still had pitch problems. The judges didn’t like the performance with Simon even remarking he took a step back in the competition. But, the girls love him, and he’ll probably be safe.

Lillie McCloud was told she was outdated last week. This week she faces the problem of delivering a Motown song without coming across as old. She took on Stevie Wonder’s “All Is Fair in Love”,” and again proved how talented she is. She wasn’t able to overcome the outdated issue, and the performance was boring. Kelly felt the same sentiment, but Simon believed it was “absolutely fantastic.”

Sweet Suspense, made up of Summer, Celine, and Lilly, sang “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.” The backup singers seemed to have a much bigger presence in their performance than in the others. The girls were impressive, but it’s questionable to who that could be credited to. Demi told them they’re stars. Simon believed there’s something “special” about them. Hopefully tonight they’ll have less help from the production, and rely more on their voices.

Rion Paige was another victim of a boring, sleepy arrangement. She sang a very slowed down version of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” which gave mixed feedback from the judges. I agree with Kelly’s statement, “I’m not sure that I liked than rendition, but I still love hearing you sing.”

As I have mentioned, the finalists will all sing again tonight. Last night during the east coast telecast, the graphics displayed the wrong numbers for the audiences to vote. Fox explained, “As a result of a graphics error (incorrect voting numbers were displayed on screen) during the performance recap at the end of [Wednesday’s] East Coast broadcast of ‘The X Factor,’ the Top 13 acts will perform their ‘Save Me’ songs for America’s re-vote, in a live, one-hour performance show airing … Thursday, Nov. 7.” Audiences will vote again on Thursday. The results will be revealed next Wednesday, followed by another elimination on Thursday.

On last nights X Factor, Demi continued her Four Chair Challenge round. The first four contestants all made it to a seat on Wednesday’s episode- Bree Randall, Khaya Cohen, Jamie Paneda, and Ashly Williams.

Simone Torres was up first and sang, as the theme from the previous night progressed into this one, a weird version of “A Change is Going to Come,” which Simon said was “karaoke.” Demi told her she wasn’t sure she saw a star, but told her to take a seat anyway. Leaving the show, with no surprise, was Bree Randall.

Nerdy shy girl Danielle Greimer, who claimed that being a neurosurgeon was her backup plan (oh, okay), sang an astonishing version of “Georgia on My Mind.” Her vocals left me, and I’m sure tons of others, with goose bumps, as she proved she’s a force to be reckoned with. The way she lets go of her shy girl demeanor as she hits the stage  is pretty incredible. With all the judges in awe, she easily took Simone Torres’ seat.

Rhiley Brown delivered a painfully dull, country performance of Robbie Williams’ “Angels.” Simon, not holding his opinions back (finally), said that everything about that performance looked as if it were chosen by her mother. Demi said it was “pageanty,” and sent her home.

Next up, Primrose Martin., who, like Allison Davis, proved that choosing the top 40 based on one performance was a bad move. Primrose gathered boos from the audience before she even finished “Blame it on the Boogie.” The look on the judges faces, if you couldn’t tell by your hurting ears, said it all. Simon was the most harsh of the judges saying, “…that was beyond awful…the longest minute-and-a-half of my life.” She tried to sway Demi by singing a cappella, but Demi quickly said she came off way “too confident.” Looks like the odd were not in Primrose’s favor here (Get it?)….

Rion Paige, who doesn’t let her hand disfigurement slow her down, sang Rascal Flatt’s “I Won’t Let Go.” Although the performance won the judges over, I was bored. But people love a sob-story, and Rion will surely be this season’s. Demi had the tough task of figuring out who to send home in order to give Rion a seat. But a decision was made, and Ashly William’s was surprisingly sent sent home. In my opinion, it should have been Jamie.

Ellona Santiago, who is eerily reminiscent of American Idol’s Jessica Sanchez (although, not as polished), sang a stripped down “Clarity” by Zedd. The performance led to Simon claiming her voice was the best in the competition, but Demi was not as convinced saying there was something missing. Regardless, Demi decided to keep Ellona, and let go of Jamie. Had Pineda been sent home instead of Ashly, I would have switched Ellona with Rion. Bad calls on Demi’s part.