Before I start my recap, I’m going to go ahead and predict that Carlito Olivero is going to win, just to spite me. Now that that’s out of the way…

Before an excruciating long recap of Wednesday’s show, the final four contestants did a group number, singing Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger.” These things are always horrible, but Colton somehow managed to out-bad everyone during his solo. It also sounded like someone was messing up the lyrics during the chorus. But anyway, Mario revealed that the contestants would start campaigning NOW for the finale, whatever that means. AND GUESS WHAT! ONE DIRECTION WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK! (Take a drink!)

More filler with the contestants all talking about what winning means to them. Twenty minutes in, and still, nothing of importance happened. Finally the contestants began to be called to safety. First contestant moving on to the finale is Carlito Olivero. And to begin his campaigning, he sang Elvis Crespo’s “Suavemente.” The performance was actually pretty good, until he decided to shout, “Latinos!” in the middle. Was that necessary, at all?

Enrique Iglesias “performed” his single, “Heart Attack.” He was lip-syncing the entire time. So, was this supposed to be an example for Carlito, or?

Alex and Sierra were called to safety next and performed, Passenger’s “Let Her Go.” I feel as though these performances were rushed together. The two sounded just fine, but something about it wasn’t as special as their performances normally are. After the duo sang, we were reminded that the biggest boy band in the world.. wait for it.. ONE DIRECTION, will perform next week. (Another drink).

And finally, Jeff Gutt was the last contestant to make it to the finale. Before Jeff performed, Colton of Restless Road announced, “This isn’t the end of the road for us. You’ll be seeing us.” The video package showed mostly just Simon Cowell throwing praise at the boys, which is interesting.

Moving on, Jeff sang Journey’s “Open Arms” for his campaign to win the finalw. The song choice, as it so often does, dated him. It felt very 80s rock, and was just a bit too scream-y for me.

If Alex and Sierra don’t win, I give up on America officially.

With how much I’ve slammed X Factor in my past recaps, I’m glad I decided to stick around. The top four performances showed all the contestants’ growth, some more than others, to make for a solid two hours, of mostly good music. The contestants each sang three songs, one voted on by America, a duet, and a judge’s choice.

Kicking off the night was Carlito Olivero with Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend.” He played up his sex appeal by singing to girls, bringing them up on stage, etc. On top of that, though, he actually sounded decent. Depsite my incessant need for Carlito to go home the past few weeks, he proved himself with this performance. The judges all agreed. Simon Cowell noted his lack of vocal ability, saying, “You’re not a great singer, but you make up for it by being a great performer.”

Next up was Restless Road with Luke Bryan’s “That’s My Kind of Night.” The vocals were shaky, the performance was dull… My prediction is that by this point, girls have probably chosen Carlito over the country trio, and Restless Road will go home tonight. Demi Lovato, being the most truthful, unbiased judge, said the performance was “awkward.”

Alex and Sierra sang “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men, and absolutely blew everyone away. The harmonies were impeccable, and Sierra began to really shine. No longer is she merely hiding behind Alex’s shadow. My only complaint is that they didn’t allow for their artistry to show through, leaving the song pretty much the same as the original. Perhaps that just means this is the sort of record the duo would be making, though. Regardless, the judges loved it, Demi going so far as to say she was looking at the winners.

Jeff Gut was given the most over-sung competition song in the history of reality shows, “Hallelujah.” I don’t think there has been a single season of any singing competition that didn’t have a contestant sing this song. Jeff gave the song a rock twist, and delivered an amazing performance with amazing vocals. Demi told him that he would be joining Alex and Sierra in the final, and Simon commended the sincerity and passion behind the performance.

Next up, the duets. Alex and Sierra were up first, singing “Falling Slowly” with Carlito. Carlito’s voice didn’t seem to go deep enough for the opening line, but continued the performance with good vocals, despite one too many runs. Alex and Sierra stole the show, despite a few flat notes from Alex, and especially Sierra with her big note, you KNOW which one.

This left Restless Road to sing “Every Breath You Take” with Jeff Gutt. To be honest, this performance was neither bad nor good. Both contestants had good moments and bad moments, and the pairing was just strange. The song went from “rock” to country in a split second, leaving a weird hybrid. The judges did agree though, that Jeff delivered the better vocals.

Carlito sang Marc Anthony’s “I Need to Know” in his final performance of the night. The dancers popping out of the speakers were a bit distracting (and annoying) but Carlito actually sounded pretty good. He looked confident on stage, and didn’t seem like he was trying to hard, like in his previous efforts. Kelly Rowland wondered where this Carlito has been hiding.

Restless Road ended their performances with “Wanted” by Hunter Hayes. These guys NEED vocal training. They don’t know how to control their voices. There were some really nice moments, like Andrew and Zach’s harmonies. But there were also some really awful moments, like Zach’s solo. But somehow the boys got a standing ovation from the judges. Despite their best efforts, I still believe they’ll be going home.

Alex and Sierra sang Sara Bareilles’ “Gravity,” which was somehow, better than their performance last week. Alex’s falsetto, Sierra’s high notes, everything was perfection. The simple piano allowed for their voices to completely shine, and they nailed every single note. If somehow these guys don’t win the competition, I really hope someone snatches them up to make a record. I want it already, and it doesn’t even exist yet.

Finishing the show was Jeff Gutt with “Demons” by Imagine Dragons. Jeff picked an awful time to give a weak vocal performance. Jeff never found his place with the song, leaving lots of pitch problems. The judges enjoyed it though, only Demi even kind of mentioning how “peachy” the performance was.

I think it’s still safe to say, Restless Road will go home.

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 nights X Factor had some outrageous 80s Halloween costumes (for the 80s themed night), horrendous dancing by Mario Lopez, and mostly horrifying performances from all the contestants. At this point, the show is only worth watching for the one or two redeeming performances, but only if you can sit through the rest of the two hour show cringing at flat notes, off key harmonies, weird staging, bad costumes (yes, costumes), and Paulina Rubio.

Immediately at the top of the show, Carlos Guevara was sent home, which was not at all surprising. Although, I was expecting Tim Olstad to get the boot first. After the quick goodbye, Lillie McCloud took the stage with Chaka Kahn’s “Ain’t Nobody.” I feel bad for this woman. Simon Cowell’s comment about her being dated is going to stick with her for the entire show. She wore a younger outfit, she had dancers and a DJ on stage with her, surely she would come across more current! But, she didn’t. The whole thing felt a little bit desperate. While it was nice to see her moving around on stage, she slacked on her vocals a bit. Simon somehow saw this all as her successful “attempt to be current.” Moving on…

Carlito Olivero flopped for the third time in a row. His vocals could only improve after his disasterous performance of “If You’re Not the One,” last week, so he should pat himself on the back for that feat. Unfortunately though, he was eaten up by everything else going on onstage. Although he showcased his dancing ability, he didn’t take any control of what he was doing. He didn’t focus enough on either his dancing or singing, half-assing each. Kelly Rowland commented on his struggle and noted, “You’re supposed to be smooth.” Paulina, in an attempt to say he looked scared on stage, said, “You’re struggling with your face.” Simon doubts that he’ll stay in the competition to redeem himself next week, and we agree.

Rion Paige, who made us all feel old when she revealed she thought the Spice Girls were from the 80s, sang Pat Benatar’s “We Belong.” Rion started off shaky, but picked it up towards the end of the song. The thirteen-year old lacked any connection to the song’s lyrics, though, and delivered a dull performance. Simon told her she always puts 110% into her performances, but needs to have more input in her song choices. I believe it’s officially time to call it; Simon has gone soft.

Next up was Sweet Suspense, who left the judges unimpressed with their cover of Toni Basil’s “Mickey.” The girls had a cute stage set up, and looked great. But just like last Wednesday, who was really singing? The backup vocalists played a large part of their song, and again, it was hard to tell where the voices were coming from. Kelly didn’t feel like the girls were coming together as a group. Demi laid out some harsh criticism, saying they were too focused on the choreography and the most interesting part of the performance was the fire. When Simon interrupted to say it was the best performance of the night, Demi chimed, “They’re no Fifth Harmony!” Ouch. Oldest member of the group Summer Reign looked like she going to burst into tears.

Funeral director, as Simon appropriately called him a few weeks ago, Tim Olstad had the strangest performance of the night with “Against all Odds” by Phil Collins. Tim is the perfect example of why not everyone with a good voice is a star. He lacks any sort of stage presence, and was completely overshadowed by the strange dancer in front of him. Demi agreed with the sentiment stating, “You do have an excellent voice… but no X Factor.” Simon was too distracted by the dancer and said it looked like a murder movie.

Kaya Cohen turned Madonna’s “Borderline” into an Amy Winehouse, Duffy-esque song. While Kaya’s stage presence is improving, she still has a lot of work to do. Some of the movements felt staged and awkward, while a few looked organic and seamless. She has a few bum notes, but overall, had one of the best vocals of the night. No comment on her outfit because that’s not her fault. But these contestants need to learn to say no to their stylists sometimes…

Restless Road had the perfect song in Kenny Loggins’, “Footloose.” The song allowed them to still have their country twang, while sticking true to the theme of the night. Lead singer Colton still had some pitch problems, but wins “most improved” this week. The band as a whole have a lot of work to do still, with vocals and their stage presence, but these guys aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The judges threw praise at them, but did mention that the other two guys, Zach and Andrew, need to step it up.

Rachel Potter was another victim of strange staging with her rendition of Heart’s “Alone.” She was awkwardly hanging onto a fence while singing, which made her performance come off as a joke. Some shaky notes and a peculiar scream towards the end of the karaoke arrangement left me disappointed. Demi predicted she could win this thing, while Simon had some reservations about Rachel’s vocals. Unfortunately, Rachel may be in danger.

Ellona Santiago was feeling very ambitious with Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” She never really quite found the melody, hit some bum notes, and even fell in the middle of the performance. The dance moves, the outfit, the dancers, the staging, screamed “I’m cheesy!” While yes, the girl has talent and has potential to become a pop star, she needs better guidance. Simon said most of the performance “mad,” and would like to see less choreography.

Josh Levi proved that the judges decision to have him back was worth it. He sang Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up,” and made it current. This mini Bieber proved he could command the stage, as he shined through all the back up dancers and made the show entertaining. His vocals still need some work, but he’s improved greatly. Kelly told him, “…you have just arrived.”

Jeff Gutt performed Journey’s “I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight.” His performances was what I expected it to be. The predictably isn’t good for Jeff. He did nothing to liven up the arrangement, which made the performance a bit boring. It’s unfortunate that Jeff wasn’t in his teens or early twenties in the 80s, because he would have fit right into a classic 80s rock band. Simon admitted his problem with Jeff is that he isn’t showing originality, and that he needs to push himself to come out of his comfort zone.

To conclude the night, Alex and Sierra performed “Addicted to Love” by Robert Palmer. The duo were separated by a wall for most of the performance, which was exactly what I’ve been wanting to see. Sierra proved she didn’t have to be starring at Alex to give a sexy performance. The duos vocals weren’t as on point as usual, but the performance itself was an improvement for me. So, the judges comments were a bit surprising. Kelly and Demi didn’t like the separation, and Simon noticed that Sierra lost the melody from the beginning. I enjoyed it, people love them, it’s pretty obvious the couple isn’t going anywhere for a while.

Prediction: Tim Olstad and Carlito Olivero will be going home tonight.

After the graphics error on Wednesday night’s show, all the X Factor contestants were given 24 hours notice to prepare a song for last night’s episode. The contestants were given a second chance to perform, with audiences voting again last night. Nobody will be sent home this week, but two next week; one on Wednesday, and the other back on regular schedule to be eliminated on Thursday. Some contestants proved themselves under pressure, while others fell flat, and some stayed the same. One thing was very obvious, the show is full of unnecessary filler. Yes, the judges were a little rushed in their critiques, but who really cares about what anyone but Simon Cowell has to say?

The contestants performed in the same order as Wednesday’s show to remain fair. So again, first up was Josh Levi. The second chance performance was a saving grace for him, as he performed far better in the second go-around. He sang Rihanna’s “Stay,” and although he sounded great, was a bit boring. Simon believed it was “a winning performance.”

Rachel Potter also redeemed herself from the previous night with Martina McBride’s “Anyway.” While the song choice was safe, she sounded great, and she earned herself a backhanded compliment from Simon who remarked that she must have a twin sister since she was “incredible” but the night before was “horrible.”

Carlos Guevara stayed consistent from the previous night, and not in a good way. Carlos failed to impress on Wednesday with “What’s Going On,” and failed miserable last night, as well. He sang Damien Rice’s “Cannonball” which proved to be an awful song choice as his voice cracked the entire time. Paulina Rubio said, “This performance has been the most amazing performance.” Why give him false hope Paulina? Carlos is definitely in danger of going home next Wednesday.

Simon’s latest money making wet dream, Restless Road, delivered an okay rendition of Jason Aldean’s “Don’t You Wanna Stay?” The trio, again, had some pitch and harmony problems, but that probably won’t matter since the girls clearly love them already. Demi Lovato believed this performance was better than the previous nights. Doesn’t really matter, these guys will be safe.

Seventeen-year-old Ellona Santiago slowed down David Guetta’s “Titanium” for a more intimate performance. Some notes fell flat, while others impressed. The judges believed it was her best. As far as her vocals go, I agree. She was able to focus on her singing rather than her dancing, which left her looking dull on stage.

Jeff Gutt sang Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight.” He sounded just fine, but the song choice might hurt him. The song dates him, which could make his performances come off as boring. Simon told him he needs to work on his phrasing, and that parts came off as “corny” because of it.
Alex and Sierra performed an “immaculate,” as Simon called it, cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Give Me Love.” As per usual, the duo gave the song their own little twist which allowed their voices to just wow us. With their good looks, chemistry, and beautiful, beautiful voices, these guys have become my favorites, even with their sometimes annoying lovey-dovey performances.

Khaya proved to also be exquisite with song choices as she stuck to what she does best with Duffy’s “Distant Dreamer.” Her voice is by far the best in the competition, but she still lacks something when it comes to connecting with the audience.

Poor Carlito Olivero. He had a mediocre night on Wednesday, but things went downhill on Thursday. Carlito picked an ambitious song, Daniel Bedingfield’s “If You’re Not the One.” The performance was a disaster as Carlito failed to reach the falsettos and even bailed completely on one. It’s a bit confusing as to why he would pick this song if he knew he couldn’t hit the notes. Simon asked if he was sick, which mentor Paulina confirmed. But, who knows. While I don’t think he’ll go home just yet, Carlito probably won’t stick around for very long.

Lillie McCloud sang Queen’s “Who Wants to Live Forever.” This was Lillie’s worst performance. She was a bit off on her vocals, and her performance was a bit awkward. Regardless, she still proved she’s more talented than most of the contestants on the show. She’ll probably keep getting flack from Simon about being outdated, but there’s a market for that somewhere, right? Where’s Susan Boyle at?

Sweet Suspense was also a flop last night with “That Should Be Me,” by Justin Bieber. What happened to the girls from yesterday? The harmonies were off. There were some nice moments, and each individual has a decent voice. Maybe those backup vocals were more prominent Wednesday night than they should have been, and swallowed up their off key harmonies? Simon was obviously disappointed in the performance, saying, “That was a very difficult song to sing. I want everyone to remember the performances from the last two weeks.” In other words, that sucked.

Tearjerker moment of the night went to Rion Paige who sang a slowed down “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga. Not only did this performance showcase Rion’s vocals, but proved how smart she is. The song choice was brilliant for her. Demi told her, “I saw the same Rion I saw in the beginning,” and Simon chimed in, “Let this girl choose her songs from now on.”

Tim Olstad ended things on a sorry note once again. He sang a very predictable, very boring version of “I Believe I Can Fly.” To try to improve his stage presence he let out a “woo” in the middle of the song, which led Simon to simply critique, “You can’t do woo in the middle of the song.”

My prediction: Tim will go home, which is a shame since he does have a nice voice. He just wasn’t able to find his place.

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.

Last night’s X Factor brought the Four Chair Challenge to a close, and revealed the top 16 that will move on to the live round.

Already seated, and waiting with anticipation to see if they’d remain in the competition were Girls United, Glamour, Wild Things, and Restless Road. Waiting for a chance to steal one of the seats was Sweet Suspense. The new group of now BFFS put together by destiny (Simon) sang “Wishing on A Star.” Although the vocals started a bit shaky, the girls mesh well as a group, and you could tell the girls understand the concept of harmonizing. Demi said she was proud of their hard work and Simon said he believed they had all the elements of a successful group- “chemistry, talent, fun.” While I would have replaced Girls United with Sweet Suspense, it came to no surprise that Simon said goodbye to Wild Things to make room for the girls.

If you had any doubt that this season’s format change was a bad idea, Yellow House Canyon’s “Hell on Heels” performance will kindly confirm it. The duo of actual best friends (not the “I feel like I’ve known them my whole life” bit) had undeniable energy, but failed to impress the judges. The girls showed a lot of future potential, but as Demi told them, “I don’t think you have what it takes to be sitting in one of those four chairs.” Meeting the same fate was Good News (ironic?). The two teens sang a boring off-key rendition of “Landslide.”

Before Good News was sent home, Forever in Your Mind snagged Glamour’s seat. The 1D wannabe trio of young guys, which the girls clearly love, sang the JoBro‘s “Love Bug.” The also now BfFs4LiFe seemed to have put this performance together the night before, and the lack of experience was obvious. Kelly told them it felt like they were “missing a lead singer.” Simon agreed that the vocals need work, but kept them anyway.

The saving grace of all the groups, Alex and Sierra, came up next. The couple sang “You’re the One That I want,” and showcased their velvety smooth vocals. Maybe this is the bitter-single-lady in me coming out, but something about their lovey dovey stage presence doesn’t seem like the right way to go about every single performance. The two are undoubtedly the best of the groups, but there are other ways to be endearing. (For example, Karmin, another duo of bf/gf). Demi perhaps agreed with my sentiment when she asked, “What would happen if you ever broke up?” Simon insisted it was a silly question, and the two took Girls United seats.

The last group to perform was Roxxy Montana. The trio of sisters sounded good when singing separately, but still have not perfected their sound as a group. Simon told them, “You haven’t worked out who you want to be, and we can make you incredible.” The sisters get a seat, and we say goodbye to Forever in Your Mind.

X Factor returns for the live rounds with the top 16 October 29.