The X Factor USA – Recap – Final 3 – 12/18/2013 – Video
Welcome to the recap and live blog of The X Factor USA Final 3 for December 18, 2013!
Credit: FOX
It's night one of the two-night finale, as Alex and Sierra, Carlito Olivero and Jeff Gutt compete to be declared the winner of The X Factor USA 2013, and be awarded with the $1 million recording contract! Tonight's show features performances from the finalists, as well as duets with Goo Goo Dolls, Prince Royce and Leona Lewis! Which acts will soar? Which acts will stumble? And which act will win The X Factor USA 2013?
Credit: FOX
I'm really hoping for something surprising tonight. Fingers crossed! Let's get this show on the road!
Recap
-Hype package! Carlito says he shouldn't be underestimated, while Jeff talks about how seriously he's going to fight for the win, since there aren't a whole lot of opportunities for people his age. Alex and Sierra talk about how huge this opportunity is, while Simon says that this is about more than just singing some singing show, it's about launching a career.
...And then we throw to a hyper-dramatic, movie-like video of each of the three acts leaving for the show: Carlito heads there in a limo, Jeff Gutt rides a motorcycle, Alex and Sierra ride a helicopter that is either an incredibly cheap chopper, or it was painted in against the Hollywood backdrop using computers, because that just looked silly as hell. I did like this video though. Made all three acts seem like a really big deal. And hey, we kick the show off with music...
The Final 3 sing "We Will Rock You": I'm kind of surprised Jeff Gutt didn't sing this sooner. It's a natural fit for his voice. Carlito works the stage, while Alex looks annoyed and lifeless (seriously, what gives, Alex?), and Sierra looks like several million bucks. They're surrounded by a bunch of robot-looking dancers wearing Xs on their chests, and for a minute, I felt like I wandered onto the Grid. But it didn't hurt the performance. All in all, a decent way to open the show.
-Mario Lopez introduces the finalists, and we get brief shots of each of their hometowns. Simon talks about how close this final will be, and says that winning is everything.
Round One: Song to Win
-Back from break with the opening round, in which each act will sing their "Song to Win". Paulina introduces her act, saying he's going to do it "better than never". Oh Paulina, never change.
Carlito Olivero kicks off the show singing "Impossible" in SPANISH!: Carlito talks about how he never thought this was possible, saying that in his neighborhood, you didn't dream of becoming a superstar, you dream of working at a nice restaurant or something more modest. (That's crushingly poignant) We see some backstage footage of Paulina talking to Carlito about how much she loves his passion and his dedication to music.
It's a really endearing package, as Carlito talks about doing this for his family so their sacrifices wouldn't be in vain. His parents break down talking about him, and Carlito also breaks down, discussing how badly he needs this. I don't think his backstory helps him as much as his naysayers insist it does, but there's no denying that videos like these make it hard not to root for him.
As for the performance itself, he starts off singing in Spanish before going into the next phase of the song, and it actually builds quite well. I'd argue this is among Carlito's best vocal performances, and I could easily see this being a fitting winner's single for him, and not just because it was a fitting winner's single for James Arthur on The X Factor UK 2012. A very passionate effort from Carlito that gets a standing ovation from Paulina.
And the judges agree: While Demi feels Carlito is still in his head during his performances, she was still incredibly moved by the performance, saying he could really win this. Kelly loves Carlito's dedication, and Simon talks about how much he's grown to respect Carlito, saying that while he isn't the best singer, he manages to make each performance unique. He predicts that Carlito will have a great night ahead. Lastly, Paulina cheers Carlito on and pleads with America to vote for him. Then we cut to Carlito's hometown, and that X-shaped pizza looks AMAZING. Seriously, so hungry right now.
So could Carlito actually win this thing? Or at least finish higher than third? Going first probably hurts him, but hell, if he made it this far, he's clearly got a passionate fanbase, so who knows what the ceiling is with this guy?
Alex and Sierra sing "Give Me Love": In the VT, Alex and Sierra talk about how big tonight is for them, as they were just regular college kids before this. Their parents discuss the passions they had growing up, as Alex immediately took to the guitar, and Sierra took to dancing. Alex's friend then talks about being there when he and Sierra first met, and says sparks were flying from day one.
It's a pretty lengthy video package actually, as we then see Alex and Sierra's session with Simon, who talks about initially thinking they would be a joke act, only to then be so impressed that he wanted the Groups category strictly so he could be their mentor. Sierra mentions how she had to badger Alex for a month before he would audition with her, then adds that Alex really wanted to work with Simon, and eventually teared up when he found out he would be mentoring them. Sierra then tears up when talking about Alex, saying she loves getting to do this with her best friend. It's tears all around! And the performance should bring on more waterworks, because it's one of their best.
Their reprisal of their "Save Me" song (which they thankfully only had to sing once, because of the technical glitch in week one) is absolutely marvelous, and I swear it has nothing to do with how much I love Ed Sheeran songs. This is easily Alex's best vocal performance, and he even gets all the way to the "LOVE ME!" part from the original song, which he didn't get to sing the first time around. This is friggin' magic. MAGIC. And a standing ovation from all the judges but Kelly.
Kelly talks about how much they've grown, saying that they're stronger vocalists now than before. Demi says she listens to their performances on her iPod all the time, and that she's a fan of theirs. Paulina says the world needs the love they bring to the competition. And Simon talks about what an honor it's been to work with Alex and Sierra. He adds that it was always his dream to find an American star act to represent this country, and he feels he's found it in these two.
We then cut to their hometown in Daytona Beach, Florida, where their favorite restaurant has named a sandwich after them, while Sierra's dance instructor has arranged a special dance in her honor. Cute stuff, and Sierra seems really amused by it all. (Alex looks like he could take it or leave it)
After break, we close out the round with the last act...
Jeff Gutt sings "Dream On": In his VT, Jeff talks about his X Factor experience last year, and how crushed he was to be cut at Boot Camp in Season 2. He talks about what it meant to have his son, Talon, there at the audition with him. We see his final mentoring session with Kelly, who talks about how Jeff has been guarded, but becomes a whole other act entirely when he lets viewers in. She says that he's the one who wants this more than anyone, and what follows is a really heartfelt scene in which Jeff breaks down thanking Kelly and telling her what she means to him. He says that if it had been any other mentor, it wouldn't have worked.
Jeff feels he owes everything to her, and so he presents her with a really touching gift: a framed photo of the two of them, with Kelly's head resting on his shoulder. It's such a lovely little moment, and it's punctuated by Kelly affirming, with a smile, that "We can win this thing." Damn, these videos are making me want everyone to win this damn competition. STOP TOUCHING ME IN MY HEART-PLACE, X FACTOR!
Jeff's performance is actually one of my favorite renditions of "Dream On" that I've heard on a singing competition -- which is to say, it's the only rendition I've heard on a singing competition that I've actually liked. Even the falsetto portions were good! Crazy. This was a really intense performance that made a real case for Jeff winning this thing. And all four judges give him a standing ovation!
Demi talks about how unbelievable his performance was, although she occasionally had trouble hearing. Paulina praised Jeff's restraint. Simon, meanwhile, talks about this being the first time where he believes that Jeff believes he can win. He says he doesn't know how a record company wouldn't sign him after that performance. Lastly, Kelly only has one word for Jeff: A-MAZ-ING. We then cut to Jeff's hometown, where his well-wishers cheer him on, and a lady he's never met says she's his biggest fan, prompting tears from the rocker.
Okay, is anyone enjoying this a TON more than The Voice performance finale? It's raw and exciting in a way that finale just wasn't, in my opinion. This has just been great, and I'm really looking forward to the next two rounds.
Guest Performance
-And we're back with one of our very own judges taking The X Factor stage for the first time!
Paulina Rubio sings "Boys Will Be Boys": Sorry, I just wasn't feeling this at all. The song is way overproduced, and the onstage production is excessive, with all the shirtless dancing men (although I guess I'm not the target demographic). The lip-syncing is also weirdly off-putting. But hey, the judges' reactions almost make up for the entire thing, as Simon looks equal parts dumbfounded and grimly amused.
Round Two: Duets
After Paulina's performance, she introduces Carlito and the act he will be performing his duet with. In a funny flub, she announces him as "Prince Roooooyyyyyyyy!" we kick off the second round.
Carlito Olivero and Prince Royce sing "Stand By Me": I love this version of the song, even though students played it on an endless loop during the summer school tutoring program I worked a few years back. In a wonderful touch, the performance starts with the star, who then introduces the contestant. I LOVE that. And Carlito and Prince Royce fit together perfectly, as if they were already a fine-tuned, pre-packaged act. I'd argue performing with Prince Royce has inspired Carlito to really bring it, and he does, for the most part. I really liked this a lot. The judges give it a standing ovation as well.
After the performance, Royce discusses singing this song with Ben E. King at the Latin Grammys, and then talks about working with a rising Latino like Carlito, praising his ability and work ethic.
Kelly tries to say "hand claps all-around" but accidentally says "hand craps." But she corrects herself, and seems really amused by her own flub (I'm gonna miss Kelly if she doesn't come back). Demi was impressed with how Carlito carried himself like a star opposite Prince Royce, while Simon thanks Prince Royce for coming on at the last minute to do this performance, adding that he's going to be one of the breakout stars of next year. He then praises Carlito's end of the performance before throwing to Paulina, who's just as over-the-moon with the duet as everyone else on the panel appeared to be.
Alex and Sierra and Leona Lewis sing "Bleeding Love": It's a mid-tempo arrangement, and it fits all three better than I expected it to initially. They don't blend as well as I would have liked them to, but the individual components of the performance are excellent. Sierra is the star here, not only looking amazing but sounding every bit as good as Leona, if not better. It's a shame they aren't a better fit together as a trio. But I still thoroughly enjoyed this performance. This is also the first time I've noticed how much Alex sounds like a grittier Kris Allen. I totally dig it.
Mario asks Leona what it's like to work with Alex and Sierra, and she says that they're such genuine people, and that they've all been chatting backstage. She does this all in her absolutely butterfly-inducing accent. Love it so much.
Kelly is mad with Alex and Sierra for being so damn good. However, Demi is considerably less impressed, saying that while Leona killed it, Alex and Sierra weren't as strong (I felt the opposite, actually. Alex and Sierra were great, but Leona sort of fell out of pitch at the end. I'm just assuming it was an issue with her earpiece though, since it's unlike her to lose pitch like that. She's a world-class talent, after all). Paulina just loved the performance, and Simon adds his praise, saying the respected the artist. He adds that Leona changed this show forever, and believes Alex and Sierra could a similar success for this show.
Jeff Gutt sings "Iris" with John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls: John and Jeff start out onstage together, so no big moment of the star introducing the contestant. But as if in compromise, John starts off the song before throwing to Jeff. Of course, the song doesn't exactly start off well...John starts singing ahead of the music cue and has to pause and wait for the track to catch up. And then it happens AGAIN after the bridge! But it's a minor flub when set against how good this is. Hell, they have Kelly and Demi singing along from their chairs (Lord knows, the karaoke video screen behind them makes it easy enough for her to sing along with the words if they didn't know them already).
After the performance, Mario gets a quick plug in for the new Goo Goo Dolls album, although John never speaks. He just rushes off the stage after the plug. Weird.
Demi is overwhelmed, gushing about how awesome she thought the performance was. Paulina says that seeing Jeff onstage reminds her that rock and roll never ages. The cameramen keep cutting to Jeff's son, who looks powerfully bored to be there. (Super cute kid though.) Simon thanks all the guest artists for taking time out of their schedules to be here, and praises Jeff's performance of one of his "favorite songs of all-time". Kelly is, of course, ecstatic about the duet. And I don't blame her. Yeah, there were some flubs here and there, but the good parts were really good.
Before the third round begins, we get a special video package detailing the makeovers the Top 13 underwent after making it to love shows. Sweet Suspense talk about being a "hot mess" prior to the Cover Girl makeovers, while Rachel Potter said the makeover helped her feel like the Nashville superstar she wanted to be. We hear from Rion Paige, Khaya Cohen, Ellona Santiago, and Sierra, all of whom I imagine would be gorgeous even without the makeovers.
Round Three: Song of the Series
And it's time for the final round...
Carlito Olivero sings "Maria, Maria": He starts off with a REALLY cool dance sequence backstage. Seriously, I didn't know he had all THAT in him. Of course, after all that, the sound cuts off on the first few notes of the song. But none of that really matters, because this was a great way for Carlito to end the night. Just a really fun, high-energy performance. Dude is sweating his ass off, and interacting with all the scantily-clad dancers without sacrificing any of the vocals. Love it. Although I kind of wish he'd closed with "Impossible," since that would have made for a bigger closing moment than this. But no arguments with this performance.
Kelly loved how Carlito heated them up and cooled them down with his resume of performances tonight, while Demi outright states she thinks America should vote for him. Simon talks about how much he respects Carlito and says he finally sees him as a current recording artist. (Carlito's mother looks up to the sky and says "Thank you" in a great little moment) Paulina then adds her praise to the chorus of support. Lastly, we cut to Carlito's elementary school, where his former teachers congratulate him and give him their support. Carlito closes with a message of thanks to his supporters, and to Latinos everywhere.
I'm actually kind of rooting for Carlito right now. He's that rare contestant who wears his hard work on his face. I'm not kidding either. Dude's face is straight up raining.
Alex and Sierra sing "Say Something": In introducing them, Simon notes the song-choosing process for the Song of the Series round, saying, "There is only one song: Say Something." And he's not kidding either. I loved the song when it was first released, yet I hardly even relate it to Christina Aguilera or A Great Big World anymore. It's just Alex and Sierra song. And this performance seals it. I'd worry about them doing two repeats despite having three songs to sing, but both repeats were as good, if not better, than the first time. They hardly take their eyes off each other. It's just gorgeous.
Sierra fights back tears during the critiques, and Kelly says it's alright to cry. She says it was better than the first time, and Demi echoes the sentiment, saying that they're going to go far. Paulina, meanwhile, loves how talented they are as musicians. Lastly, Simon says they're exactly what a talent competition in America needs.
We cut back to their hometown, where the Mayor of Daytona Beach proclaims this "Alex and Sierra Week". Alex then says he has something he wants to say to Sierra, and SWEET LOVING JESUS IS HE GOING TO PROPOSE?! Well, no. He thanks Sierra for supporting him, and he hardly even gets two words out before she becomes am adorable, blubbering mess. Mario tries to get comments from her, but she says she's terrible at talking. Alex seems to be tearing up too. There's literally nothing about this I didn't love, and I imagine the only thing that would have made it better would have been a proposal. But I'm kind of relieved it didn't happen. My heart can only take so much win on a Wednesday night.
Jeff Gutt sings "Creep": A bit surprised he went with this as his Song of the Series and not something bigger like "Bohemian Rhapsody", but there's no denying how magnificently this fits his voice. Some of his "rock god" vocal inflections are a bit silly, but I just can't front on that voice. The dude is such a 90s throwback, and I absolutely love that about him. Of all three acts, I'd argue that Jeff has actually had the best night, having remained relatively consistent throughout. Whether that'll be enough to win is anyone's guess at this point.
Demi has no idea how America is going to vote, but she says they should vote for him. (Jeff: "I agree.") Paulina roots for Jeff by chanting "Gutt," but the way she says it makes it sound like she's mocking him. She isn't though, as she cheers him on, while Simon congratulates Jeff on a job well-done. Kelly says that mentoring Jeff has been her heart's joy, and praises Jeff for doing all this for his little boy. She pleads for America to get behind Jeff. We then cut to his hometown, and Jeff fights back tears watching his friends, family and well-wishers cheer him on. Jeff becomes a puddle of tears when thanking Kelly and his fans for bringing him this far. Seriously, has anyone on Earth ever wanted anything as badly as Jeff wants this? I think I might just have to vote a bunch of times for everybody tonight.
Closing Comments
After the performances, Simon thanks everyone who's ever watched the show or voted for the artists, saying that working on the show has been incredible. (Sounds like a farewell) However, Simon says it's all about the three acts on the stage. He wishes them all luck, but says he hopes it's Alex and Sierra.
And like that, we're out! So which performers really brought it? Could this be the closest finale of any singing competition this year? And who will win The X Factor USA 2013? Sound off in the comments!
This is it for me. I'll be back tomorrow night with a recap and live blog of the finale, as we crown the winner of The X Factor USA 2013! So join me tomorrow night! I had a blast here chatting with you guys in the comments. Thank you for reading and hanging out. I've loved every minute!