The X Factor USA – Results, Recap and Live Blog – Top 6 - 12/05/2013
Welcome to the results, recap and live blog of The X Factor USA Top 6 Results for December 5, 2013!
This week, two more acts will be eliminated as we head into the semifinal of The X Factor USA 2013! Also, Little Mix crosses the pond to perform live while Emblem3 returns to The X Factor USA stage!
Credit: FOX
Rickey.org readers predict the end for Carlito Olivero, who received 37.28% of the vote. He narrowly edged out Rion Paige, who scored 36.81% of the vote. So will it really be the end for Carlito and Rion? And if one is eliminated on votes, who joins the other in the bottom 2? Well, if our readers have anything to say about it, it'll be Restless Road. The country boy band scored 10.67% of the vote.
So which acts will go home? Who will compete in the sing-off? There's still time to vote in the poll, so head on over and add your predictions!
Credit: FOX
Recap
-And we're off to the races, as Mario reveals that it's yet another double elimination tonight, in addition to Little Mix and Emblem3 performing, as it's X Factor UK vs. X Factor USA. But before we get to that, Simon wants to pay his respects to Nelson Mandela, saying that it's very sad news to hear of his loss.
-We get a recap of last night's show with backstage comments from the contestants. Restless Road and Rion Paige feel they did all they could to show America they have The X Factor, while Jeff Gutt hopes the people in his life know just what they mean to him. Ellona is stoked with how her first performance went, and Alex and Sierra were elated to see their mothers seated together in the audience. Carlito will work as hard as he can to overcome the bad comments he got this week.
For the second song, Restless Road breaks down backstage over how much this means to them. Rion Paige is feeling optimistic, as does Jeff Gutt. Ellona is a total bubble of energy, showing even more pure elation than she did after her first song. Alex and Sierra are overwhelmed by their reviews, while Carlito says he hopes everyone sees how badly he wants this.
-Mario reveals that Jeff Gutt is #5 on the iTunes Rock chart, while Restless Road is #2 on the Country chart. Alex and Sierra, however, are #1 overall on the singles charts! I'm really surprised by all these high chart positions. In a good way. Seriously, I don't know why this show doesn't do studio versions like The Voice. There's clearly a demand. Think about it, Alex and Sierra are #1 with a LIVE performance...and not even a FULL version! That's crazy! This show could be making a lot more scratch by selling full versions, at the very least, if not outright studio recordings. But maybe it's a rights fee issue? Perhaps it would cost more to license the full song, I don't know. But if a sinking ship like NBC can afford it, and American Idol can afford it, I don't see why The X Factor shouldn't be able to.
-Mario also explains that we'll get to choose the finalists' songs next week, and if it's anything like last year, we'll get decent options that never get used because America drops the ball and goes with something lame. Just my prediction though. Prove me wrong, America! Prove me wrong.
8:09 PM
-Time for our weekly backstage hype video, in which the contestants all talk about how intense the competition is. It's essentially a replay of last week's package, with an added timeline of the week: it all starts on Friday with rehearsals, they meet with their mentors on Saturday, Sunday is choreography, Monday is camera blocking, Tuesdays are dress rehearsals and Wednesdays are the live shows. Lots of platitudes about how much this competition means, and how hard they're working, in addition to just how nerve-wracking the entire process is. They have all my respect for going out there and actually doing it. I'd have fallen apart on Friday, before ever even getting to a mentoring session.
And now it's time for RESULTS!
-Mario brings out the contestants, and everyone puts on smiles, but they all seem fairly terrified.
The act with the fewest votes and leaving the competition tonight is...ELLONA SANTIAGO?!
Image: Ellona Santiago eliminated
-Kelly is FLOORED, and Ellona looks like her world has been crushed. Poor thing. Ellona tells Mario she guesses she just didn't give a good enough performance to get through, but she hopes to get another chance at making it in the business. Demi, however, is just absolutely speechless about this result. She seems as mad as she is disappointed.
-Simon doesn't seem all that happy either, although I don't really know who he expects to go home at this point. He literally told every single contestant last night that he'll be upset if they aren't here next week. Somebody had to go home. Ypu know, unless he wants to sacrifice one of his acts to spare everyone's feelings.
-As for this result, I'm sad to see Ellona go before Rion, but I find them to be on roughly equal footing at this stage. I'd place Ellona a bit higher, but I don't think she was going to make the final or anything.
8:20 PM
-Back from break with backstage reaction to Ellona's elimination. Rion says she loves Ellona with all her heart, and Restless Road says they're sad to see her go. But it's not like anyone is going to give up her spot so she can stay, so I don't know what Mario is expecting these people to say.
Emblem3 performs "Just For One Day": It wasn't until I saw the VT for this performance that I came to a sudden and clear realization: I think I hated last season. Seriously, beyond Fifth Harmony, last season was just one long, dreadful enterprise. Say what you will about this season, but I think it's a VAST improvement over last year (although still not up to Season 1, which was just on a whole other level).
"Just For One Day" is a pretty catchy song, and this is already better than any of their performances last season, which says a lot for how the lack of pressure can really up a performer's game, as they aren't exactly worried about making it to next week. Keaton also gets to sing more here than he did in all of last season. All in all, a good performance. And the boys announce they'll soon be starting their very first national headlining tour. So Simon's prediction of "big things" for the trio last season actually turned out to be right.
You can watch and discuss the performance here: Emblem3, "Just For One Day"
8:29 PM
-We're halfway through the show and that means...
MORE RESULTS!
Mario brings out the acts and we get right to it.
The first act through to next week is...RESTLESS ROAD!
Also returning next week is...ALEX AND SIERRA!
The final act guaranteed a spot in next week's show is...JEFF GUTT!
The bottom 2 are RION PAIGE and CARLITO OLIVERO!
-Rion says she loves Carlito with all her heart, because even though she only has one heart, everyone gets all of it. She says she's just going to try to shine her light. Carlito goes religion-for-religion with her, saying that he gives God all the glory win or lose, and adds that he loves Rion as well. Should be a fairly even showdown.
8:34 PM
-Back from break with our next musical act...
Little Mix performs "Move": Ugh, I love this group. And they look like SUCH stars. I wish I could go back in time to when Jesy was down on her appearance and ability during the group's time on The X Factor UK, and show her this performance. Hell, just show her a picture of this. Because they've come such a long way in just two years. And this song is straight catchy. Love it.
-Unfortunately, we don't get a post-performance interview with the girls, as I suppose they either have nothing to say or we're running short on time (yeah, there's pretty much no way it's not the latter).
You can watch and discuss the performance here: Little Mix, "Move"
Final Showdown
Rion Paige sings "The House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert
This was more pretty than powerful. It got a bit nasally in parts, but the choruses made up for it in a big way. It's not a gamechanger or anything, but it's good enough that it's a performance she shouldn't be ashamed of if it's her last of the competition. She ends the vocal with a "God bless" as we send it to a commercial break.
Carlito Olivero sings "U Make Me Wanna" by Usher
No. Just...no. It's in the original key, which is pitched way too low for his voice. He kind of gives it up during the chorus and tries to get the crowd to sing along to give himself a break, since he just wasn't going to be getting those notes. He goes into the crowd and slips up by continuing the chorus when it's actually time to go into the bridge. But I've gotta give it to him, his vocal on the bridge is really strong. In fact, his vocals from the bridge onward are pretty solid. And I thought the woman he was flirting with in the crowd was mad cute.
Mario asks Carlito who the girl in the crowd was flirting with, and he has no idea. Of course, he then finds out the girl is DEMI'S SISTER! HA! Carlito apologizes nervously, and it's fantastic.
Mario then asks the contestants what they want to say to the judges, and Rion says she loves being onstage and wants to glorify God with her music while Carlito wants to spend the rest of his life doing music. He echoes his comments from the first time he was in the bottom 2, saying he could be in the bottom 2 every week, but you'll always see him fight. I'm Team Carlito on this one.
Results
Judges' Vote
Demi Lovato sends home Carlito Olivero
Paulina Rubio sends home Rion Paige
Kelly Rowland sends home Rion Paige
Simon Cowell sends home Rion Paige
Rion Paige is eliminated from The X Factor USA!
-Rion says that going through this has been really rough, but she loves the Lord and this experience. We get a video of Rion's time in the competition, but the real news here is...
DEMI LOVATO HAS BEEN WIPED OUT OF THE X FACTOR USA! IN ONE NIGHT!
So yeah, sucks for Demi. But I feel like this was ultimately the right call. Carlito doesn't exactly set the world on fire, but I think he actually has more to offer. Granted, if you'd told me when the live shows started that Carlito would be Paulina's last boy, much less a final four contender, I'm not sure I'd have believed you. But he's really grown a lot, and I'm genuinely impressed with how far he's come. Next week should be interesting, since I'm fully expecting him to pull a Fifth Harmony-sized upset and fight like hell to swoop his way into the finale. The pressure could make for some real moments of the treasure or trainwreck variety.
That’s it for me, guys! Thanks for hanging out! And speaking of treasures or trainwrecks, head on over to The Sound of Music live blog and join in on the fun!