Following the instant elimination of CeCe Frey, it was revealed that FifthHarmony and Diamond White would have to perform for the judges’ save.
Cabello, Hernandez and the ladies performed Mariah Carey’s “Anytime You Need a Friend,” making it a point to give each member of the group an individual moment to shine. Then White sang LeeAnn Womack’s “I Hope You Dance.”
Cowell and Britney Spears (White’s mentor) each voted to keep their act in the competition, but L.A. Reid and Lovato both picked FifthHarmony to move forward to the semifinals.
Here’s a look at the final rankings for this week:
They’re the last Latinas standing on The X Factor… And Ally Brooke Hernandez and Camila Cabello are fighting for their place in the Top Four.
During Wednesday’s live performances on Fox’s reality singing competition, Hernandez and Cabello’s all-girl group FifthHarmony performed two songs in their quest to garner enough of America’s votes to stay in the competition.
In the first round, the ladies performed Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain,” as selected by their mentor Simon Cowell. The performance didn’t seem to impress the judges.
“I still didn’t hear any harmony. You should be named Fifth Unison,” said L.A. Reid, referring to his claim that the group doesn’t harmonize. Britney Spears agreed, saying she’s still “trying to figure out what separates you from the other girl groups.”
Meanwhile, Demi Lovato, hating on Cowell all season-long, said, “I feel like there’s a couple of you that should just be solo artists.”
For their second performance, in what was dubbed the Pepsi Challenge, the contestants were instructed by their Twitter fans on everything from staging, to hair, to wardrobe and song choice.
The selection, which included the perfect pair of nerd glasses for Hernandez, allowed FifthHarmony to finish their night with a bullet. Not only did they demonstrate their ability to harmonize, they also showcased their awesome voices.
Reid seemed to be in shock with their performance, as he finally heard harmonies, while Spears declared“That was your very, very best performance,” said Spears “A friend of mine sings this song good, and so do you.”
Lovato thoroughly enjoyed hearing her own song, and said, “I think this song should have been your song. You sing it better than the original. It was energetic, fun. Simon did a good job this week.”
Ally Brooke (Hernandez) and Camila Cabello have plenty of reason to celebrate…
The Latina singers – members of FifthHarmony – gave a stronger performance on Wednesday’s The X Factor that not only helped them avoid having to sing for their lives… But the all-girl group’s performance of Kelly Clarkson’s “(What Doesn’t Kill You) Stronger, ” also gave them their best ranking in the competition as they advanced to the Top 6.
Taking the stage just hours after a death in the family on Wednesday night, the group rallied around Hernandez, who dedicated the group’s performance to her late grandfather.
L.A. Reid took time out to recognize Ally’s loss before reviewing their performance.
“First of all, I have to offer my sincere condolences to you (Ally). I’m really sorry for your loss,” Reid said before critiquing their performance of “Stronger.”
“I wanted ground breaking,” Reid said, claiming he didn’t hear enough harmony or an “original arrangement.”
Disagreeing with L.A. Reid, Britney Spears “thought the song really worked” for the group.
Demi Lovato agreed.
“I think that this was probably one of the best performances you guys have given,” said Lovato.
Excited for his group, Simon Cowell labeled the performance “fantastic.”
“This is an amazing, amazing song. What a fantastic performance you just gave. This is really, really important. I can see you on the charts. I can tell you Ally, your grandfather would be proud of you tonight.”
Following the elimination of Paige Thomas and Vino Alan, it was revealed during Thursday’s results show that Hernandez and Cabello’s group – coached by Simon Cowell – came in fourth place after the public’s vote.
Here are the remaining top six acts on this season of The X Factor:
6. Diamond White
5. CeCe Frey
4. Fifth Harmony
3. Emblem3
2. Tate Stevens
1. Carly Rose Sonenclar
Following the elimination of Lyric 145, one of Simon Cowell’s groups, Garcia and her fellow Young Adults competitor Paige Thomas had to sing for the save.
Before the judges cast their vote for which act to send home, Garcia performed an emotional rendition of Hoobastank‘s “The Reason,” while Thomas performed Coldplay‘s “Paradise.”
“I’m shocked that either of them are at the bottom,” said L.A. Reid, before voting to send home Garcia. Britney Spears followed suit. But Cowell refused to name his choice until the ladies’ mentor Lovato made hers.
“The act that I’m going to send home is Paige,” she said. It was up to Cowell to avoid a tie – and he picked Garcia.
“You’re so unbelievably talented and you have a future ahead of you so I’m not worried,” Lovato told Garcia on the show. “I love you and I really, really believe in you.”
After the show, a “bummed” Lovato told People magazine, that it “wasn’t an easy night” for her.
“I genuinely think that Jennel is just more talented,” she explained. “I think that Paige has a more star quality to her which is going to help her as an advantage. I think that Jennel definitely didn’t deserve to go home, and I couldn’t let her go home tonight.”
“As we get closer and closer to the end of this I’ve invested so much time,” she continued, “so it is not like I am losing a contestant; I am also losing a friend that I worked so hard with over the last couple of weeks. It is kind of a blessing and a curse that I get so close to my contestants.”
Following her impressive performance on The X Factor, Jennel Garcia shouldn’t lose one minute of sleep…
During Wednesday night’s episode of Fox’s reality singing competition, which saw the Top 12 sing songs by the divas like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, the 18-year-old half-Puerto Rican singer kicked off the show with a rousing rendition of Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary.”
In her mentoring session, Garcia’s mentor, Demi Lovato, encouraged the “rock star next door” to perform “for the audience,” saying she wanted America to see Garcia could be one of the divas in the future.
“[You] started this thing out with a bang,” proclaimed judge L.A. Reid. “You just returned to the competition; that smoked!”
Britney Spears agreed.
“Tina would be proud,” declared Britney Spears after the show-stopping performance that saw Garcia, dressed in a white fringed top and leggings, working the entire stage. “You nailed it!”
Even Simon Cowell, who had been critical of Lovato’s mentoring of Garcia last week, acknowledged the singer’s return to form.
“You are back in the game; that’s what we wanted,” said Cowell. “You look better, you sound better, you were having more fun. Like a different person. I’m glad you listened to me.”
And Lovato beamed with pride at her protégé’s job well-done.
“I’m so unbelievely proud of you,” said Lovato. “What a way to kick off the night. You do look amazing and I think together we really nailed it.”
The other Latinas in the competition, Ally Brooke (Hernandez) and Camila Cabello – members of FifthHarmony, received rave review as well.
Dressed in all-angelic-white, the all-girl group performed a beautiful rendition of Mariah Carey’s “Hero,” one that had Cowell, their mentor and group-maker, grinning throughout the performance.
“There’s something really lovable about all of you,” said Reid. “You picked a really tough song, and I think you struggled in the beginning honestly. But somewhere in there it turned into a really great performance.”
Lovato agreed.
“I was really worried that I was going to be bored, but you guys, your voices just killed it,” raved Lovato.
Cowell, who created the group from singers who hadn’t advanced as soloists after the show’s audition period, urged people to cast their votes.
“Maybe this isn’t a one horse race. Maybe there’s a chance that five girls with brilliant voices could actually win this show,” said Cowell. “And I want America to pick up the phone to vote for you!”
Singing live for America’s votes for the very first time this season, Garcia – dressed in an all-black outfit, including glittered pants and a leather jacket, and yellow Dr. Martens – performed Joan Jett & The Blackheart’s “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” as part of the show’s “songs from the movies” theme.
Garcia’s performance received a mixed response from the judges. L.A. Reid said it was “good,” but said it lacked originality, while Simon Cowell said it was a “parody.”
“I think you’ve got to challenge yourself on these songs, because it was a pretty much a straight cover,” said Cowell. “And you’re better than this.”
But Garcia’s mentor, Demi Lovato, had a rebuttal ready.
“Look around in this audience, all of the girls are going crazy,” said Lovato. “And I guarantee that they would buy a ticket to her concert.”
Meanwhile, the other two Latinas in the competition, Camila Cabello and Ally Brooke, showed great improvement over last week’s performance.
Now called FifthHarmony, Cabello and Ally’s all-girl group performed Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years” to rave reviews from the judges.
“I have to tell you that I was impressed with your singing,” declared Reid. “I think you guys nailed it; I think you figured out exactly how to start the song and who should finish the song.”
Britney Spears concurred.
“This week from last week it’s night and day,” said Spears. “You guys just shined the whole way, you really did. I was really impressed.”
FifthHarmony’s mentor Cowell, too, was impressed.
“The transformation week on week has been enormous; I think there’ something incredibly exciting about your potential,” said Cowell. “I really genuinely can feel something special. I thought the vocals were stunning, the performance was fantastic. I could not be more proud of you.”
“It was just crappy, the name. And I just couldn’t say it week after week,” Cowell said in a post show interview. “I think the public will get it right. It doesn’t have a natural flow to it. Emblem 3, Lyric 145, 1432 — just too many numbers.”
“I had an artist I worked with and her name was Alicia Moore. She was in a band named Choice, and I talked her into leaving the band to become a solo performer, but said she also needed a name,” he said. “She came in with the name Mr. Pink. We dropped the Mr. and she became just Pink.”
Cowell claims there was method to his madness when he chose 1432 to sing for the save against against Sister C, and this all played into his strategy to pick a more fitting moniker for the group.
“I was going to save 1432, and then I got a bit tactical because I’d heard them sing ‘Skyscraper‘ and I thought, ‘If the audience can hear this before next week, they are going to appreciate them as better singers,’ ” said Cowell. “The risk was they could’ve screwed it up, and we could have lost them. So it was kind of a risky thing to do, but I think it worked.”
Simon now says the girls have a higher public profile, which could lead to an even better name.
“Now they got to know them a bit better I think it will be a help,” he said.
During Thursday night’s episode, where one contestant from each of the judges’ teams would be sent packing, Garcia was the first person declared safe by her Young Adults mentor Demi Lovato.
“I’m so happy for myself, but my two best friends are out there still,” said an in-tears Garcia backstage after the announcement that CeCe Frey and Willie Jones would be the two who’d have to perform for the last remaining spot in their category. “But I’m super happy.”
But the night wasn’t as stress-free for the show’s other Latino contestants…
Ally Brooke Hernandez and Camila Cabello, members of the all-girl group 1432 (formerly the LYLA) had to face-off against country group Sister C after finding themselves in the bottom two in Simon Cowell’s Groups category.
Sister C performed Miley Cyrus’ ballad “When I Look at You,” while 1432 opted the perform Lovato’s “Skyscraper.”
“You know what they say, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going.’ And you know what, you did it,” decreed judge L.A. Reid. “And, I’m proud.”
Britney Spears said the ladies’ performance made her “a believer,” while Lovato heaped on the praise.
“I don’t know who that song is by,” joked Lovato. “But regardless, you did better than the original singer.”
Cowell – who admitted the group had a “wobble” on Wednesday night, but was “much, much, much better” this time around – ultimately picked 1432 to advance to the Top 12.
But David Correy didn’t have the same luck.
The the 26-year-old Brazilian-born singer ended up in the bottom two in Reid’s Over 25s category with Jason Brock.
Despite a soulful, slowed-down rendition of Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone,” Correy couldn’t catch a break from any of the judges, except Spears.
“I really didn’t like the rendition of that song,” declared Lovato. “I felt It was way too forced. It just felt like you were screaming the whole time.”
In the end, Reid elected to advance Brock to the Top 12 and send Correy packing.
“I’ve been through a lot in my life, like we all have. But it’s never stopped,” said Correy after the announcement. “And I promise you this is not gonna be the last time you see my face.”
David Correy’s emotional journey on The X Factor may end with more than a recording contract.
The 26-year-old Brazilian American singer, who has advanced to the final 16 contestants/acts on Fox’s reality singing competition, may have fulfilled his wish to find his birth mother.
Correy, who is from Annapolis, Maryland, was born in Recife, Brazil, and adopted by an American family when he was a baby. The singer expressed his desire to reconnect with his birth mother during his first audition in front of judges Simon Cowell, Britney Spears, Demi Lovato and L.A. Reid.
“Every time I’m on stage, I go on there with that thought of knowing that I have the opportunity to reconnect with her through what God gave me, and that’s my voice,” said Correy.
Soon after the clip aired, a woman claiming to be Correy’s mother contacted Brazilian authorities and the local media in Recife saying she recognized his infant pictures shown on TV, according to TMZ.
Luciene Correia de Lima, 40, claims the timeline, birth certificate and orphanage information she gave local authorities match up with Correy’s information, reports the Brazilian newspaper O Diario de Pernambuco.
Lima says she’s willing to take a DNA test and do everything in her power to reunite with her son.
“I had a dream to see him one day,” she said. “I hope he wants to see me.”
Correy, who spoke with the publication via Skype, said he doesn’t know whether he’ll go to Brazil or bring Lima to the U.S. to get the DNA test done. “Whatever she wants to do, I will do,” he said.
“I got a great family. They adopted me around the time I was 1 or 2 years old. I love my family to death, but it’s the curiosity of wanting to know where I came from, if she sings [and] what she looks like,” he says, adding, “I feel like the not knowing is why I sing with so much soul.”
Extra, Extra… Mario Lopez will be having an X-ceptional fall…
The 38-year-old Mexican American actor has reportedly signed on the dotted line to co-host Fox’sThe X Factor alongside Khloe Kardashian, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
A source close to the show says that Lopez has officially signed on, while Kardashian’s reps and the X Factor team have agreed on all points of her contract, and paperwork should be signed shortly.
The Extra host and E! reality TV star replace The X Factor’s season one host Steve Jones, who was cut in a massive talent slash that also found judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger without jobs in late January.
Following the firings, Simon Cowell repeatedly stated that he hoped to hire two judges for the forthcoming season, one female and one male.
Kardashian had long been rumored to fill the position. Her friendship with new X Factor judge Demi Lovato helped seal her deal, a source said.
Meanwhile, Lopez’s name only recently entered the fray. Other potential hosts said to have been on the shortlist included Corbin Bleu, Kevin Jonas and Kevin McHale.
Kardashian and Lopez screen-tested separately. It’s unclear whether they’ve been on camera together yet.
A representative for Fox had no comment.
The X Factor returned with its season two premiere on Wednesday, September 12, with new judges Britney Spears and Lovato joining Cowell and L.A. Reid on the panel.
Kardashian and Lopez are expected to appear when the live shows begin later this fall.
