X Factor 2 – The Top 8 – Recap, Videos and Results!

By On 11/29/2012 · 221 Comments · In X Factor

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I’ll be live blogging the X Factor Top 8 results right here! Watch for a DOUBLE ELIMINATION. Josh Krajcik and Alicia Keys perform!

Paige Thomas is eliminated
Vino Alan is eliminated

Holy crap. Could the manipulation be more obvious? I’m not one who typically subscribes to conspiracy theories–but Vino’s elimination smells to high heaven.  Truth: When Vino is left to his own devices he ALWAYS picks the right song. “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” has been sung quite a bit on singing competitions. It’s not a dud song. And I’ll bet Vino has sung it before.  I refuse to believe that LA’s last minute change was anything but sabotage.

Here’s the thing–I can’t imagine Simon was happy to see Vino beating the crap out of his acts week after week.  Also, Vino is such a throwback, he’s not that marketable.  Simon wanted Vino out, so his acts could move up, and that’s exactly what happened. LA doesn’t care. He’s got an artist, Tate Stevens, who could win it all.  I’ll bet LA figures Tate might pick up some of Vino’s votes.  Simon doesn’t have a problem with Tate, because the singer is a marketable country artist. I can imagine Simon dreaming of the day Tate outsells Scotty McCreery. I think Simon would LOVE to be able to brag about making inroads in country.

Geez. At least when Nigel tries to pull this shite on Idol, he’s not so blatantly obvious about it!  It’s not fun watching contestants treated like pawns in a chess game.

The theme of X Factor 2 could be “Nobody really knows the artist I am.”  The mentors and back stage producers are FAILING these finalists! FAIL FAIL FAIL! What’s also obvious is the way in which the contestants are being made over into artists they are not. The make overs are twisted and grotesque. And depressing. Because–as we saw with Jason, Jennel, Lyric 145, Arin Beatrice, Paige and Vino–the performances are over produced and inorganic. The contestants hardly look comfortable on stage, resulting in poor performances. The only way to enjoy X Factor is to treat it like the trainwreck it is. Lulz galore.

The only act who seems completely happy with becoming something they aren’t are Emblem3, who seem to be willing to do anything to succeed.  They are still suffering from the D (douche) Factor, so Simon has his work cut out for him. Expect the boys to save a basket of puppies from a burning building in their video package next week.

The continuing survival of CeCe Frey must also make Simon very happy. She’s polarizing, to say the least. She’s cast perfectly as the Season 2 villain. When they are ready to ditch her, they will damn her with faint praise. I should have remembered that when Simon tells a contestant they should pack their bags, it’s a cue for the viewers to pick up their phones, en  masse, to dial in pity votes.

Also, I’d like to note, that when Mario reveals the leader board, he skirts around the issue of which of the bottom 2 came in next to last.  He usually mumbles something like–well X was saved, so they are X.  We don’t really know if the contestant the judges saved had the fewest votes. Think about that.

Oh. And Khloe STILL can’t read a teleprompter and continues to be a terrible interviewer. I don’t expect that to improve.

***

A recap of last night’s AWESOMENESS *cough* is first. Shakes the Clown looks scary! Vino is worried about tonight. Paige is so happy about her performance. But will she be happy tonight when she inevitably winds up in the bottom 2? CeCe says she’s not packing a suitcase because she’s not going anywhere! Alrighty, then.

WOW WHAT A PHENOMENAL NIGHT says Robo Khloe.

HERE COMES THE INSTANT ELIMINATION! The act with the lowest number of votes and going home right now is…Paige Thomas. PAIGE THOMAS IS ELIMINATED! Paige says it’s ok that she was eliminated, because she has bigger and better things to do. Ooooh. BURN?

Josh Krajcik takes the stage to sing “One Thing She’ll Never Know”. You remember him! He was the runner-up to Melanie Amaro! He just released 4 songs ahead of his spring CD debut.

Khloe and Mario announce the Pepsi Challenge thingy.

The remaining finalists take the stage! The 5 acts that are safe will be announced, in no particular order.

Safe:

  • Fifth Harmony
  • CeCe Frey
  • Emblem3
  • Carly Rose Sonenclar
  • Tate Stevens

Vino Alan and Diamond White are in the bottom 2!

Simon is not surprised about Vino in the Bottom 2. Of course he isn’t.  Vino and Diamond must have been nearly crapping their pants when they were left on stage with Tate. So much suspense right there. Not.  BUSSING COMPLETE. Congrats Simon and LA.

Khloe speaks with Diamond and Vino backstage.  Vino is OK with LA changing his song at the last minute even if it landed him in the bottom 2. And he loves Diamond.

Alicia Keys takes the stage to sing “Girl On Fire”.

Diamond White sings “I Was Here” by Beyonce for her life – This girl is just…not ready. She should be sent home tonight, but it ain’t gonna happen. Argh the pitchiness. Please. No.

Vino Alan sings “Trouble” by Ray Lamontagne for his life – If LA would have allowed Vino to sing his original song pick, we wouldn’t be in this pickle. He’s singing rings around Diamond, but it’s not going to matter.

The judges choose who they are sending home.  Simon had “Christ” bleeped out. Oops on taking the Lord’s name in vain! We don’t do that in Americer Simon!

LA is sending home Diamond White
Britney is sending home Vino Allan
Demi is sending home Vino Allan
Simon Cowell is sending home Vino Alan

Vino Alan has been eliminated. Vino is shocked and says America never got the chance to hear what he can do. It’s the X Factor 2 drum beat. Man. *mj adjusts her tin foil hat*

Now it’s time to reveal the rankings: 1/10th of 1% separates the Top 2!

1. Carly Rose Sonenclar
2. Tate Stevens
3. Emblem3
4. Fifth Harmony
5. CeCe Frey

…and Simon Cowell rubs his hands together. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

 
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  • Incipit

    I wrote this show off completely – it’s a Giant FUBAR.

    But I was just thinking, wouldn’t it be cool if Fifth Harmony could actually ‘sing’ harmony? What a weird thing to name a manufactured group of solo singers – I’ve never heard any of them do parts. The usual Cowell ‘truth in advertising’, I suppose. I don’t really think they will continue as a ‘group’ after this fiasco.

    But if they could – I’d love to hear them take on “Monday, Monday” straight up – - or twist some Fifth Dimension songs…or any group songs from any era that are all about the vocals blending – because that would be so different, they wouldn’t be fighting for a place in the rankings, IMO.

    But they can’t even do two part harmony – which is simple enough you think they would have learned some by now – and I am reminded of it every time I see their name. What a waste.

    IMO.

  • GinaBallerina

    Cece safe and Vino out?!  This show sucksssssssssssssssssss.

  • Mateja Praznik

    I’m happy with the results. Simon and LA Reid have no use for an old guy like Vino, I’m happy they managed to get rid of him. Now, how to take down the cowboy …

  • Incipit

    Simon and LA Reid have no use for an old guy like Vino

    That sounds so weird. Cowell, age 53, and LA Reid, age 56, have no use for  an ‘Old Guy’ who is 40. I wonder when their shelf life expires? *snerk*

    (Skipping the rhetorical question – why even bother to cast ‘old people’?? Since it has such an easy answer.)

    Hey, Tate is only 37, or doesn’t that count in Country Music? He’s almost 20 years younger than LA Reid – by those lights , Reid and Cowell are Creaking Ancients. Heh.

  • justmefornow

    If you watch this show for the pure trainwrecky goodness it is, the show’s not half bad.

    Once you realize it doesn’t matter who wins, lets face it, we’ll probably never hear from any of these acts again, none are even close to “Stars”, lol, you can sit back and watch the show and laugh (Go CeCe go!)

    Broadway boring child or middled aged cowboy? Who cares who wins?
    The best part will be watching Simon’s head explode with another lame go-nowhere winner.

  • http://twitter.com/Loretta31 Loretta

     Nah I do not think so as Simon is cheesing them up and their own music is actually current and rather good.  I loved Sunset Blvd and think if released would make top 20.  Here is the one I think they may be bringing out as they all play guitars on it  Ingido http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnuNsDFKujU  I really like it. 

  • springboard2

    I’m happy with the results. Simon and LA Reid have no use for an old guy
    like Vino, I’m happy they managed to get rid of him. Now, how to take
    down the cowboy … 

    They put him in the live shows.

  • http://twitter.com/Loretta31 Loretta
  • thedeviledadvocate

    Just for fun, if you took the top 6 from The Voice and the top 6 from Xfactor, what would the rankings be?

    The VoiceFactor rankings to my ears, based on total performances so far:

    1. Carly Rose: Her voice is simply the best.

    2. Nicholas David: Smooth is the best description of his voice.

    3. Melanie Martinez: Her voice is pure, soft and haunting.

    4. Cassadee Pope: Her voice is a little thin, but pleasant.

    5. Tate Stevens: Great voice 2/3′s of the time, average 1/3 of the time.

    6. Amanda Brown: Great voice 2/3′s of the time, unpleasant screams.

    7. Trevin Hunte: Great voice 2/3′s of the time, unpleasant screams.

    8. CeCe Frey: Dark horse ( might be a pop star hidden inside her).

    9. Terry McDermott: Throwback rocker, loved 1/2 his performances.

    10. Emblem 3: Too much cheese for my taste.

    11. Diamond White: She needs a couple more years.

    12. Fifth Harmony: 5 good solo artists does not a good group make.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000075236182 Diana Adams Tyler

    Josh is better then the song he sung in my opinion.   Love his voice but he does need to show some personality and get songs with some teeth to them.

  • Reflects On Life

    Vino can triple his asking price and take top billing on those USO tours now.  It’s all good.

  • sumidol

    Sorry, I have to laugh that my cat er wauling lovely CeCe is still there, every week I have been told she is going home on here and then lo and behold, I read the next day, that she is still on, (the results shows are too boring to watch), she is still there! Then I am sad about Vino, awwwww – that stinks up the place,

  • sumidol

    me :)

  • http://twitter.com/eilonwya10 Eilonwy

    The theme of X Factor 2 could be “Nobody really knows the artist I am.”

    Perhaps it’s called “The X Factor” because it X’s out the musician’s original personality?

  • http://twitter.com/happylittlefish Amy Beth

    The “old people” category was age 25 and up.

    I find it incomprehensible that the show couldn’t have found a few 25, 26 or 27 y.o. dynamic performers who haven’t managed to hit it big yet. 

  • Incipit

    I find it incomprehensible that the show couldn’t have found a few 25, 26 or 27 y.o. dynamic performers who haven’t managed to hit it big yet. 

    Who knows what they found, Amy Beth? May have easily been plenty of people in that age range who tried out. We only know who they cast – and by going w/the upper ages in this category, they weren’t supposed to be threatening their ‘sweet young things’, I believe. Obviously, they didn’t want to cast people in the 25,26,27 y.o. age range.

    But the draw to the TV audience of a consistently good voice, coming from a person with enough life experience to honestly relate to their interpretation of a song was something they underestimated. The fact is, Tate is believable, in way many of the others are not. That’s not to say the rest of the cast couldn’t be, at least in some instances – but not with the songs the producers are handing out.

    IMO.

    Once you realize it doesn’t matter who wins, lets face it,  we’ll probably never hear from any of these acts again, none are even close to “Stars”

    Thing is, I can’t enjoy an intentional Trainwreck, which it may as well be – nothing about that entertains me. And, I am not convinced that all the contestants themselves are fully aware that a bit of National TV exposure, as whoever the producers present them to be, is all they ought to expect from this show. 

    The Judgementors, the staff, the Producers and much of the audience may know it’s all a sham – and Cowell will only support a hamster, or set of hamsters who will do as they are told and make him much quick bucks, regardless of the winner…I’m not sure all the contestants do. If they think for a minute it matters who wins – that multiplies the mean-spirited vibe I see. And that is no fun at all, to me.

    IMO. Of Course.

  • Jimmy Mackey

    Yes!  He’s not that marketable; you hit the nail right on the head!  Simon has the most to loose here since he’s signing the band that wins, right?  His Syco record label has exclusive rights to sign the winner, so how could the show NOT be influenced by him?  Imagine if someone like Vino won and he didn’t make any money while still shelling out money.  I watched the results show this morning before I picked up my DISH coworker, and we griped about it on the way there.  What I love about watching The X Factor with my DISH Hopper DVR in the morning is that I start watching in the bedroom, pick up in the same place in the kitchen while I’m eating breakfast, then finish off with coffee in the living room, which makes going to work seem more like my day off (LOL!).

  • http://twitter.com/BazzleFjsm Bazzle

    You think that one is good.. you probably already have now but check out the rest! The lyrics, style, compositions really gives off the exotic and bluesy vibe that I just dig. We haven’t seen Drew or Keaton shine very much. But in all their originals Drew and Wes have an equal dominance on lead. With Drew doing the rapping/singing and Wes just killing in on the chorus’s. I love how they’ve incorporated the sax into the instruments as well! People haven’t seen what Drew and even Keaton are capable of

  • dabney c

    So, I’m now watching MJ’s videos of last night’s show, and just saw Josh Krajcik’s performance. I didn’t watch last season, and only have a passing familiarity with Josh. Hearing him sing now – it struck me how Michael Bolton-ish he is. Was this the common perception of him last year? Just curious.

  • http://twitter.com/Loretta31 Loretta

     Bazzle, I loved the sax on that song as I wasn’t expecting it and wow. The song is multy layered and exotic like you said.  The more I dig and find the more enthrawlled.  I do not like this douchebag tag that E3 has been labeled.  I do not see them that way at all.  Over zealous, yes, over eager, yes, camera hogs yes, much like many guys their age would be IMO.  I am interested in seeing what more keaton brings as he has totally been back-up singer only. 

  • ohreli

    I cant believe Jennel Garcia is gone, and we are still listening to CeCe Fray and Diamond White…..

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