Top 7 to Top 5

Michael Jackson Week was a little disappointing overall, I thought. No one except Melanie Amaro stood out, and she just might (should) win this competition.

Astro (15), who probably did second best, did his thing. I guess America was tired of his rapping (he doesn't sing), and he left immediately. This time he took it like a man, which was good to see.

Drew (14), in the Bottom 3, didn't -- she was teary even before she knew she had to sing for her life. The night before she sang "Billie Jean" (a-la Chris Cornell / David Cook) and it backfired -- unlike the other energetic contestants, Simon Cowell had her sit alone on a chair the entire time. The song never kicked-in, and she never stood up. I was wondering WTF...

Rachel Crow, Josh Krajcik, and Marcus Canty did okay, but no where near their best. Chris Rene is the worst singer in the competition (and not the best rapper even), but people love his story (recovering addict) so he was safe.

After Astro was eliminated, Drew and Marcus were the Bottom 2. While Marcus is quite lovable himself, he wasn't better than Drew. LA Reid and Simon of course voted for their own mentees, and both Nicole and Paula voted Drew out, enraging Simon. And much of America.

Last week Simon tied it up so America's vote would decide. Paula did not do that, and sent the already sobbing Drew into a near stage collapse. I'm not sure what Paula was thinking. In any event, at 14, I think Drew -- altho very talented -- is not ready for the pressures and letdowns of being a recording artist. Not yet, anyway.

By DERRIK J. LANG | AP – 2 hrs 20 mins ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — "The X Factor" judges didn't want to stop listening to Melanie Amaro.

The powerful 19-year-old vocalist from Sunrise, Fla., wowed the Fox talent competition's panel with her soaring rendition of Beyonce's "Listen" during Wednesday's final performance round, prompting head judge Simon Cowell to declare that Amaro should win the show's grand prize: a $5 million recording contract and a starring role in a Pepsi commercial.

"That wasn't a $5 million performance," declared judge L.A. Reid. "That was a $50 million performance."

The panel also poured praise on the other two finalists: soulful 30-year-old single father Josh Krajcik of Wooster, Ohio, and 28-year-old singer-rapper Chris Rene of Santa Cruz, Calif. Krajcik accompanied himself on guitar for his final performance of "At Last," while Rene delivered his original tune "Young Homie" with a group of dancers and singers.

"You make everyone fall in love with you," judge Paula Abdul told Rene.

Before the final showdown, each singer awkwardly dueted with established artists. Krajcik was joined by Alanis Morissette on "Uninvited," Rene teamed up with Avril Lavigne for "Complicated," and Amaro partnered with R. Kelly on "I Believe I Can Fly," which marked the first time that the R&B star performed his motivational anthem with another singer.

The winner, which will be decided by viewer votes, will be announced on Thursday's show.

The contest thus far hasn't achieved the same success as "American Idol," which Cowell left last year to import "X Factor" from the U.K. to the U.S. Last Wednesday's performance episode drew 10.79 million viewers, less than half of the average "Idol" audience.

Unlike "Idol," the competition is open to solo singers and groups and has a lower minimum age of 12 and no upper age limit. The judges also serve as mentors: Cowell represented female vocalists, including Amaro; Reid headed male singers, including Rene; Nicole Scherzinger was in charge of over-30 singers, including Krajcik; and Abdul helmed the groups.
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Fox is owned by News Corp.
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AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang .
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Online:
http://www.thexfactorusa.com/

Tue., Jan. 31, 2012 2:30 PM PST by Joal Ryan

The body count on the Moldavian massacre wasn't this high, nor the motive as murky.

Why exactly have Steve Jones, Nicole Scherzinger and, most surprising, Paula Abdul all been exed out of The X Factor? A rundown of the five leading scenarios:

1. It Was the Ratings, Stupid: Fox didn't just promise X Factor sponsors good numbers, which is what the Top 25 show delivered, it promised sponsors great numbers. When The X Factor fell short of its American Idol-sized goal, the network was forced to cut ad rates, and offer make-good spots, the Wall Street Journal reported last October.

2. It Was Simon Cowell's High Standards, Obviously: Guess who made The X Factor's goals so high? Guess who was on record as saying the series would be a "disappointment" if it didn't reach an Idol-esque 20 million viewers? Guess who was firing people (well, Cheryl Cole) before the show even premiered?

3. It Was the Chemistry, or Lack Thereof, Clearly: Jones, who never seemed a fan favorite, and was rumored to have been fired last month, could step on big moments, as with the dramatic elimination of Drew Ryniewicz. Scherzinger, as season-one hopeful Stacy Francis told our Marc Malkin, "didn't have her head in the game." Abdul, who got high points from Francis, for what it's worth, was Abdul in the best way possible, so her departure could be Cowell's way of telling the audience he'll do anything--anything--to make a TV show a must-see event.

4. It Was Much Too Much, Arguably: Critics piled on The X Factor's mammoth production for a "phoniness that permeates every aspect of the show" (USA Today), and a set-up that obsured the very talent it was supposed to spotlight. ("A few weeks ago, Rachel Crow had 25 backup singers with her on stage," the Detroit News observed in October, "moments later, Melanie Amaro had 26.") A housecleaning is one way to downsize; as of now, only Cowell and L.A. Reid remain at the judges' table.

5. It Didn't Produce "A Moment Like This," Shockingly: More than TV ratings, Cowell judged Idol's success by the stars and hits it created. So, it must've grated to know that The Voice proved itself capable of launching a monster song, "Moves Like Jagger," albeit for judges Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera, and not one of its contestants, or to see Blake Shelton (another Voice judge) and Idol alum Kelly Clarkson all over the singles charts, while The X Factor has been a non-factor. True, first-season winner Melanie Amaro is getting the big push Sunday, when she'll be seen in a Super Bowl Pepsi spot with Elton John, but judging by his actions, Cowell's not content to wait around and see if something pops.

MORE: X Factor Fallout—Simon, Paula and Nicole Sound Off