Tonight it is all over after months of grueling competition the winner of THE X FACTOR USA will be crowned. It has been an amazing season! On last night’s show the three remaining finalists Fifth Harmony, Tate Stevens and Carly Rose Sonenclar battled it out for the last time for America’s votes.
Last night the finalists sang three songs: 2 solos and one song with a surprise celebrity. Did you see all of last night’s performances? If you did not we have all the videos here for you.
According to a poll we conducted last week and today, it is pretty clear that Carly Rose Sonenclar is probably going to walk away with the win tonight. Over 60% of our viewers are betting on it. If there’s even an inkling of an upset in the competition, the prize would go to Tate Stevens. It’s a very, very small possibility, but it is there nonetheless. Have you voted in our poll yet? There is still time go HERE!
On tonight’s X FACTOR USA FINALE it will be a star studded event and will feature performances from One Direction – the global sensation that rose to fame on the U.K. version of “The X Factor.” The One Direction guys are back to help make THE X FACTOR USA Season 2 finale extra special with special live performance of “Kiss You” from current chart-topping release, Take Me Home.
World-renowned rapper Pitbull will keep the party going with what’s sure to be a high-energy performance of “Don’t Stop the Party” from his current release, Global Warming, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard rap chart. Pitbull’s no stranger to THE X FACTOR stage either as he performed on last year’s finale as well.
By the end of the evening Khloé Kardashian Odom and Mario Lopez will announce which act will be crowned the winner of THE X FACTOR and receive a $5 million recording contract with Syco/Sony Music.
Stay tuned to Celeb Dirty Laundry for a full live recap of tonight’s FINALE episode. We will keep you up to date on all X-Factor news, reviews and spoilers and make sure to check back here regularly for more information on your favorite television shows! So don’t forget to come back to this spot at 8:00 PM for our live recap of The X Factor USA to see who is crowed the winner of The X Factor USA – recap at 8:00 PM EST!
Live Recap:
Mario Lopez and Khloe Kardashian are working the red carpet outside the X Factor studio. Khloe opens up the first car and it’s LA Reid. She asks him what it would mean for Tate Stevens to win for him tonight. He says he’s done a great job and hope he got the votes to win.
Mario gets the next car and it’s Demi Lovato! She’s in a funky metallic dress. Mario asks who is going to win and she says she thinks it may be Tate. Simon steps out of a Rolls (of course) and Khloe tells him his chest hair is sexy. Simon said he’s nervous for the girls.
Here’s another SUV and Mario gets Britney out! She looks gorgeous in a corset style dress that looks leathery and cool. She’s excited about Carly’s chances. Pit Bull’s out next – he’s performing and says it’s an honor and a blessing to be there.
Next arrival is One Direction and of course Harry Styles gets to hop out first! The crowd of screaming teen girls goes wild! Harry’s the only one who gets any mic time…
They play a video montage of the months of process from auditions to finals. They show a clip of Tate Stevens’s final performance. Next they show Carly Rose bringing down the house and then show a clip of her with the tippy looking Leann Rimes. Fifth Harmony’s next and LA tells them they’ve gone from underdogs to the ones to beat.
And now inside the theater, the X Factor grand finale begins! BTWs, Khloe looks festive in her green lace dress and Mario can wear anything, he’s always perfect… Khloe says tomorrow begins a new life for the winner. Mario mentions how hard the mentors have worked as well and introduces the judges. The four come out to the blaring anthem “The Final Countdown.” LA, Demi, Simon and Britney are introduced.
Mario talks about how different the three finalists are – the blue collar family man, the 13 year old school girl and the all-girl group. They introduce the finalists – but there are technical difficulties and they have to do a reboot.
Tate hops out of an SUV on the red carpet and starts singing. Carly Rose joins him in The Beatles All You Need is Love and then Fifth Harmony joins in as well. Wow. I recognized the lyrics, but couldn’t place the song because the remix is so different (not as good as the original, but then who can touch the Fab Four?)
The number turns into a full stage ticket-tape spectacular that Khloe calls “amazing.” Khloe says we’ll be looking back at the season next along with some other surprises. After the break, each finalist will perform a holiday song as well.
Back from the break, they play a clip of LA Reid and all his weird gestures at the judge’s table during performances against a backdrop of classical Christmas music. LA Reid introduces Tate who breaks into Please Come Home for Christmas – this is a song from back in 1960 – but my favorite cover of it will always be The Eagles 1978 version – but I have to say this one is pretty good. Aaron Neville, Willie Nelson, CeeLo Green and even James Brown have covered this and Tate held his own!
Khloe asks LA what he wants to say to Tate. LA says he’s done an amazingly consistent job and the absolute best and tells him he can win it. Mario introduces a video message from his hometown featuring his friends, local restaurants and town full of fans. They all call him “Tater” – aww. Even his in-laws chime in saying what an amazing father and husband he is.
His wife Ashlie thanked him for putting his dreams aside to take care of them and that no matter what happens tonight she’s proud and loves him. His Dad and grandparents and kids lavish praise on him. His son’s statement leaves Tate in tears on stage.
Khloe asks how he feels and he says those are the people he cares most about. Mario asks how winning would change his life and his family’s lives. Tate says it would change everything and Khloe wishes him luck.
Fifth Harmony will be up next after the break!
After the break, Khloe says everyone but one judge is gearing up for Christmas. They play The Grinch song over a montage of Simon being terrible to hopeful contestants. Khloe asks if he thinks of his insults ahead of time.
Simon introduces his favorite little group of the moment – Fifth Harmony. The girls are singing the 1963 Darlene Love classic Christmas, Baby Please Come Home. BTWs Darlene performs this every year on the Christmas episode of The David Letterman Show. They girls sing it nicely and come over and slather affection on their mentor Simon who looks like he’s enjoying the adulation. Very nice number.
Khloe asks if Simon has anything to say to him. He tells him he’s got his fingers crossed for them tonight. Then their video greeting starts. Dinah’s parents go first on the video montage, then Normani’s family telling the girls how proud they are and that they’re voting for them. Camila’s family is next and then Ally’s folks. The girls are all in tears watching their families. Last is Lauren’s family wishing her well. Britney’s all teared up – her mascara is looking wonky – but it’s sweet that she’s tearing up for the girls.
Back from the break, they do a montage of Britney’s shock faces when performances go bad or weird or wonderful. She’s got a 1,000 facial expressions and you can tell she’s not using Botox – every muscle in her face moves when she reacts!
Britney introduces Carly Rose who sings Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You and she tears it up. She’s got some cut break dancing toy soldiers on-stage with her. Man, that little girl has a huge voice and she really does a nice job on the festive number.
Mario tells her it’s one if his favorite songs and that he likes her funky toy soldiers. She tells him being in the finals is surreal. Britney says Carly never ceases to amaze her every time she performs. Simon said he wasn’t sure when they dropped the minimum age down, they weren’t sure what would happen, but that she’s extremely talented.
Now it’s time for Carly’s video message. Her classmates go first, then her best friend telling her how inspirational she is to them. Her piano teacher, brother and grandmothers all tell her how great she is. Her mom and dad are last and tell her how much they love her. They show backstage and most of her family is back there.
After the break will be the third place reveal!
Ooh. Khloe changed her dress. She’s in a black leather looking skin tight number, curly hair and a sparkly headband. She looks super hot! Love her.
They call out the three finalists and their mentors. Everybody’s in the game except for Demi. (sniff)
Here it is… In third place is… Fifth Harmony. Simon doesn’t look thrilled. He and the girls get in a group hug. They thank all their supporters and families and say God bless you all. Ally tells the girls she loves them so much and she’s so thankful that they were put together. Camilla says they gained friends for life and that she’s so happy. Mario asks Simon for final thoughts. He says we’re going to be hearing and saying a lot more from the girls in the future.
They launch the flashback video montage. They remind us that they were voted off individually and then put back together as a girl group. They show how they evolved as a group and how they’ve come together to create their harmonious sound. It’s nice. There’s not too many girl groups around anymore. I think they have a bright future.
Pit Bull and 1D are coming up after the break!
Back from the break, Khloe’s backstage talking to Tate and Carly and their families. She talks to Tate’s mom who says they are so proud of her son, but that Carly is also very talented. That’s so nice. Khloe wishes luck to both of them.
They play a video montage of the entire season. They show the really old guy, the lightning strike that freaked Britney out, the guy who got arrested and LA’s birthday celebration. They show the celebrity mentors that guested as well as when the judges had to send people him. Then it’s down to the final 16. Then they show the last elimination that took them down to the final three.
They launch the flashback video montage. They remind us that they were voted off individually and then put back together as a girl group. They show how they evolved as a group and how they’ve come together to create their harmonious sound. It’s nice. There’s not too many girl groups around anymore. I think they have a bright future.
Pitbull and 1D are coming up after the break!
Back from the break, Khloe’s backstage talking to Tate and Carly and their families. She talks to Tate’s mom who says they are so proud of her son, but that Carly is also very talented. That’s so nice. Khloe wishes luck to both of them.
They play a video montage of the entire season. They show the really old guy, the lightning strike that freaked Britney out, the guy who got arrested and LA’s birthday celebration. They show the celebrity mentors that guested as well as when the judges had to send people him. Then it’s down to the final 16. Then they show the last elimination that took them down to the final three.
Mario asks LA what one if his highlights was. LA said when Tate walked on with the cowboy hat and Demi asked what music he sang and he said rap. Britney said the whole experience was amazing. Demi said she can’t pick just one – but she says every night at the judges table – next to Simon has been amazing. Simon says working with the groups has been a blast and having one in the finals was his best feeling.
Khloe’s backstage with Vino – Tate’s roommate and said Carly’s like his sister. Diamond said she’s so proud and loves Carly. Emblem 3 said they’re stoked and want all the contestants to go rent a cabin and go snowboarding. Random…
After the break – Pitbull!
Khloe announces Pitbull singing Don’t Stop the Party. Oh wow – he just worked a little A-Ha Take On Me into the closing of his song. Very nice number.
Mario talks about how feisty Demi has been with Simon, calling him Grandpa and offering him breath mints. She says if she had a pig she’d call it Simon, she spits mints in his hand, says old people need coffee, calls his brain crusty and old and just generally harassing him.
Khloe introduces One Direction who gained fame from the UK version of X Factor. They sing Kiss You. The girls all cheer Harry’s wild mop. I bet Taylor Swift’s backstage grooving to her boyfriend’s performance as well.
A little more X Factor trivia – 1D was in the same sitch as Fifth Harmony. Simon put them together from individuals who didn’t make the cut during the early stages of the show. Each was voted off in third place of the X Factor finals. If Fifth Harmony stay on the same track as One Direction, they should be topping the charts in the next year or two!
After the break, Carly and Tate will duet together!
Khloe’s out in the crowd of screaming girls that love Carly and Tate. Mario introduces Carly and Tate’s number. Carly comes out first singing Miley Cyrus’ The Climb. She is out-singing Miley by miles… Wow! Tate comes in and sounds great as well. They are outstripping the original. This thing should rock iTunes… They’ve got a choir backing them now, fireworks and all sorts of stuff. But the main draw is the power vocals by the two finalists.
Hang on – that song looked rehearsed. Did they know prior to tonight that they were the final two or did they have to rehearse in every possible combination? Fifth Harmony didn’t look too torn up, so were they clued in once rehearsals for the grand finale started? Curious…
They’re announcing tryouts for season 3 of X Factor – March 6th Los Angeles, March 19th Charleston, April 14th New Orleans, April 25th Long Island and May 14th in Denver. Information about auditions is available at www.THEXFactorUSA.COM/auditions.
Khloe asks Simon if he’s excited about going back on the road for auditions. He says he enjoys it.
Mario says we’ll learn whether it’s Carly or Tate right after the break.
Khloe’s in a new dress – pink and metallic glitter – not as cool as the black one though. Mario talks about how close the votes have been between the two finalists. Khloe calls the finalists back out with their mentors. Carly comes out with Britney and Tate with LA.
And the winner is… Tate Stevens!
Khloe wants to know what he’s thinking. He says it’s the best day of his life. He says Carly is great. LA says that Tate represented the X Factor really well. Mario says Tate’s about to start a whole new life as his dream has become a reality. He introduces Tate for his final number. Carly took the disappointment in stride and seemed very happy for Tate.
Tate sings Chris Young’s Tomorrow I’m Gonna Leave Here. He’s tearing it up, the crowd’s going wild and swaying and holding out their hands to him. The judges are all in their feet. Fifth Harmony, Carly and the other finalists join him on stage, singing along and swaying as he belts it out.
Ticker tape falls and Tate’s in tears as he belts out his last big note…
Did Leann Rimes cost Carly the win?
