Demi Lovato came into “The X Factor” results show Thursday mentoring as many acts as anybody on the show. She had two still left in her category of girls, the same amount that Simon Cowell had in groups. The other two judges had just one act each.
But by the time the night was over, she had lost both of her young women and was the first judge on the show with nobody left to mentor as the top six shrank to four.
First to go at the top of the program (after Cowell’s awkward acknowledgement of the death of Nelson Mandela) was the big shock.
Ellona Santiago, who had a couple of strong songs this week, one of which Simon called “incredible” was yanked for lowest number of votes. With undoubtedly one of the strongest voices left in the competition, she seemed a bit speechless by her change of fortune.
Demi spoke for her: “I’m actually pretty speechless and disappointed,” she said, saying of Ellona, “she could have won this competition.”
The next two lowest vote-getters were at least understandable. Both Rion Paige and Carlito Olivero had been hanging on a little too long, with both of them relying heavily on sympathy votes.
Rion, the youngest one left in the competition at 13, kept being called an inspiration because she sang despite a congenital condition that has affected her arms. Olivero has been leaning on a story of poverty and no opportunity.
When it came for the two of them to sing for survival, Rion’s version of Miranda Lambert’s “The House that Built Me” was shaking in its foundation.
Carlito was a little off key as well. But in doing his version of Usher’s “You Make Me Wanna,” he showed swagger and the kind of star power that “X Factor” winners are supposed to display. He even turned his back to cameras to play to the audience, which turned out to be a savvy move — home viewers weren’t going to affect the outcome of the sing-off, only the judges would.
And after typically tortured judges statements (it is, after all, what they signed up for), of course both Demi and Paulina Rubio clung tightly their last remaining acts, while Simon and Kelly Rowland both decided Rion should go home.
She took it well enough, saying she was happy to sing for the Lord every week.
And Carlito joins a final four whose only other solo act is Paulina’s remaining Over 25, Jeff Gutt, who is confined to the role of classic rock impersonator. Fully half the remaining acts now are under the wing of Cowell — the country boy group Restless Road and the super cute couple Alex & Sierra.
And “X Factor” history may be weighing heavily on the group format. Both guest acts on the results shows were groups that had their start on “X Factor “– Emblem 3 from last season and Little Mix from the UK.
Both groups have apparently had some chart success but they’re both pretty awful.
Emblem 3 especially never deserved to be finalists on “X Factor” as they were cocky kids who tried to get ahead with bad rapping, middling vocals and Justin Bieber haircuts. They’re every bit as awful now, but even cockier as they are about to launch a big headlining tour. Never overestimate the taste of pop music fans, I guess.
Little Mix were a little tighter vocally, but obviously molded into a group because they all look like models and dress like Bratz dolls. Their sound is like a sped up barbershop quartet, but their song was pretty much bereft of melody anyway.
The loss of Rion and Ellonna means that Sierra is the only female left in the semi-finals, and she only constitutes half of her duo.
And now Demi is left in her blue hair with nobody to mentor.