The Dec. 6 episode of The X Factor kicked off with a performance from last year’s winner Melanie Amaro, in an attempt to become relevant again. CeCe Frey was then quickly eliminated, which surprised… well, no one. Sorry, but it was definitely time for her and her leopard paint to be sent packing.

As for the bottom two acts, that wasn’t very surprising either. Although 13-year-old Diamond White is super talented, she sang a shaky, whiny version of “I Hope You Dance.” Meanwhile, the girls of Fifth Harmony had their best performance to date with Mariah Carey‘s “Anytime You Need A Friend.”

Even as a fan of them, I was blown away by their harmonies. (Yes L.A. Reid, there were harmonies!) In the end, the judges, aside from mentor Britney Spears, voted Diamond out.

Here’s how the rest of the acts ranked according to viewer votes:

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

What do you think of the results, HollywoodLifers? Did CeCe and Diamond deserve to be sent home? Were you surprised by the rankings? Drop me a comment and let me know!

— Sharon Tharp

Follow @SharonTharp

More X Factor on HollywoodLife.com:

1. Carly Rose Sonenclar: Should Win ‘X Factor’ After Singing Justin Bieber Song
2. Carly Rose Sonenclar Outshines Justin Bieber With ‘As Long As You Love Me’
3. Demi Lovato: Emblem3 ‘Downgraded Version’ Of Jonas Brothers

The Nov. 21 episode of The X Factor brought out Kim Kardashian and Kanye West (ugh!) for a night of giving thanks to the contestant’s favorite people. Hosts Khloé Kardashian and Mario Lopez looked especially snazzy as we were served up a slew of sob stories.

The Good:

Carly Rose Sonenclar once again blew everyone away with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” She started off the song completely acapella and got a standing ovation from the judges. L.A. Reid called her a “force of nature” while Simon Cowell claimed it was “was one of the best versions of it [he] ever heard.” Let’s all agree that if she doesn’t win this whole thing, something is wrong with the world.

Diamond White was equally amazing with her killer performance of Celine Dion‘s “Because You Loved Me.” I was bawling through most of it even though I wasn’t crazy about the arrangement of the song. She also looked adorable in her little metallic dress. Demi Lovato and Britney Spears were in tears and I didn’t blame them. Flawless!

I know a lot of people think Emblem3 is a trio of douchebags — and maybe the blonde one is — but I still adore them. They sang a mellow version of “Secrets” by One Republic, and their vocals were totally on point. L.A. said it “lacked emotion,” but I agree with Britney when she said it “was a nice change of pace.” There’s no way they are going home.

The girls of Fifth Harmony took on “I’ll Stand By You” by the Pretenders, which instantly gave me chills. I wish the instrumentals didn’t overpower their vocals so much, but either way, it was phenomenal. Are they the new girl-version of One Direction?

Tate Stevens is probably the most consistent contestant in this competition. He’s always just really, really good. He dedicated his performance of Lonestar‘s “I’m Already There” to his father, which was sweet, and even teared up during the song. Demi said it wasn’t his best, but Simon confirmed there’s “not a cat in hell’s chance” he’s going home. (I agree.)

The Bad:

Arin Ray painfully sang “Hero” by Enrique Iglesias, which was just an awful song choice. I’ll give him credit for singing it well, but between the cheesy background vocals and his super fugly jacket, I wasn’t feeling it. Neither were the judges. “I wouldn’t have signed you,” Demi said. “I was so bored.” Ouch!

I never thought I would actually feel for CeCe Frey, but the story of her sister who died got to me! I admit it. Still, her version of Bette Midler‘s “Wind Beneath My Wings” was very blah. She cried throughout the whole thing and it made her vocals really shaky. So much so that L.A. said, “It’s really hard to critique someone when they’re pouring their heart out like that.”

Even though I wasn’t the biggest fan of Beatrice Miller‘s singing of “Chasing Cars,” I felt the emotion and started bawling when she talked about her adorable, adopted twin sisters. I couldn’t help but laugh at the leaf stuck in her hair (sorry!), but she’s adorable. She may not be the most talented, but she’s absolutely adorable.

Vino Alan forcefully sang “God Bless the U.S.A., which was just… too much. He got a standing ovation because it was American and all, but I wasn’t into it in the slightest bit. “We could be seeing you at No. 1 tomorrow,” Simon told him. Um, NO!!!

Finally, Paige Thomas took on “Everytime” by Britney, and sadly, didn’t do it any justice. Even though Britney called it “really beautiful,” no one else was a fan. She literally couldn’t stop sobbing, which affected the entire performance. She needs to go.

The Ugly:

No one! This was probably one of the best live shows!

What do you think, HollywoodLifers? Who deserves to go home tomorrow night?

— Sharon Tharp

Follow @SharonTharp
Subscribe To Us On YouTube!

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More X Factor on HollywoodLife.com:

1. L.A. Reid: Don’t Mess With Britney Spears — She’ll Slash You
2. ‘X Factor’s Jennel Garcia Angry She Followed Demi Lovato’s Advice
3. Khloé Kardashian: Lamar Odom Makes Fun Of My ‘X Factor’ Voice

This week’s performances proved much better than last, as the Nov. 7 episode of The X Factor brought back eliminated contestant Diamond White to round out a Top 13. The theme was “Songs from the Movies,” which was more or less forgotten a few performances into the night. Nevertheless, we were also treated to an awkward moment between Khloé Kardashian and Britney Spears. It’s the little things, you guys!

The Good:

The clear frontrunner of this whole competition, Carly Rose Sonenclar, blew everyone away once again with her rendition of “It Will Rain” by Bruno Mars. Not only was it powerful and heartfelt, but it was completely effortless. She makes it look so easy! There’s no doubt she’ll have a deal with Disney or Nickelodeon regardless of what happens on this show.

Meanwhile, Arin Ray was a totally different person this week with his killer performance of “American Boy.” I’m not so sure Beyoncé‘s Obsessed counts as a real movie — sorry! — but I don’t even care because it was THAT good. The kid was dancing, rapping and totally made up for that snooze-inducing mess from last week.

America voted to name the talented five-girl group Fifth Harmony, which isn’t my favorite choice, but hell, it’s a lot better than those stupid acronyms. They did a beautiful rendition of Christina Perri‘s “A Thousand Years” and it took us back to the days of their amazing performance at Simon Cowell‘s house. I think these girls have potential to win!

Single mom Paige Thomas got back on my good side as she literally descended from the ceiling with “Take My Breath Away” from the movie Top Gun. It did remind me a little too much of Rihanna and Chris Brown, especially when that hottie joined her on stage, but it was still a massive improvement from last week.

Speaking of last week, the boys of Emblem 3 had A LOT to live up to. Their mix of “My Girl” and “California Girls” (with a little One Direction thrown in) was high-energy and entertaining as always, even if it was a tiny bit sloppy. I was also a little distracted by Keaton‘s movements when he sang, but whatever. I love these guys and so did the judges. They aren’t going anywhere.

Diamond White made her big comeback with Whitney Houston‘s “I Have Nothing” and it was really, really good. Did I get, as L.A. Reid would say, ”chill bumps?” No. But let’s remember: the girl is 13 years old. She’s amazing.

The Bad:

As much as the judges liked Beatrice Miller‘s singing of “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls, I thought it was boring and flat. And why is this poor girl dressed in EVERYTHING SHE OWNS? To be honest, she’s just not nearly as good as I remember. The judges praised her, which made absolutely no sense to me.

Jennel Garcia was a little shaky during her performance of “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.” The song choice just reminded me of Britney’s version, which is decidedly much better — even with autotune. Simon hated everything about it, and called Demi Lovato out for changing her look so much. She got defensive, but I agreed. Bring back Jennel, the firecracker!

It’s hard not to love Tate Stevens because he’s such a nice guy, but his version of “Dead or Alive” sounded like I was at a dive bar listening to a drunken friend singing karaoke. The judges loved it! Though, I think it has more to do with them loving him. “I like giving guys like you a break,” Simon said, proving my point for me.

Vino Alan will never win this competition, but he definitely stepped up his game with “When a Man Loves a Woman.” I still think he’s creepy as hell, but I was pretty impressed with his vocal ability. That is, until he messed it all up by talking. East Coast, blah, blah. Shut up, please.

The Ugly:

I still don’t get the appeal of Lyric145 and their frightening rendition of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” didn’t change my mind. Between the freaky costumes and the cringeworthy talking in the middle of the song, I wanted to throw something at my television. How did the judges think that it was “bloody fantastic”? HOW?

CeCe Frey was back with animal crap print all over face as she took on “Eye of the Tiger.” It did nothing for her usually great voice and she’s much better than this song made her out to be. I agreed with Simon when he said the performance had “no imagination.”

When I heard Jason Brock would be singing “Fly” by R. Kelly, I tried not to throw up right away. He’s not a bad singer or an unlikable guy, but he’s just annoying — and singing the most annoying song in the world didn’t help the situation. Britney compared him to a “Vegas lounge singer,” but even that seems like too much of a compliment. Not to mention, his hitting on Mario Lopez HAS TO STOP NOW.

That’s it! See you tomorrow for results, and more importantly, for ONE DIRECTION!!!

What do you think, HollywoodLifers? Who were your favorites tonight? Do you agree with my choices? Who will you be voting for? Drop me a comment!

— Sharon Tharp

Follow @SharonTharp
Subscribe To Us On YouTube!

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More X Factor on HollywoodLife.com:

1. ‘X Factor’ Surprise Announcement: Diamond White Brought Back By Judges
2. Khloe Kardashian On ‘X Factor’ — Prefers Spontaneity Over Script
3. Diamond White Responds To ‘X Factor’ Loss & Reveals Future Plans

There was a huge outcry with fans of The X Factor after last week’s Top 12 show when Britney Spears made the stunning announcement that she was dropping the adorable and talented Diamond White, 13, from her team! HollywoodLife.com editor-in-chief Bonnie Fuller wrote to voice her disappointment at the decision, saying, “The show will be lesser for [her] being ex-ed off the finalists’ list.”

Diamond took her her Facebook page after her shocking elimination to assure her fans that she would be fine. “Hey! just wanted to say im totally ok! i mean come on! Top 16!!! thats amazing! trust me…… this is only the start of a new journey. Next up madison square garden,” she said.

Thank goodness Britney, Simon Cowell, LA Reid, and Demi Lovato made the wise decision to add a 13th contestant back into the competition — just like they did last year with the ultimate winner of season one, Melanie Amaro.

Diamond came out on stage looking more like a star than ever before, in huge diamond earrings and a slinky black dress!

Are you happy that Diamond was brought back on The X Factor, HollywoodLifers?

– Billy Nilles

Subscribe To Us On YouTube!

Watch More ENTV Videos!
More ‘X Factor’ News:

1. ‘X Factor’ Results Recap: The Top 12 Contestants Revealed
2. Khloe Kardashian: You Rocked As An ‘X Factor’ Host
3. Khloe Kardashian Goes Braless On ‘X Factor’ & Distracts Simon Cowell

Diamond White was one of the first contestants eliminated from season 2 of The X Factor, leaving fans and viewers shocked and outraged! While Britney Spears claims the decision to let one of her protege go was “hard to do,” Diamond has a bright future ahead of her!

“Hey! just wanted to say im totally ok! i mean come on! Top 16!!! thats amazing! trust me…… this is only the start of a new journey. Next up madison square garden,” Diamond told her Facebook followers after her shocking elimination!

What do YOU think, HollywoodLifers? Did Britney make the right decision by sending Diamond home?

It’s So Wrong That Diamond White & David Correy Were Kicked Off ‘X Factor’

— Chris Rogers

Follow @ChrisRogers86

1. ‘X Factor’ Results Recap: The Top 12 Contestants Revealed
2. Khloe Kardashian: You Rocked As An ‘X Factor’ Host
3. Khloe Kardashian Goes Braless On ‘X Factor’ & Distracts Simon Cowell

Diamond White was one of the first contestants eliminated from season 2 of The X Factor, leaving fans and viewers shocked and outraged! While Britney Spears claims the decision to let one of her protege go was “hard to do,” she had her reasons for cutting Diamond.

“It was really just dreadful [sending her home], because I love Diamond, but one had to go so you have to make that decision and it’s really tough because they’re so incredibly talented, you know. She has an amazing voice for such a young age and it’s really hard to do that,” Britney told HollywoodLife.com.

In light of Diamond’s elimination, Arin Ray was saved. So where did the two differ?

“I was… um… I was looking for that eye of the tiger, that it factor, that something that just kind of wows you and takes you in and you just kind of know. So that’s why I made my decision,” Britney added.

What do YOU think, HollywoodLifers? Did Britney make the right decision by sending Diamond home?

It’s So Wrong That Diamond White & David Correy Were Kicked Off ‘X Factor’

— Chris Rogers, Reporting by Russ Weakland

Follow @ChrisRogers86

Subscribe To Us On YouTube!

Watch More ENTV Videos!

More X Factor on HollywoodLife.com:

1. ‘X Factor’ Results Recap: The Top 12 Contestants Revealed
2. Khloe Kardashian: You Rocked As An ‘X Factor’ Host
3. Khloe Kardashian Goes Braless On ‘X Factor’ & Distracts Simon Cowell

When Jessica Espinoza, a petite 22-year-old with fuchsia hair framing her earnest face, took the X Factor stage, she made it clear that this could be the only break of her life.

She told judges Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, LA Reid, and Simon Cowell that she came from the tough south side of San Antonio, Texas.

Jessica Espinoza’s Tough Childhood

“I know what it’s like to be hungry!” she confessed. “Where I come from, south side of San Antonio, we were performing at market squares for our tips, we had holes in our shoes, and we had holes in our clothes.”

Jessica, in fact, had holes in her well worn jeans and admitted that she was ready “but I’m terrified. I feel that anything that’s ever hurt me or made me happy comes out on stage.”

Watching her spill all to the judges, you just wanted her to be great and have a shot at making her dream happen.

And she more than delivered, belting out a heart-felt version of Pink‘s gut-wrenching ballad, “Nobody Knows,” impressing all the judges up the wazoo.

With lyrics like “Nobody knows but me, That sometimes I cry” and “The road to darkness has a way, of always knowing my name,” it was so clear that Jessica was speaking about the challenges that she and her family have faced.

“It’s been quite a struggle and this competition today can change our lives,” she shared. And she’s right — with her talent, the show CAN actually transform her life — Thank the Lord, there is something in this country today, that CAN do that.

Meet The Woman Who Dared To Flirt With Simon and He Loved Her

Let’s hope, X Factor can have the same transformative affect for Panda Ross, a 42-year-old, wise-cracking mom of two, who had a big, extraordinary, deep, deep voice, and equally large personality to match.

It’s not often that a contestant actually attempts to make an immediate personal connection to meanie Simon Cowell. But irrepressible Panda did just that. With a big, warm smile on her face, she flirted non-stop with incredulous Simon. You had to admire her uninhibited guts when she told him she wanted him to be her  ”baby daddy.”

And then there was the Broadway-sized voice. It needs to be heard ALOT more. In fact, it has to be heard all the time, during and after this show. This is her big break opportunity that should have happened long ago.

Finally, the night’s other heartbreaker, was 13-year-old, Diamond White, with a smile as big as her face. The girl didn’t lack for confidence either. Simon, who was sick of listening to non-talents, warned her that she “better be good”, before she opened her singing mouth.

Guess what? She was. He admitted after she soared performing “It’s a Man’s Man’s World,” that she “blew the roof off.” She sure did

It turns out that Diamond, even at 13, isn’t a total unknown. Though the daughter of a single mom, she’s apparently already signed with talent and modeling agencies and has starred in a production of “The Color Purple.”

You Don’t Have To Be Born Rich To Have Talent

Now here’s the thing. In just one night, we met Jessica, currently unemployed, Panda, who is apparently a barista, and Diamond, the teen daughter of a single mom. They are incredibly talented, charming, gutsy and determined to work hard. But I bet at least a couple of them are members of the infamous Mitt Romney 47 percent club — i.e. those who don’t earn enough to pay income taxes.

Yet, despite Mitt’s perception about the 47 percenters, these contestants aren’t looking for any handouts. They aren’t moochers or unwilling to take personal responsibility for their lives. They simply weren’t born rich in any way. They’ve had challenges in their lives and they are doing their best to succeed and have worthy, honorable lives despite those.

Isn’t that what America, the land of opportunity is all about? Offering opportunity for those willing to work hard.

With all the negativity out there today directed towards the “have nots”, I’m so happy that a show like X Factor can provide a chance to make it, based purely on talent and effort, and not on the bank account you were born with.

What do you think HollywoodLifers? And were you impressed by Jessica, Panda and Diamond — will any of them be the X Factor winner? Watch Jessie sing below.

– Bonnie Fuller

Read more on ‘X Factor’

1. ‘X Factor’ Recap: Britney Spears’ Super Fan Butchers Her Song
2. Lea Michele: Kevin McHale Would Be ‘Wise Choice’ For ‘X Factor’ Host
3. ‘X Factor’ Recap: Chris Brown Singer Deangelo Wallace Gets Arrested