The X Factor eliminates two acts and determined its Top 4 second-season finalists Thursday night during the Fox reality singing competition's live results show.
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Cece Frey and Diamond White were ousted from the competition after The X Factor co-hosts Khloe Kardashian and Mario Lopez revealed they were at the bottom of the leaderboard based on home viewer votes cast immediately following Wednesday night's Top 6 performance show.
Frey, a 21-year-old from Decatur, IL, was automatically eliminated without any discussion or voting from The X Factor judges after the singer was declared the sixth-place act with the least amount of votes. Frey was the sole remaining member in judge Demi Lovato's "Young Adults" category.
"I'm very proud of everything that I've done on this show. I'm ready to leave it with this entire platform that I have acquired for myself. And I hope that I taught everybody at home that you need to love who you are, because the more you love who you are, the less you're going to need anybody else to," Frey said following her ouster, adding what she'll miss most about The X Factor.
"Demi, and I've grown so close to everybody behind me. I just love you guys and this has been an incredible experience. So, I'm so grateful."
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"Well, I mean first of all, I don't really have -- I didn't have time to react. Otherwise, I'd probably be bawling my eyes out right now, because I'm grown so close to you," Lovato told Frey. "And I'm just so proud of you."
White, a 13-year-old from Los Angeles, CA, was sent home by judges Lovato, Britney Spears, Simon Cowell, and L.A. Reid via a 3-1 vote instead of the group Fifth Harmony after both acts were revealed to be the two next lowest vote-getters. White was a member of Spears' "Teens" category, while Fifth Harmony is one of the acts who represents Cowell's "Groups" category.
"I'm just happy. I'm thinking of Cher Lloyd right now. She came in fifth [in The X Factor U.K.]," White said after she was eliminated from the competition. "I'll be sure to come back with one of my hit songs and I'll perform for you guys."
"Sweetie, I just think you're so young and the future is ahead of you and the world is yours," Spears told White.
As the two remaining bottom-three acts, White and Fifth Harmony were required to "sing for their survival" in the hopes The X Factor judges would vote to keep them on the show. After the acts performed, the judges offered them feedback and then cast their votes for whom they believed should be eliminated from the competition.
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In the event of a 2-2 tie, it would be a deadlock and the act who had received the lower amount of home viewer votes would automatically be eliminated.
"Well, I actually want to congratulate both acts on what you just did. I mean, that's what's called singing your hearts out. I know I'm biased, but Diamond, you've been in the bottom before -- Fifth Harmony haven't. I think the competition would miss this group in the semifinals. So, I have to send home Diamond," Cowell explained.
"The act I'm going to send home tonight if Fifth Harmony," Spears noted.
It then became time for the two impartial judges to reveal their decision.
"Well, again, I congratulate both of you, and this isn't easy. I wish one of you weren't so lovable, but you're actually all so lovable that you make it even tougher. Ugh, the act that I'm sending home is so unfortunate. It's Diamond White," Reid announced.
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"I also want to say, too, that every girl that's on this stage tonight, you have come so far. It's amazing to just sit here and watch you guys grow the way that you have. I think that individually, as acts, you all -- Diamond and Fifth Harmony -- you have careers that have been made on this show that are going to last. So regardless of what I decide, I think you guys are both set. I hate having to make this decision, but the act that I'm going to send home is Diamond White," Lovato said.
At the end of last night's broadcast, Lopez and Kardashian announced the order of which the remaining finalist acts had finished based upon the number of home viewer votes they had received after Wednesday night's performance show. Fourth place received the least amount of votes, while first place earned the most.
Lopez and Kardashian revealed the results starting from fourth place, which obviously went to Fifth Harmony. Third place went to Emblem 3. Carly Rose Sonenclar, a 13-year-old from Mamaroneck, NY, and Tate Stevens, a 37-year-old from Raymore, MO, were revealed to be the week's Top 2 acts for the fifth time in a row. Sonenclar finished in second place, while Stevens claimed the number one spot.
Sonenclar, who is the last member standing in Spears' "Teens" category, had held the top spot on the leaderboard for the past two weeks.
In addition to Fifth Harmony, Emblem 3 is the other remaining act in Cowell's "Groups" category. Stevens is the only remaining artist in Reid's "Over 25s" category. Lovato's "Young Adults" category has been wiped out entirely.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski