The X Factor eliminated two acts and determined the third season's Top 6 finalists during Thursday night's live results show broadcast on Fox.
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Lillie McCloud, a 54-year-old from Orlando, FL, and Josh Levi, a 15-year-old from Houston, TX were ousted from the competition after The X Factor host Mario Lopez revealed they had received the fewest home viewer votes cast following Wednesday night's Top 8 performance show, which had featured the contestants signing "Big Band" songs.
Lillie was automatically eliminated without any discussion or voting from The X Factor judges after she finished as the last-place act based on America's vote. She also did not have to "sing for survival." Lillie had been a member of judge Kelly Rowland's "Over 25s" category.
Josh was sent home after Mario revealed Josh and Rion Paige, a 13-year-old from Jacksonville, FL, had finished as the next two lowest vote-getters.
Josh and Rion -- the two youngest contestants remaining in the competition -- were then each given a chance to "sing for survival" and convince Kelly and fellow The X Factor judges Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato and Paulina Rubio to vote to save one of them from elimination.
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However, the judges' vote ended in a 2-2 deadlock, resulting in Mario revealing Josh had been eliminated since he had received fewest home viewer votes. Kelly and Paulina voted to eliminate Rion, while Demi and Simon had cast their votes for Josh's elimination.
Josh had been a member of Paulina's "Boys" category and Rion was part of Demi's "Girls" team, so neither judge's vote was a surprise. Simon was the last judge to reveal his vote and deliberately forced the deadlock by voting to oust Josh.
"Even though you're in the bottom two -- I don't think you should have been, by the way -- you've both proven that although you're young, you're ready for the music business. So whatever one goes home, you can hold your head up high... and [know] that you have a career ahead of you," Simon said.
"You know what I'm going to do, I'm going to let the public decide. So I'm going to say, for now, Josh -- I'm sending you home and I'm going to let the public decide."
About The Author: Steven Rogers