CeCe Frey was eliminated just minutes into the show, just after Melanie Amaro, the "X Factor" Season 1 winner, performed her latest single, "Long Distance," from her debut album, Truly, which is due out sometime early 2013.
Still, the Vote For The Worst gang has to be saddened -- they lost their champion, not to mention the opportunity to see CeCe and Kesha on the same show, sort of like musical funhouse mirrors.
But CeCe didn't go out without saying something melodramatic, self-serving, and self-indulgent.
"I'm proud of everything I've done on this show. I'm ready to leave this entire platform I've 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," she replied, seemingly angry and defiant, barely able to conceal her contempt. Yeah, yeah, she did it all herself, all by herself. After consoling mentor Demi, she was asked what she would miss most about "X Factor," it was all she could do to keep from rolling her eyes as she narrowed them, saying she'd miss Demi, that her time on the show had been "amazing," and how "close" she was to those she was leaving behind.
Maybe she meant it. Maybe...
She first appeared on "X Factor" as an insufferable egotist and she exited an insufferable egotist. Although her mentor, Judge Demi Lovato chided her early on about coming off as somewhat "unlikable" and she seemed to trying to at least alter everyone's perception of her as something other than a "mean girl," it all may have been an act. And if it was an act, then the girl just might have a career in film, because she doesn't have much of a shot actually landing a record deal. Not with that flat-note nailing voice. But, then, there's auto-tune, computers, and pop music, so she can't be totally counted out...
Because where there's acts like Kesha, there's hope. For. Literally. Anybody. And CeCe seemed every bit the mini-Kesha, so...
Speaking of Kesha, she performed her latest single, "C'mon," from her new album, Warrior, which dropped on Tuesday, Dec. 4. From the sound of it, it's no different than any other Kesha song, just a different beat. She still hasn't learned much in the art of dance, but, then, there are lots of artists that can't dance. (And we found out in the Top 8 week that Tate Stevens shouldn't dance, either. But that doesn't stop 'em, no it doesn't.) The judges gave her a standing ovation, but, come to think of it, that's just an obligatory professional courtesy extended all their guest artists.
Still, the good news was that CeCe wouldn't be able to sing another excruciatingly horrid cover of another good (or bad) pop song.
By the time Kesha had dropped her nasal bomb on the "X Factor" stage, viewers knew that Emblem3, Carly Rose Sonenclar, and Tate Stevens were safe and going through to the Semi-Finals. This left Diamond White in the bottom two again for the second consecutive week and Fifth Harmony to sing in the showdown.
Fifth Harmony was up first, performing Mariah Carey's "Anytime You Need A Friend." The girls were nailing it, both on solos and in the group harmonies. Diamond White followed and the 13-year-old also nailed her song, Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance."
This left the judges with a difficult choice, if, as Simon often says, they based the decision on the performance. But with two equally well done songs, other factors would undoubtedly have to be considered. Simon, of course, stuck by his Groups finalist, choosing to send Diamond home. Judge Britney Spears (Diamond's mentor in the Teens category), of course, voted to send Fifth Harmony home. Judge L. A. Reid, who had been tough on Fifth Harmony for their lack of harmonizing (but had seen them harmonize on their last two performances) then voted to send Diamond home as well.
Judge Demi, who no longer had a finalist in the contest, appeared to have trouble deciding. Would she choose Fifth Harmony and let the decision go to the public vote tie-breaker, or would she choose Diamond White and automatically send Simon's second representative into the Semi-Finals.
She chose... Diamond White to send home.
This left only the leaderboard to be revealed:
4. Fifth Harmony
3. Emblem3
2. Carly Rose Sonenclar
1. Tate Stevens
After two weeks at the top spot, Carly Rose had given way to Tate, who had held the No. 1 position the first two weeks of the competition where the public helped cull the remaining finalists.
Four left. Only one will win and get signed to that $5 million recording contract Simon had assured CeCe she wasn't worth during the performance show. (A bit harsh, but also true).
"X Factor" returns next week on Wednesday and Thursday for the Semi-Finals, where the Top 4 square off to see which act makes the Season 2 finale. The show will begin at 8 p.m. (EST) on Fox Television.
