Melanie Amaro Wins American X Factor

19-year old Melanie Amaro from Sunrise, Florida, was crowned champion of Fox’s “The X Factor” on Thursday (December 22), winning a $5 million recording contract and a spot in a Pepsi commercial that will air during next year’s Super Bowl.

Amaro beat out 30-year-old Columbus, Ohio, contestant Josh Krajcik for the title of “X Factor” winner. Chris Rene, the 28-year-old from Santa Cruz, California, came in third place.

When the results were read, an emotional Amaro exclaimed, “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!” She was swarmed by members of her family, and “X Factor” host Steve Jones struggled to get a word from her. After performing Beyoncé’;'s “Listen,” Amaro said, “God is good,” and thanked her fans.

“Thank you so much, thank you. I’m just, I’m so happy and I don’t know what to say,” she said. “This is something I’ve wanted for all my life!”

Amaro’s victory was especially sweet considering she was technically eliminated from the competition after Simon Cowell sent her home following one of the early rounds. Deciding he had made a mistake, Cowell paid a personal visit to her home and invited her to rejoin the competition.

In the end, Cowell was pleased with his decision, as well as America’s choice of Amaro as its first “X Factor” winner. “We came here to find a superstar, we found a superstar. Thank you to everyone who supported the show,” Cowell said. He called Krajcik “a worthy runner-up.”

Krajcik, the husky, self-described burrito slinger, congratulated Amaro on her victory. “Melanie deserves it, she has a wonderful voice,” he said. “I’ve had such an incredible experience here. I got to be myself and sing what I wanted to sing. I couldn’t be happier.”

Thursday’s results show followed Wednesday’s performance episode, when the three finalists performed duets with superstar acts: Amaro with R. Kelly, Krajcik with Alanis Morissette and Rene with Avril Lavigne. Following the show, Cowell heavily endorsed Amaro to be the winner.

The top 12 finalists opened the show with a group performance of Lady Gaga’s “The Edge of Glory.” The top three contestants also performed holiday songs, with Amaro doing “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Rene crooning “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and Krajcik taking on the Eagles’ “Please Come Home for Christmas.”

Watch an Extended Preview of ‘The X Factor’

Fox has bestowed upon us an extended preview of “The X Factor,” and a few differences between it and “American Idol” are already clear.

For starters, it doesn’t look like the initial auditions are held privately in a room with only the judges present (as has always been done on “Idol”).

“X Factor” seems to throw contestants right into the fire, shoving them onto an arena stage with a sold-out crowd in attendance. Anyone with stage-fright will certainly show their colors with a quickness in that environment.

Also, the ubiquitous Coke logos from “Idol” are replaced by Pepsi, which reportedly paid $60 million to sponsor “X Factor.”

And while “Idol” has a narrow age range into which contestants must fall, “X Factor” welcomes everyone. The extended preview here shows two from opposite ends of the spectrum — a 13-year-old girl and a woman in her 40s. The judges and the giant crowd (no, seriously, that crowd is freakin’ huge) love them both.

“X Factor” premieres on Fox on September 21. In the meantime, take a look at the eight-minute preview.

[video] Matt Cardle Wins Britain’s “The X Factor”

Former painter and decorator Matt Cardle won Britain’s “The X Factor” on Sunday, pipping Liverpudlian Rebecca Ferguson in the final poll in the ITV show watched by millions.

Cardle, 27, sang “Many of Horror” by Scottish band Biffy Clyro in the final, a track which will now be released as a single and is among the frontrunners to claim the coveted Christmas number one chart slot next week.

Cardle, from Colchester in Essex, had been coached by Dannii Minogue and was the bookmakers’ Favorite ahead of the show.

Ferguson, 24, performed “Distant Dreamer” by Welsh singer Duffy in her last performance. Her jazz-tinged vocals had won her many admirers throughout the series as she shook off her initial stage fright.

Cardle, who also plays guitar, was the other obvious stand-out act from the thousands who auditioned for the show.

Teenage boy band One Direction, bidding to become the first group to win the competition, were eliminated earlier in the final show and finished third.

Check out Matt Cardle’s performance of his new single “When We Collide” –

Leona Lewis Calls Of Tour Plans Because Of Her Broken Heart

Leona Lewis has reportedly called off plans to tour Asia, Australia, and Europe to recover from a broken heart after splitting up from her longtime boyfriend Lou Al-Chamaa.

The “Bleeding Love” hitmaker is said to be struggling to cope since parting ways with her childhood sweetheart last month. She has decided that right now she needs to focus on healing.

A source tells Britain’s Sunday Mirror, “Leona’s heart just wasn’t in the tour towards the end of the U.K. leg. She was upset, teary and heartbroken over her split with Lou.

“She’d been with him for 10 years. This was the love of her life. The last thing she wanted was to be on the road away from a support network of friends and family. She wasn’t up for it emotionally.”

All this heartbreak will make for some really great music! That’s something positive out of all of this, I guess!

The source went on to say: “She’s full of ideas. She’s got a new lease of life in songwriting. She’s putting her heartbreak into her music.”

Get well Leona!

Check out this vintage video footage of Leona Lewis!

Check out this just released video footage of superstar Leona Lewis singing the hit song, “My Heart Will Go On” when she was just 13 years old!

Would Celine Dion be proud of Leona Lewis’s performance?

Watching this video would you think that she would go on to win a huge reality T.V. show like The X-Factor?

NEW MUSIC VIDEO: JLS ‘The Club Is Alive’

Do you know who JLS are? Chances are, if you’re a fan of Simon Cowell’s The X-Factor, you’ll remember that JLS were the runners-up on the fifth season of the show, coming in second to Alexandra Burke.

Now, after becoming one of the most successful acts to come off of the British reality show, JLS are set to take over the US with their current single ‘The Club Is Alive‘.

Check out the music video for JLS’ current single ‘The Club Is Alive’ –

Simone Battle aka Little Miss Muffin Could Be The Next Rihanna

One look and the resemblance is unmistakable. Simone Battle, aka Little Miss Muffin, could very well be the next Rihanna.

Simone is a semi-finalist in the KIISfm Wango Tango Breakout Artist contest sponsored by Taco Bell in Los Angeles. She performed on Friday night at Universal Citywalk and caught the audience off guard with her infectious melodies and polished choreography. Simone Battle definitely stood out from the other semi-finalists proving that she has what some would call “The X Factor”.

Simone possesses everything we fell in love with when Rihanna first appeared on the pop music scene. If Rihanna doesn’t return to the brighter side of pop soon, could Little Miss Muffin claim her throne?

The Man That Attacked Leona Lewis Was Admitted To A Mental Hospital

Peter Kowalczyk, 29, appeared at London’s City of Westminster Magistrates Court to answer a charge of common assault. Peter is a schizophrenic man charged with attacking singer Leona Lewis during a London book signing last October has pleaded guilty to assaulting the star and been ordered to remain in hospital under Britain’s Mental Health Act. According to court documents, the pop star was left with redness and swelling to the face, and whiplash symptoms after being punched by Kowalczyk.

“I feel completely devastated by this attack. Now I am very frightened about going out in public and I don’t know where the next attack will come from and if this will be more serious than what has just happened,” Leona Lewis said..

“This is what happens when you don’t take your medication. A woman is now devastated,” the judge told Kowalczyk.

District Judge Howard Riddle has ordered Kowalczyk to remain in hospital for an indeterminate period.

“This is what happens when you don’t take your medication. A woman is now devastated,” the judge told Kowalczyk.

Lady Gaga & Janet Jackson To Perform On “The X Factor” Dec. 6

Lady Gaga and Janet Jackson will perform on The X Factor next month.

Janet, who has released a greatest hits CD earlier this month, appears on the British TV talent show on Dec. 6. Lady Gaga will perform her latest hit, “Bad Romance,” on the same night.

Hopefully Janet performs a little better than her American Music Awards performance….and Lady Gaga…well we don’t have to worry about her.

Sting Slams Simon Cowell’s “The X-Factor”

Sting isn’t very impressed with Simon Cowell’s reality singing competition show, The X Factor. The Brit rocker recently told London’s Evening Standard: “It is a soap opera which has nothing to do with music. In fact, it has put music back decades.”

Although The X Factor has already produced an international sensation in singer Leona Lewis — whose debut album Spirit received three Grammy nominations –Sting doesn’t think the world’s next musical superstars can be found on British television.

And he has no problem telling Simon so.

“I am sorry but none of those kids are going to go anywhere, and I say that sadly. They are humiliated when they get sent off,” the rocker ranted. “How appalling for a young person to feel that rejection. It is a soap opera which has nothing to do with music. In fact, it has put music back decades. Television is very cynical,” Sting continued.

“I tried to keep an open mind, but basically I was looking at televised karaoke where they conform to stereotypes. They are either Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston or [Irish boy band] Boyzone and are not encouraged to create any real unique signature or fingerprint. That cannot come from TV,” he said. “The ‘X Factor’ is a preposterous show and you have judges who have no recognizable talent apart from self-promotion, advising them what to wear and how to look. It is appalling.”

Cowell has defended his program, which is rumored to be heading stateside in the coming years.

“Talking about these contestants being a bunch of karaoke no-hopers … I thought it was pompous,” he told PEOPLE, before inviting Sting to come on the show as a mentor.

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