Mario gives us a previouslies of the whole season thus far before saying, "And now it's time to meet the final twelve!" Is it, Mario? Is it really? After a mini-title sequence, Mario welcomes us to a special (read: filler) edition of The X Factor. Though he doesn't say so in quite as many words, Mario explains that we're going to be learning all about the top twelve. So basically we get a whole hour of intro reels? When did I sign up for this?
We're going category by category, so far in the same order as Tuesday night. So that means we're starting with Ellona Santiago, who is 17 and from San Lorenzo, California. She backstories that she was born in the Philippines, and then her family moved into a relative's garage here in the States. Her parents are hardworking and supportive, and helped her get through her humiliating elimination early in her run on the first season. The humiliating part, being, of course that she was a member of low-rent Mousketeers rip-off InTENsity. Then we get to rewatch her first audition, and her current mentor Demi interviewing about what a star she is. There's also a replay of her performance at the Four-Chair Challenge, and Tuesday night's live performance. You know, I get that the show was off the air for two weeks so someone thought it necessary to remind us who all these people are. But on the other hand, Tuesday night pretty much took care of that.
Rion Paige is the 13-year-old eighth-grader from Jacksonville, Florida, with the joint condition that causes her little hands to curve awkwardly. She's got a waitress mother, a construction worker father, and a four-year-old brother who, let's hope, will one day get into the habit of wearing a shirt at the dinner table. And she says she wants to be known as the girl with the voice, not the girl with the arms. Too bad she has both. She talks about the rush of getting four yeses from the judges at her first audition, which we see again before rewatching her Four-Chair Challenge performance and her song on Tuesday night's live show. I'm starting to see how this is going to go tonight. I'm thinking maybe I should just write one paragraph and copy it with different names for the rest of the hour.
The last of Demi's Girls is Khaya Cohe, the 16-year-old eleventh-grader from New York City. Mom is a midwife, dad works for the NYC Department of Education, and big brother is in college. We're reminded (not that I ever forgot) that she blew her first song at her initial audition and was allowed to take another crack at it. And then at the Four-Chair Challenge she briefly forgot the words to her song because she got distracted watching her own intro reel. Then she sounded better than ever on Tuesday, but looked pretty stiff. Demi warns us not to underestimate her. I'm not sure that's possible.
Moving on to Paulina's Boys, Carloto Olivero is the 24-year-old, Mexican/Puerto Rican barista from Chicago, though he currently lives in Los Angeles. His dad is also a construction worker, his mom is an office worker, and he's got a younger brother and sister. His first audition from behind the judges' table went well, as did his Four-Chair Challenge, as did his song from this week's live show that landed him the first spot in Paulina's final three. And to think that just a few weeks ago he was working in a coffee oh who cares.
Moving on to Carlos Guevara, who is 16 years old, from Lexington South Carolina, and living with Tourette's and OCD. But music is the one thing that helps, as we once again see him go from twitchy dude in front of the judges for the first time to the guy who sings the house down. Of his Four-Chair Challenge performance, he says it was the scariest thing in his entire life. The judges liked him on Tuesday, and Paulina interviews that she's happy to bring such a unique talent to the finals. I'm beginning to worry the he doesn't have the kind of Tourette's that makes you swear, though.
Finally, Tim Olstad is the 24-year-old server from Winona, Minnesota. His parents are both music teachers, which hardly seems fair. He had some confidence problems at his first audition in Denver. And then of course he won a seat at the Four-Chair Challenge, only to lose it to young Timmy Thames shortly thereafter, only to get called back again by Paulina. And of course he made it to the final three by a hair on Tuesday, but that doesn't mean he couldn't eventually have the kind of brilliant career currently being enjoyed by another temporary reject called, oh, let's see, MELANIE AMARO. That was her name, right?
We're continuing on with Kelly's Over 25s, starting with Rachel Potter, the 29-year-old country singer-slash bartender from Nashville. Kelly refers to her as her "powerhouse vocalist" after the clip of her first audition. Then we get to see her vocal faceplant during the Four-Chair Challenge due to not feeling well that day, but she squeaked through anyway because Kelly couldn't let her go. But that doesn't mean Rachel isn't still on triple public probation if she blows it again.
Continuing with Jeff Gutt, the 37-year-old single dad from Detroit who sings in cover bands. He talks about his five-year-old son -- who he came back to Detroit to raise when he found out about him, which makes it sound like there's a lot more story there -- and about his failure on the show last year before coming back this year. His second first audition was what he calls "very stressful," until of course the aforementioned son came running out onstage with him after the triumphant reception from the judges. He's pretty happy about working with Kelly. Oh, and did he mention he's doing this for his son?
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There's always one oldest person in the competition, and this year it's 54-year-old Lillie McCloud, mother of three and grandmother of seven. She had a magical experience at her first audition, a nerve-wracking time at the Four-Chair Challenge, and a bit of a struggle with some highly distracting backup dancers last night. "I've come this far and I refuse to go home," she interviews. Sure, the judges love her, but unless she starts getting more votes than she appeared to be collecting on Tuesday night, her other option is going to be living in the alley behind the auditorium.
As always, Simon's category, which is Groups again this year, goes last. Alex Kinsey and Sierra Deaton, both 22, are obviously the madly-in-love duo going by the name Alex & Sierra. As you may recall from a episode, they met in 2009 when Sierra walked by Alex and his guitar in the back of his truck on the beach. I still can't believe that ever works. We learn a bit about their parents, including the fact that Alex's dad is a drummer and Sierra's mom is a former Vietnamese refugee. Simon was expecting to hate them when he first saw them, but obviously got over it in a hurry. Alex seems happier to be working with Simon than anything else. Other than being in love with Sierra, that is. They're both so sweet and such tremendous dorks. They will get soooo many votes.
Oh, damn, they're going to make me learn the other groups' names, aren't they? Fine. Sweet Suspense is the trio made up of Celine, 16; Millie, 14; and Summer, 17. Summer marvels that they didn't know each other a month ago and now they're in the top twelve. Well, yeah, that's what Simon does. We learn a little bit about each of the three in turn, but it's bad enough that I have to know their names. They of course auditioned as soloists and made it to Hollywood, where they were crammed together as one of Simon's trademark Frankengroups. And here they are. That's about all I can say.
The third group must be Simon's favorite, because their intro reel to nothing is the last one played. Andrew (the young Dennis Quaid lookalike), Colton (the goofy one), and Zack (the one with the deep voice), who comprise a Simon-made country trio called Restless Road, are shown boating together before we're reminded that they each auditioned solo as well. Zach did the deep-voice thing at his initial audition, Andrew blew his first song and got a second chance thanks to Simon, and Colton confesses that he only auditioned because his mom made him. And the episode ends with an edit that all but crowns Restless Road as the early favorites. If anything can be considered "early" a month and a half in, that is.
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M. Giant is a Minneapolis-based writer with a wife, a son, and a number of cats that seems to have settled at around two. Learn waaaay too much about him at Velcrometer, follow him on Twitter, or just e-mail him at m.giant[at]gmail.com.
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