On a music competition series–especially one with the name “The X Factor”–talent means nothing if one cannot click with viewers.
For Khaya Cohen, Thursday’s results show provided a grave reminder of that notion. The contestant, viewed by critics and judges as one of the best singers in the competition, was eliminated.
The writing had been on the wall. Despite her clear vocal advantages, Cohen ended up in last week’s bottom three. If she could only barely avoid elimination in a week when her fellow contestants delivered some of the worst performances in the history of the competition, what chance did she have going forward?
Because Cohen was the week’s lowest vote-getter, she did not have the opportunity to sing for her life. She was simply asked to wave goodbye. And judge Demi Lovato was forced to watch her team of girls shrink to two.
But the difficulty Lovato faced in watching Cohen leave the competition had nothing on the situation in which judge Paulina Rubio found herself. Both remaining members of the bottom three–Tim Olstad and Carlito Olivero–came from her team of boys.
And after watching the two compete in sudden death, she was forced to vote with the majority and send Olstad, her own team member, packing.
Eight contestants remain in season three of “The X Factor:”
The Groups – Team Simon
Alex & Sierra
Restless Road
The Over 25s – Team Kelly
Lillie McCloud
Jeff Gutt
The Girls – Team Demi
Ellona Santiago
Rion Page
The Boys – Team Paulina
Josh Levi
Carlito Olivero