BWW Recap - 80s Night on THE X FACTOR - Episode 15

It's 80s week for the final 12 X Factor contestants!

Kelly and Demi look incredible tonight.

The show starts with an elimination -- Carlos Guevara got the lowest number of votes last week and is being sent home.

Lilie McCloud then starts the performances off with Chaka Khan's Ain't Nobody. It's awesome seeing her perform something so upbeat, and she's clearly taking the judges' notes to keep her performances exciting for contemporary audiences (even though it's 80s night!). Her voice is right on as usual, but she seems a little uncomfortable with the choreography sometimes, which Demi notices as well. Simon appreciates her "attempt to be current."

Carlito Olivero sings Gloria Estefan's Rhythm Is Gonna Get You. He's all over the place with all the dancers and choreography during his performance, and his voice isn't smooth or powerful enough to match it. Demi says she found herself paying more attention to the dancers than him, and that he was "getting lost in the performance of it all," which I completely agree with. Simon says that it's "doubtful" that he'll stay.

Rion Paige sings Pat Benatar's We Belong. It's a perfect choice for her voice, and I completely love it! Paulina calls her a "firecracker," and Simon says that he loves that she always gives "110%."

Sweet Suspense sings Toni Basil's Mickey. I have such a thing for girl groups, but for some reason I just can't get on board with these girls. Their voices aren't all there, and it's not even that this song is hard to sing, but I feel like it's mostly being supported by a background voices and they're not really shining on their own. My favorite judges agree. Kelly feels like they need to find a "rhythm with each other" and that they need to tighten their vocals. Demi says they need more of a stage presence, and that they're not clicking. Naturally, Simon thinks it's their best performance so far, because it's his group. Demi says, "They're no Fifth Harmony," and I die because I adore Fifth Harmony (who are touring with Demi in the spring!).

Tim Olstad sings a personal favorite, Phil Collins's Against All Odds. I say this every week: Tim has a good voice, but his performances are always so boring and predictable to me. He's just not a captivating performer and his voice isn't stunning enough for all the Epic ballads he attempts, in my opionon. Kelly agrees, saying that she loves him but that "it fell flat" and that he needs more "presence." Paulina disagrees, and is proud of him for giving his all. Demi says that, "You do have a wonderful voice, but you don't have the X Factor." I couldn't have said it better myself. Simon says that it's becoming "a little predictable," which I

Khaya Cohen sings Madonna's Borderline. She does it in her own style without taking away from the fun of the song, and her voice shines through it all! I love when good singers cover Madonna because it always surprises people with how good those songs truly are. Khaya does this high note that could've been smoother, but I don't even mind. Awesome performance. Kelly loved it. Paulina thinks she's singing better than ever. Simon loves discovering her "personality" and "confidence" and thinks it's her best performance so far. Demi is so proud, telling her, "You killed it."

Restless Road sings Footloose. Of course they sing Footloose. It's classic 80s but it fits their genre perfectly. Blake Shelton's cover of Footloose is one of my favorites! It's a great performance for the boys though. Demi notes that Colton is shining a little brighter than the other guys at the moment, but all the judges loved it.

Rachel Potter sings Heart's Alone. I love this song! Of course Rachel sings this one. I remember when one of my favorite singers in the world, Carrie Underwood, did this one during an 80s night on American Idol. Rachel's voice is excellent, and the performance is fabulous. Demi says she thinks Rachel has the potential to win the competition, and that she reminds her of a Shania Twain-Martina McBride mix! My favorites. Simon says that she sounded like she was screaming at one point, and Kelly fires back with a dig about how no one in his category can really hit those notes, which is completely on point! That's my biggest issue with Simon's preferences on this show -- he always cares more about marketability than true vocal talent, especially in his groups.

Ellona Santiago sings Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody. I'm sorry, Ellona's voice is strong as usual, but I love this song so very much that I can't handle her arrangement, the dancers, or any vocal shortcomings she may have on it. She pulls through to impress me a little more by the end with her vocal strength, I will admit. Kelly agrees with me, saying "the beginning was a little bit rough" for her. Simon says that "the first two-thirds of the song were mad" but that she impressed him with the end, and that if she's back next week he'd like to see less choreography. Exactly.

Josh Levi sings Paula Abdul's Straight Up. This kid is amazing, and he kills it. I don't even mind his Justin Bieber moves. It comes off great, and this song might as well be a modern release the way he does it. Kelly thinks that he has "just arrived." Demi says that she has no idea how he was ever let go from the competition. Simon calls him a "future star."

Jeff Gutt sings Cutting Crew's Died In Your Arms Tonight. The song is right up his rocker alley, and he rocks it. The judges loved it, but Simon adds that he should push himself out of his comfort zone. That's fair.

Alex & Sierra sing Robert Palmer's Addicted to Love. The Arrangement is actually pretty cool, but their voices aren't as excellent as usual, somehow. They've definitely sounded better, and their cute factor goes down because for most of the performance they're separated by a wall and don't seem as in sync as usual. Kelly says that it became more "magnetic" once they came together as a couple at the end. Demi says the setup was "uncomfortable." Simon says that "it wasn't as good as it should've been."

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