From The Hollywood Reporter

On Wednesday, I posted my top 16 rankings of the X Factor USA contestants. It wasn’t a very popular list and in fact, my Popblerd Reality Check podcast co-host, Tiffany (aka @TVProducerLady) tweeted this at me today in response to my request to do a podcast this weekend:

I don’t think she agrees with my assessment of the X Factor USA talent.

I’ve been blogging American Idol and now X Factor for almost ten years. And I’m going to shake up the way that I blog these shows starting with this season of the X Factor. Rather than write it like a live blog, it will be more of a synopsis of the good and bad of the show.

But that will start next week. This week, the show is a cut down show and there will be no public vote. I’ll list each singer, give my thoughts on which person should leave from each group and then compare to what I predicted Wednesday. Those four are Diamond White, Tate Stevens, LYLAS (now 1432), and Jennel Garcia.

Before we get to the performances, we need more Britney.

Paige Thomas – What Is Love? (Team Demi)
Demi said what would hurt Paige is her vocals. Demi also cut off all of her hair. She has a Rihanna/Grace Jones style of look. The vocals were fine, but she wasn’t asked to do much.

Out of all the judges, Simon and Britney loved it. I think LA likes her, but didn’t dig the song.

Arin Ray – You Keep Me Hangin’ On (Team Britney)
This performance was Usher-riffic. It was like a robotic version of the Supremes hit.

The judges liked it, but thought the performance was slightly too much and his singing wasn’t on point. Personally, I liked it better than Paige.

David Correy – My Love Is Your Love (Team LA)
This isn’t the usual Whitney Houston song that we hear on these shows. I liked it, but I think the whining/crying/begging is going to get tired soon. I’m already tired of it, but I’m looking past it. He’s overly expressive. Does he have the goods?

Britney and Demi liked it better than they thought they would. Simon thought the performance was a bit manic.

Sister C – Hell on Heels (Team Simon)
The vocals were a bit shaky early on and the dancing was corny. They need to not do that again. As a performance, it was really bad. But the vocals picked up near the end. They also looked great.

Demi thought their performance was stiff. Britney and LA liked it, but didn’t love it. Simon’s going to need to push them hard.

Jennel Garcia – Home Sweet Home (Team Demi)
This is the Carrie Underwood version. She looks awful. It’s like Demi decided to make her look like a “Mini-me”. I’m not sure this song needed the sexual undertones the performance gave it. The vocals were powerhouse at the end.

LA thought it was a ten, Britney loved it, and Simon did as well. But he also thought Demi tried to remake her as herself.

Diamond White – Hey, Soul Sister (Team Britney)
Diamond is extremely likable. The performance was fun and juvenile, but I’m not sure it’s what I wanted to see from her. It’s like she joined Kids Incorporated.

All of the mentors enjoyed it and thought it was fun, but weren’t blown away.

(By the way, Khloe Kardashian and live TV don’t mix. Mario Lopez is a natural as he’s done it for so long, but Khloe is a bit boring and stiff.)

Vino Alan – Gotta Be Somebody (Team LA)
It started off a little rough and then his powerful voice took over. I think taking off the hat is a mistake though. He’s super intimidating.

Britney was bored. Demi has a hard time seeing him as a pop star. Simon didn’t like the song or arrangement. He’s received the worst feedback thus far.

LYRIC 145 – Boom! Shake the Room/Gangnam Style (Team Simon)
This was pretty pitiful compared to anything Astro did last season. They’re not taking the art of rhyming seriously. It was like an explosion of confetti. And confetti ain’t hip hop.

LA said it wasn’t hip hop. Britney and Demi have no idea what they’re talking about and liked it.

(If this is what it comes down to, they should only allow singers. That was the poorest version of a bastardization of the art form I’ve ever seen. Give me Soulja Boy ten times over LYRIC 145.)

Cece Frey – Because the Night (Team Demi)
Demi made Jennel look like her. And she’s now made CeCe look like a blended version of Britney, Christina Aguilera, and Lady Gaga. Demi is worried that she’s unlikable. That performance was hateable, vocally.

All of the judges gave her a pass on her vocals.

Tate Stevens – Tough (Team LA)
Now this was a likable performance. He could’ve come stronger with his vocals, but after the last two performances which were more show than go, this was nice.

All the judges liked him more than the song, but it was nice to hear something soulful.

Beatrice Miller – I Won’t Give Up (Team Britney)
This wasn’t the best song choice from Britney, but I think Beatrice did enough with it. It wasn’t young enough for her and it didn’t ever really kick into gear.

The judges generally liked her and Simon even commended the song choice. I just wish she would’ve had something to kick into.

Jason Brock – Dance Again (Team LA)
Man, I really didn’t like it. If the late Dom Deluise did a satirical version of an Adam Lambert performance, this is what it would be. His vocals were okay, but his clothes, the song, the terrible dancing and all that was just not good.

All the judges dissed LA’s song choice and Simon specifically said it was terrible.

(Best moment of the night was Mario Lopez trying to throw it to commercial and Jason Brock asked him if he could pinch his butt. Mario said they had to keep it PG and Khloe looked like she wanted to be anywhere but on stage.)

1432 – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Team Simon)
They can’t use LYLAS for legal reasons, so it’s 1432. If anyone had a pager back in the day, you know that 143 means, “I love you.” And thus, it’s “I love you, too.” This should’ve worked a lot better than it did, but I really liked it. They’re still a bit disjointed together, but it was fun. Well, as long as you aren’t sick of Taylor Swift.

LA is getting Simon back and just slammed the girls. LA is sensitive. Britney liked it, but Demi thinks they need more time together. They remind me of a young Eden’s Crush.

(I think the mentors are going to hate Khloe by the end of the season.)

Willie Jones – Here for the Party (Team Demi)
Out of all the people to give makeovers to, she didn’t give one to Willie? He actually looks really confident on the stage and he’s a better stage performer than most of the folks on day one. He didn’t seem nervous at all. The song wasn’t a masterpiece vocally, but it was good enough.

Simon hated it and thought it was all wrong and Demi had a great comeback for Simon. She said she’s more hip and his look may have not worked 100 years ago when Simon was evaluating talent, but it works now.

Carly Rose Sonenclar – Good Feeling/Something’s Got A Hold On Me (Team Britney)
Carly was much more fun than I expected her to be, but it was a weird performance as if she was trying way too hard to look young. And she is young. She just needs to let loose.

Demi went on to say that it might not be her time, but Simon said her vocals are way too strong to leave.

Emblem3 – One Day (Team Simon)
Okay, I sort of get them now. Simon thinks he’s struck gold. And they do have charisma even if they look a bit douche baggy. They are the a group of surfer boy Chris Rene’s.

All the mentors loved them and Demi was smitten. I think she may want a piece of all three of them.

So who goes home tomorrow? If they choose one each from the four groups based solely on Wednesday night, I’d go with LYRIC 145, Cece Fray, Vino Alan, and Diamond White. However, if they base it on the entire season so far, I’ll stick with my picks from my preview.

Next week, I’ll be back with the top 12 recap.

Oh, but one more.