The X Factor USA - Live Show 4 - Thanksgiving

It's a double elimination! So Paula's fucked... It's thanksgiving week, so lots of sob stories and emotions on stage.

TEAM SIMON COWELL
1. Rachel Crow - I Believe (Yolanda Adams)
Dedicated to her (adoptive) parents.
It started off beautifully, but went a bit wrong once the beat kicked in. I'm warming to her, there's definite talent there. I still wish they'd waited a few years though.

TEAM LA REID
2. Marcus Canty - Mama (Boyz II Men)
Dedicated to his mother. Obv.
Definitely opening in the wrong key, he struggled with the lower notes. It was obviously intended to build toward the better range of his voice, but it also cracked on the high notes. That said, it's a very emotional week this week so vocal cracks can be forgiven. This week ONLY. Terrible song though.

TEAM SIMON
3. Melanie Amarro - The World's Greatest (R. Kelly)
Dedicated to God.
I have no problem with people thanking God, but when it's a case of Him being responsible for all the good and none of the bad, I find it all very ungrateful to all those people who have actually been there. LOVE her Virgin Islands accent though. The performance was good, though not spectacular. But then it's not really a song that lends itself to vocal gymnastics.

TEAM LA
4. Chris Rene - Let It Be (The Beatles)/Young Homie
Dedicated to his rehab councillor.
There's something rough and raw about Chris's voice that I really like. It was interesting to hear him strip back the rapping, but not the hip hop, and mashing it up with an original song worked well.

TEAM PAULA ABDUL
5. Lakoda Rayne - You Belong With Me (Taylor Swift)
Dedicated to their dad/ boyfriend/ dad/ grandmother.
Oh dear. Somehow their voices were dreadful, not only in harmony, but also individually. I don't know what the judges are hearing.

TEAM NICOLE SCHERZINGER
6. Leroy Bell - Angel (Sarah McLachlan)
Dedicated to his (late) mother.
Easily the best performance tonight. Love that he didn't go for the vocal gymnastics, and just sang the song in the way that just made sense to him at the time.

TEAM LA
7. Astro - Show Me What You Got (Jay-Z)
Dedicated to his fans. And hip hop.
Shouty and unmelodic. "Bloggers, they hate me." Yep.

TEAM SIMON
8. Drew - Skyscraper (Demi Lovato)
I'm noticing a theme this week, and it's not making me thankful. Lots of struggling on the lower register, particularly the first half of songs. It sounded like it was a nice song, but not the way she sang it. Using "sang" very loosely. LA Reid really is a fucking retard. Does he not know how old (young) Demi Lovato is?

TEAM NICOLE
9. Josh Krajick - Wild Horses (The Rolling Stones)
Dedicated to his daughter.
The theme continues, but at least Josh hit the bigger notes. One of his strongest performances for a while, if a little bit dull.

RESULTS SHOW
Top 9 - P!nk medley
Little Mix (circa E.T.) appear to have made a guest appearance as backing dancers. The vocals sounded live his week. I certainly hope they were.

First to be eliminated, based entirely on viewer votes, is Lakoda Rayne. TEAM PAULA ABDUL is no more.

Remaining bottom two:
TEAM LA
Marcus Canty - You Lost Me (Christina Aguilera)
A much more decent vocal performance, he certainly fits into the modern musical scene.

TEAM NICOLE
Leroy Bell - Don't Let Me Down (The Beatles)
Possibly outdoing his previous performance, Leroy was confident and pitch-perfect. But, inexplicably, hasn't been connecting with the judges.

LA sends home Leroy.
Nicole sends home Marcus.
Paula sends home Leroy.
Simon sends home Marcus.
Deadlock: The American public sends home Leroy.

Gutted.