The X Factor’s Simon Cowell picks his Six Chair Challenge girls to take to Judges’ Houses
Soheila, Kayleigh, Caitlyn, Gifty, Emily and Olivia now have to impress him all over again
THE X Factor’s Simon Cowell has chosen his Six Chair Challenge girls to take to his Judges’ House to fight for their place in the live shows.
Soheila Clifford, Kayleigh Marie Morgan, Caitlyn Vanbeck, Gifty Louise, Emily Middlemas and Olivia Garcia all made it through and will be jetting off to Malibu.
But they won’t have time to relax and take in the Californian views as they must now work hard to impress Cowell again as they perform for him and Spice Girls Mel B and Emma Bunton, who will help Simon chose his three finalists.
Tonight saw the 11 girls left in the competition after last week’s Bootcamp, take to the stage at the SSE Arena, Wembley in London.
And inevitably, five were left devastated as they were replaced on their chairs by the final six.
Soheila, 18, wowed with her rendition of Ellie Goulding’s Love Me Like You Do and took the first chair, despite her being embroiled in fix claims last weekend.
Simon told her: ";The thing about this part of the show is this either makes you breaks you. It made you take a seat.”
Kayleigh Marie Morgan, 19, followed her as she took chair number 2 after her version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow.
Simon told her: "This was good, I don’t think it was fantastic, I would have preferred something a little more adventurous, but you have that likeability so I’m going to ask you take the second seat please.”
17-year-old Luena Martinez took seat three after she sang Leona Lewis’s cover version of Snow Patrol’s Run with Simon telling her: "I want someone with heart, determination and talent and that is why you are going to take the third seat.”
Faye Horne, 24, who had flirted with Cowell during her audition, took the fourth seat as she belted out Queen Latifah’s I Know Where I’ve Been, and Samantha Lavery, 16, sang Jessie J’s Mama Knows Best and was asked to take the fifth seat, which didn't impress the judges.
But Simon said: "I think you have great potential and great talent and going to take a leap of faith and ask you to take a chair.”
One seat remained and that went to 18-year-old Caitlyn Vanbeck, who sang Rise Up by Andra Day.
But as those who had a seat knew only too well, they certainly weren’t safe as five more girls took to the stage, resulting in tears and devastation for some.
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Jordina Miller, 22, sang Amazing Grace and replaced Faye Horne –but she was then replaced by Emily Middlemas who sang Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun while playing the guitar.
Nicole told her she would buy that version of “one of my favourite songs” and Simon added: “Emily, I think this was one of the best performances we’ve heard today. You are taking a seat.”
Poor Ellie Rose didn’t even get offered one after she sang Ariana Grande’s Almost Is Never Enough and Simon told her: "I like you but I think you are capable of better than that. Ellie, I’m not going to give you a chair.”
Gifty Louise, 20, sang Crazy by Gnarls Barkley which left Simon impressed and he told her: "You just took a risk and it paid off because you didn’t play it safe. As you can see, every chair is full but you will be sitting on one of those chairs.”
He then bumped Samantha out of her seat which left Nicole outraged and she shouted at him: “WHAT? Are you kidding me?”
Then there was one last girl remaining; Olivia Garcia, a 16-year-old student from Wigan who ended up taking Luena’s seat after she sang her heart out to Paloma Faith’s Changing.
Simon: “Right now Olivia, you are about to make my life difficult as I have to give you a chair, that was outstanding."
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