Frank Micelotta / FOXIt was the X Factor elimination every one saw coming...including the eliminated contestant!
For three straight weeks, excluding tonight's results show, Marcus Canty found himself singing for survival. Amazingly, the singer avoided elimination, whether it be by the judges' vote or America's. Unfortunately, Canty had to give up his three-time "save me" song championship belt tonight when he was eliminated from The X Factor.
E! News caught up with Canty after the show, and he was in very high spirits while talking about his elimination, Simon Cowell predicting his exit and his dreams of being on a TV show...
"I had a great time!" Canty said when asked how he's feeling. "I have no regrets. I'm here. This is my moment and I got my chance to shine!"
Considering how emotional the last two eliminated contestants, 14-year-old Drew and 13-year-old Rachel Crow, were after they were ousted, Canty's positive outlook and bright smile were a bit of a rarity. Canty said, "I've always kept a positive attitude. No matter what people said, I always kept a positive attitude. I kept God on my side. I'll never leave him nor will I forsake him."
Canty revealed he wasn't shocked to be eliminated from the competition and says Cowell even predicted his exit.
"I've had people that have doubted it ," Canty explained. "Simon flat-out said, 'There's no way that he's winning this competition.' You're right, Simon! It's cool, you're right, but trust and believe you won't see the last of me."
Canty wasn't nervous going into tonight's elimination, but the same can't be said for his mentor L.A. Reid, Canty said. "He was actually nervous. He was nervous, but I told him, 'Man, it's cool. I don't want nobody crying tonight. It's cool. I'm ready to go now.' I'm ready to go and fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee!"
While Canty got to show off his voice and dance moves on the show, he revealed to us that he dreams of having his own TV show and acting in movies. "I want to do everything possible. I want to entertain till I can't entertain no more," Canty enthuses. "I want to do shows, TV shows, movies...anything I can do, I want to do it."
Though the 20-year-old Bowie, Md., native loves the cold weather on the east coast, he said, "If L.A.'s where I have to come to do my sitcom, I might have to go ahead and do it. I need to be on TV now!"
Finally, we asked Canty how he's changed since starting The X Factor. "It's matured me as a young man. I had so many things I could have been into in my area, even being from the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area," he said. "This show specifically matured me and showed me who I am and who I can be as well. It's just matured me as an artist as well as a young man."
Were you sad to see Canty leave the competition or do you think it was his time to go? Do you think Canty will have a career, whether in music or acting, after X Factor? Sound off in the comments!