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Live at X Factor: Who Thinks Melanie Amaro Will Win? Plus, Simon Cowell Sounds Off on Season Two

Cowell says that no casting decisions for season two will be made until the New Year

By Tierney Bricker Dec 22, 2011 8:02 PMTags
Chris Rene, Melanie Amaro, Josh Krajcik, THE X FACTORRay Mickshaw / FOX

Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid have finally agreed on something!

It only took the entire season, but the two X Factor judges, who frequently butt heads and trade insults, have found common ground thanks to Melanie Amaro's performance of "Listen" during last night's final round. Yes, that's right, Reid actually praised her performance when he caught up with E! News after the show, but does he think that it will win her the competition tonight?

Plus, we chatted with Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger and host Steve Jones about those pesky season two rumors. So what did they have to say?

Suspend your disbelief because Cowell thinks his contestant, Melanie, should win the competition, using her performance of Dreamgirls' "Listen" as his key piece of evidence. "Based on that final performance, she was sensational," he tells us. "If that's not a $5 million moment, I don't know what is because she couldn't have done anymore. I mean she just raised it to another level."

OK, we know Cowell predicting Amaro's win isn't shocking, but having Reid tell us he believes "Listen" was the winning performance? Definitely shocking. "She sounded like the winner on that song," Reid admits. "Chris [Rene] sounded like the winner as well, but I was like, 'Oh!' I got a little nervous, got a little upset because I was also touched. She did such an amazing job."

Though he's picking his girl to win, Cowell tells us he was impressed by Rene's rendition of "Young Homie" and what it represented for the singer. "He's one of the nicest people you will ever meet," Cowell says. "I mean, totally sincere and just to see him back, singing that song where we first heard it eight months ago, it was a big deal for me, more because of what he promised us and he kept to his word."

Aside from the night's big performances, we had to ask about the rumors heard 'round the Internet: Scherzinger and Jones will not be returning for season two.

Cowell assures us that no decisions have been made yet. "People write things before they even know, but I'm used to that," he says. "People speculate, but you've got to take a break from the show and decide if you want to bring back the same team, change it up a bit. Everyone has an opinion. We'll see what happens. Maybe I won't be back!"

Jones, who says he's not a "naïve" man and has read the stories about his exit, tells us he can handle all the rumors. "There's lots of that stuff that goes around. If you can't handle it, go home and hide under your bed. It's not for you," he says. "Yeah, it happens, but I keep my head down get on with it. I'm not really interested in what people are writing. I know the truth."

If it were up to Jones, he'd return in "a heartbeat" for season two, he won't find until the new year. "We all will," he says. "That's the way it works."

As for Scherzinger, she's still focusing on this season, not season two. "All I know is that nothing could have prepared me for this year," she tells us. "That elimination process has really been hard for me. I've been very emotional. I'm an artist first and with that said, I can't wait to get back to my music."

Finally, we had to ask the final three was it was like to perform duets with Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne and R. Kelly.

Josh Krajcik, who performed with Morissette, admits he was intimidated at first. "Simon said I was a little intimidated and he was right," he says. "She's disarmingly beautiful and talented, but I don't think it took very long for me to get into it and the chemistry was there. She's an organic artist and I feel like I am, too."

Rene, who was paired with Lavigne, says he found her song "Complicated" a bit difficult.  "Heck yeah it was a challenge, especially being up there with her," he tells us.

Amaro, who sang "I Believe I Can Fly" with Kelly, says his duet partner was "amazing.  I wasn't nervous. I was just so excited. I was just in awe of him." She also tells us that she got to see him without his signature sunglasses on! "He's nice and he looks you right in the eye and he's like, 'You need to sing.' "

Advice she definitely took to heart.

Who do you think should win? Would you like to see Scherzinger and Jones return for season two? Sound off in the comments!

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