Ray Mickshaw / FOXMore folks may be watching The Voice, but The X Factor is still the show with all the hype.
And the reason for that, simply, is Demi Lovato and Britney Spears.
While the judges wait for the next Melanie Amaro, Josh Krajcik or Rachel Crow to walk onstage (so far we've got Paige Thomas, Jason Brock and Carly Rose Sonenclar, not a bad start), all eyes are on the talent already sandwiched between Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid.
And the consensus so far seems to be that the already established stars—both onetime Disney phenoms who are now occupying a level of fame that makes our ears pop just thinking about it—are a great addition to the show.
Here are five reasons to watch Demi and Britney on The X Factor:
1. Demi Lovato Is Full of Love: And if it isn't for their talent, it's for their looks. "You're so cute!" she raved about Justin Bieber lookalike Reed Deming. "Oh my God, I love you! And I love your lipstick color," she said to drag performer Quatrele Da'An Smith. "You sparkle and you ooze of joy when you're singing...It makes me fall in love with you," she told Jason Brock. You get the picture.
2. Britney's Blue Steel: And we thought McKayla Maroney looked unimpressed! Although it could be that Brit's lacking in the sense-of-humor department (flowers and a declaration of love on Thursday's ep appeared to make her skin crawl), we love the no-nonsense looks she's giving the lesser talents so far. "It was just really boring," she flatly informed the one-note Lexi Berman. We could watch her give contestants the kiss-off all day.
3. Britney's Puttin' on the Berlitz: "Konnichiwa," she politely replied to Jason Brock when he said Japan told her hello, courtesy of his boyfriend. And, when Jason was done, she called his performance "magnificento." Look who was soaking up the local culture on her world tours!
4. Demi Is a Hugger: Which is good, because Britney looks like she'll douse you with pepper spray if you get too close. When 19-year-old Jillian Jensen opened up about being bullied, Demi—who has talked freely about her own battles to overcome issues with her self-worth—the 20-year-old judge nodded and smiled supportively and went up onstage to hug Jillian after her wildly successful audition. "It's OK. I know exactly what you've gone through," Demi said as Jillian sobbed in her arms. "But I made it through it, and I know you can, too."
5. Britney's a Huge Friggin' Star: We hope Britney's pop-icon status manifests itself more effectively than when Patrick Ford tried to perform "Circus" to his idol's visible horror. But at some point a contestant will belt out "Stronger" and make Brit nod her head approvingly, right?