<p>Maybe it was the microphones, but all the acts sounded recorded to me, more so than some of the other weeks. I don’t really think it matters who wins–I think they will all, with the possible exception of Fifth Harmony, get opportunities in the business.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, that includes those annoying monkeys who sang Hey … Dude tonight. Simon wants his One Direction clones, but they are seriously limited. Without the crazed Tweens, they should have been back home doing what boys do a long time ago. </p>
<p>The only act that brought some emotions tonight were the girls. I really hope they get the votes to send the dudes packing. The Beatles songs? meeeeeeeeh.</p>
<p>xiggi,<br>
Do you really like Fifth Harmony? I just don’t ‘get’ them. LA giving props to Emblem3 for singing Hey Jude was such a joke. It’s not a hard song to cover. I get the tweens like them but they are so overproduced and undertalented. Tate Stevens is peaking at just the right time, being allowed to pick his own songs now. I adore Carley but thought the Elton John song was awkward and her younger fans might not identify with it. Her second song was good but I think she may get dinged from peaking too early…she has been soooo good and consistent, no cracks that we expect perfection and are looking for variety, wanting something more or we’re bored. This may hurt her in the end.</p>
<p>I do not like the groups in general and think they should be removed from the show. I happen to think some of the girls in Fifth Harmony were deliberately eliminated to form this group. And that is wrong. This said, the girls have been the best in the groups to date. But that does not say much as the rest were and are just awful. Emblem3 is just painful to watch and they cannot sing. The praise they have received is just a testament to the rigging by Simon. </p>
<p>Carly did not have a great night. It will be a toss-up with Tate. Unless Simon gets its way to give us again a poor winner.</p>
<p>That’s a very good point about the girls group that I hadn’t considered (eliminating a couple that should have made it through to form this group). Last year the groups category was lousy in general and out of the competition in a hurry. It makes sense that Simon would want to manufacture a more viable group that would say in the contest longer to make it more interesting.</p>
<p>Yes, Carly picked a bad week to have an off night. I think she’ll safely go through, but not good to be going into the finale the possible underdog after being on top for so long. In the long run it may be better if she doesn’t win. Being owned by Simon’s label Syco is no walk in the park. With the exposure she can choose if she wants to follow up on a recording career (there will be offers), or go back to broadway.</p>
<p>Glad to see others think Emblem 3 is a waste of time.</p>
<p>I hope Tate wins, gains fame and fortune, and becomes a really big country star. Love the richness of his voice, particularly in his second song. They need to retire those shooting flames (in his first song) for good!</p>
<p>It is a joke how much better Tate and Carly Rose are from Simon’s groups and, if any other judges had this category, they would have been eliminated weeks ago.</p>
<p>I’ve been watching this because I know one of the contestants. I agree about Emblem3. I was baffled by the judges’ enthusiastic comments.</p>
<p>Another thing that baffled me - who put those beautiful girls in Fifth Harmony in those awful dresses, and whose idea was it for one of them to wear an enormous bow? Am I the only one who thought that they looked horrible?</p>
<p>No, they looked ridiculous. The bow was just the most obviously embarrassing of infractions. Wrong, wrong, wrong. It’s almost as if they were sabotaged so they didn’t upstage Emblem3, the group that Simon obviously wants to promote out of this. Even the way Simon did their final introduction wasn’t supportive…“Hopefully not for the last time, Fifth Harmony”. No other group was introduced this way. It pre-supposes their loss and plants the idea to the audience. He had that same ominous demeanor during their critique. Simon knows that Tate and Carly Rose would have to shout obscenities on stage to be voted off. Fifth Harmony is the obstacle to his precious Emblem3. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan of theirs, I just hate the engineering that goes on with these shows.</p>
<p>If Simon ends up with Emblem3, Tate, and Carly Rose in the finals he is the winner. They are completely unique from each other and no matter who wins he can market the other two…if they accept offers from him and not a competing label or endeavor.</p>
<p>I was wondering whether someone was deliberately sabotaging them with those outfits. All they lacked were giant lollipops. </p>
<p>The winner gets a $5 million recording contract, from Simon, right? Will he also make offers to other finalists? I take it only the winner is obligated to take his contract? </p>
<p>What is meant by a $5 million contract? Is the winner handed $5 million, and then Simon tries to make that money or more by selling his/her music?</p>
<p>It would be REALLY bad for the show if Simon mentored the winner again. It should be enough that he shephered that girl through the final after first sending her home. While she could sing, she was boring and Simon bent many rules, including the ones that made the better contestants look poorly last season. </p>
<p>This year from the very start it has been one glowing review after the other, and it would be more acceptable if the kids could sing or do something else than flex their biceps and appeal to teenagers. The kids keep saying … Hey we can do so more than they let us, and yet they have been one-dimensional and not in a good sense. </p>
<p>In addition, I do not understand L.A. Reid be so willing to endorse the boys and reserve his viciousness for others. He has been disappointing this year, especially in protecting his own guys. Had he done a better job, he might have had TWO singers in the final 4 as opposed to Simon and his two pet projects. </p>
<p>Oh, I so wish the chipmunks get sent packing tonight. But I am not hopeful considering the rigged appearance of the X-Factor.</p>
<p>PS Regarding the money, this show would be so much better if the money were split in a 3-1-1 manner. The way Josh got hosed last year was abominable.</p>
<p>Oh I don’t think there’s any way that Emblem3 will actually win. It’s a toss up between Carly Rose and Tate IMO. I agree about LA. Vino was so talented and should be there instead of either of Simons groups. The first week the audience was voting LA said in his comments regarding Vino “So, vote for this guy if you’re inclined to vote”. It was the most lackluster endorsement of such a talented man. The next night Vino was shown as third I really think LA was shocked. He never wanted that group and complained about being given the over 25’s from the start. He had two in the top three/four for weeks despite his terrible mentoring and song choices for them.</p>
<p>OK. Hoping that America has not lost its collective wisdom and that the voters will agree with me. How pretentious of me! The reality is that I root for the girls to join Tate in a finale I could enjoy without grimacing. :)</p>
<p>I texted a couple of times for a certain group. And it worked! Just like the green square game, every point counts.</p>
<p>Well, at this house we are perplexed by the final 3. Both of my teenagers said that emblem 3 should have been there instead of fifth harmony</p>
<p>As parents we may not like them, but I really don’t see teens listening to either carly rose or 5th harmony. At least not my teens.</p>
<p>Simon believes in miracles but even divine intervention isn’t going to help 5th Harmony win. It’s been the “Carly versus Tate Show” since week 2 when Steve Jones was still the host. Speaking of hosts, have they announced yet if Kloe will be back next season? </p>
<p>I sure hope they KO KKO.</p>
<p>I like Fifth Harmony. We need a new TLC or Spice Girls. That said I hope Tate will win. Carly has an amazing voice but she looks sad all the time.</p>
<p>Khloe was a dubious choice and she only confirmed how bad she is. Steve Jones has not been on the show this year. </p>
<p>LA Reid is not coming back. This show will need a lot of changes. Poor hosts. Uninspiring judges. Bad mentorship and blatant favoritism. Overproduction. </p>
<p>The only fun parts are the auditions.</p>
<p>Thanks for setting me straight on Steve Jones, xiggi. Maybe next season they will hire Toni Braxton to replace LA Reid and have her mentor a new category called “The Divas”. Simon needs to be the lone male judge on the show…</p>
<p>Tonight was the final competition. Did anyone watch?</p>