The X Factor (U.S. season 3)

Judges and hosts

On October 22, 2012, it was announced that The X Factor would be returning for a third season, with Simon Cowell confirmed to be returning. On December 14, 2012, L.A. Reid announced he would not return to the show for its third season, as he wished to refocus his work on his record company, Epic Records. Britney Spears stated her intentions on returning to the show for its third season, but it was confirmed on January 11, 2013, that she would not be returning, in order to focus on her music career.

Following the conclusion of season two, Demi Lovato questioned whether she would return for another season, or instead focus on her own career as a performer, stating, "I have no idea what's gonna happen next season, and I don't think anybody does." On March 28, 2013, it was confirmed that Lovato would return. On April 22, it was confirmed by Fox that Mario Lopez would be returning to host season three, along with the news of Khloé Kardashian not returning as co-host. Cowell confirmed via his Twitter account that the full judging panel will be announced on May 20, 2013, with auditions beginning the next day. On that same day, Fox confirmed that Destiny's Child member and one-time The X Factor UK judge Kelly Rowland, and Mexican singer and former La Voz... México judge Paulina Rubio had been hired to replace Spears and Reid.

Auditions

In addition to having online auditions, it was announced at the conclusion of season 2 that auditions for season 3 would be held throughout the country in Charleston, South Carolina; Denver, Colorado; Long Island, New York; Los Angeles, California and New Orleans, Louisiana. On the "Registration and Audition Rules" document on The X Factor's website about the auditions, it was announced where the auditions were going to be taking place.

Four-chair challenge

For this season of The X Factor, Cowell confirmed that the boot camp and judges' houses sections of the competition, which traditionally followed the audition rounds, had been dropped and replaced with a brand new stage called "The Four-Chair challenge". Speaking on the change, he said "It [boot camp and Judges' houses] was the one element of the show I wasn't happy with, and it looked too similar to what everybody else is doing." He went on to describe the new "middle section" as "really dramatic, very tough on us and the contestants, and very high pressure", and compared the new round as similar to the live shows.

This season, the categories did not follow the age-based format from season two but rather the format from season one: Boys, Girls, Over 25s and Groups. Rowland mentored Over 25s, Lovato the Girls, Rubio the Boys, and for the second season in a row, Cowell mentored the Groups.

The four-chair challenge episodes were broadcast on two 2-hour Wednesdays and two 1-hour Thursdays shows on October 2, 3, 9 and 10.

Key:

     – Contestant was immediately eliminated after performance without switch      – Contestant was switched out later in the competition and eventually eliminated      – Contestant was not switched out and made the final four of their own category

^1 Rubio initially switched out Tim Olstad for Timmy Thames, but after some consideration brought him back and instead switched out Al Calderon.

Finalists

The final 16 finalists were confirmed as follows;

Key:

     – Winner      – Runner-up      – Third place

Live shows

The first two-hour live show aired on a special Tuesday time slot on October 29; which followed the same format as the first season with each of the judges narrowing their number of acts down to three, without a public vote. The public vote then started with the following performance and results shows starting November 6, which aired on Wednesdays and Thursdays respectively. As with previous seasons, each live show had a different theme. The live final took place in on December 18 and 19. Cowell had also said on Twitter that there may be a wildcard this season. The leaderboard that showed which act had received the most public votes did not return.

Musical guests

Each results show featured musical performances from at least two artists. There was no guest performer on the first result show. Selena Gomez was supposed to perform on the second result show, but was postponed to third result show night which featured a performance from season 2 finalist Fifth Harmony. One Direction performed on the third results show. Michael Bublé performed on the fifth performance show, then again on the fifth results show alongside judge Demi Lovato. Emblem3 and Little Mix performed on the sixth results show, while Enrique Iglesias performed during the seventh results show. Paulina Rubio, Mary J. Blige, Lea Michele, Leona Lewis, Pitbull and One Direction performed on the finale.

Results summary

Color key

^1 There was no public vote in the first week and therefore no final showdown. Each judge was required to reduce their number of acts to three.

^2 Levi returned to the competition in week two because the judges felt that he "deserves a second shot".

^3 Owing to graphic errors in which incorrect voting numbers were displayed on screen during the performance recap, there was no elimination in week two. All acts performed again on Thursday night in week two and a public re-vote was conducted. Carlos Guevara was eliminated on Wednesday night in week three after receiving the least amount of votes in week two.

^4 Cowell was not required to vote as there was already a majority.

^5 Cowell revealed in an interview that Alex & Sierra "won every single week" in the public vote.

Week 1 (October 29)

There was no public vote in the first week. Instead, each of the judges selected one of their own acts to eliminate.

Judges' decisions to eliminate

Lovato: Danie Geimer – gave no reason

Rubio: Josh Levi – gave no reason

Rowland: James Kenney – based on the performances

Cowell: RoXxy Montana – gave no reason

Week 2 (November 6/7)

November 6

Theme: Motown songs (billed as "Motown Night")

Group performance: "ABC" / "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" / "Reach Out I'll Be There" / "Dancing in the Street" (all top 13 finalists except Josh Levi)

One of the four acts that did not face the public vote in week 1 and was eliminated by their mentor was reinstated to the show as the judges felt that the act "deserves a second shot". The reinstated act was announced as Josh Levi.

November 7

Theme: "Save Me" songs

Owing to graphics error in which incorrect voting numbers were displayed on screen during the performance recap, there was no elimination this week, instead all the acts performed their "Save Me" songs on Thursday night and a public re-vote was conducted after the show. The results were announced the following week, at the start of the live show on Wednesday night.

Selena Gomez was going to perform her single "Slow Down" but due to graphics issues, she performed on the second night in week 3.

Week 3 (November 13/14)

Theme: Songs from the 1980s (billed as "80s Night")

Group performance: "Perfect Day"

Musical guests: Selena Gomez ("Slow Down") and Fifth Harmony ("Me & My Girls")

Carlos Guevara, the act that received the fewest votes from the public re-vote in week 2, was eliminated at the start of the November 13 episode. He would have performed "Mad World". Starting from week three, two acts will be eliminated from each results show until week five. The three acts with the fewest public votes will be announced and then the act with the fewest votes will be automatically eliminated. The remaining two acts will then perform in the final showdown and face the judges' votes.

Judges' votes to eliminate

Rowland: Khaya Cohen – based on the final showdown performances, effectively backing her own act, Rachel Potter

Rubio: Rachel Potter – gave no reason

Lovato: Rachel Potter – gave no reason, though effectively backed her own act, Khaya Cohen

Cowell: Rachel Potter – felt Cohen has more potential in the competition

Week 4 (November 20/21)

Theme: Songs by British artists (billed as "British Invasion")

Musical guest: One Direction ("Story of My Life")

Judges' votes to eliminate

Rowland: Tim Olstad – based on the final showdown performances

Lovato: Tim Olstad – gave no reason

Rubio: Tim Olstad – gave no reason

Cowell was not required to vote since there was already a majority

Week 5 (November 27/28)

Theme: Big band (billed as "Big Band Night")

Guest mentor: Michael Bublé

Group performances:

Wednesday: "Cry Me a River"

Thursday: "Somewhere Only We Know"

Musical guests:

Wednesday: Michael Bublé ("You Make Me Feel So Young")

Thursday: Demi Lovato ("Neon Lights") and Michael Bublé ("It's a Beautiful Day")

Judges' votes to eliminate

Lovato: Josh Levi – gave no reason, though effectively backed her own act, Rion Paige

Rubio: Rion Paige – backed her own act, Josh Levi

Rowland: Rion Paige – gave no reason

Cowell: Josh Levi – wanted to let the public decide and therefore sent it to deadlock

With the acts in the bottom two receiving two votes each, the result was deadlocked and reverted to the earlier public vote. Levi was eliminated as the act with the fewest public votes.

Week 6 (December 4/5)

Themes: Divas; unplugged songs (billed as "stripped down songs")

Musical guests: Emblem3 ("Just for One Day") and Little Mix ("Move")

For the first time this season, each act performed two songs.

Judges' votes to eliminate

Lovato: Carlito Olivero – backed her own act, Rion Paige

Rubio: Rion Paige – backed her own act, Carlito Olivero

Rowland: Rion Paige – based on the final showdown performances though stated both acts did not give their best

Cowell: Rion Paige – wanted to give Olivero the opportunity to stay in the competition as he felt it was "probably his last chance"

Week 7: Semi-final (December 11/12)

Themes: Viewers' choice; "songs to get you to the final" (no theme)

Group performances:

Wednesday: "Falling Slowly" (performed by Alex & Sierra and Carlito Olivero) and "Every Breath You Take" (performed by Jeff Gutt and Restless Road)

Thursday: "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)"

Musical guest: Enrique Iglesias ("Heart Attack")

On December 4, the song choices for the public were revealed.

The semi-final did not feature a final showdown and instead the act with the fewest public votes, Restless Road, was automatically eliminated. The top three acts each then performed a victory song of their choice after they were announced safe, with Olivero performing "Suavemente", Alex & Sierra performing "Let Her Go", and Gutt performing "Open Arms".

Week 8: Final (December 18/19)

The final consisted of two two-hour episodes on December 18 and 19.

December 18

Themes: Winner's song (billed as "song to win"); celebrity duets (billed as "musical hero duets"); favorite performance (billed as "song of the season")

Group performance: "We Will Rock You"

Musical guest: Paulina Rubio ("Boys Will Be Boys")

December 19

Theme: Christmas songs

Group performances: "One" (all top 13 finalists) and "Love Me Again" (performed by Alex & Sierra and Jeff Gutt)

Musical guests: Mary J. Blige ("Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"), Lea Michele ("Cannonball"), Leona Lewis ("One More Sleep"), Pitbull ("Timber") and One Direction ("Midnight Memories")

U.S. Nielsen ratings

Notes

^1 Due to the 2013 MLB World Series running past October 28, the first live show of the season aired on October 29 to make room for Wednesday's potential deciding game.

Voting numbers graphic error

Due to graphic errors made in the top 13 round of the live shows regarding voting, all voting results posted in that episode were invalidated, and the contestants sang once more in the November 7 show, with the results revealed on November 13.

Demi Lovato's tribute video

On December 19, 2013, during the finale a segment featuring judge Lovato had aired. The segment showed Lovato drinking a green-colored beverage called "Annoying Juice" throughout the duration of the season, poking fun at Lovato's "annoying" relationship with show creator Cowell.

The next day, Lovato expressed her frustration with The X Factor producers for mocking her drinking addiction that she openly struggled with.