Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Recap:

Wow.

A woman can win a show like this. Talent can prevail.

After a season full of missteps, after becoming a mega-miss instead of a mega-hit, The X Factor got the most important thing right.

Or at least fans did, crowning diva-voiced Melanie Amaro as the show’s first winner Thursday night.

She was one of the special voices the judges mentioned in an early press conference for the show.

She’s the singer Simon Cowell nearly eliminated during the mansion episodes. Did in fact, until he decided to bring her back.

And she’s the singer who had proven herself clearly the most talented in the competition by the time this week’s finals rolled around.

Now she has a $5 million prize and a recording contract.

Oh, yes, and a spot in a Pepsi commercial.

Overcome with emotion, Melanie could barely speak after being declared the winner. She struggled with her emotions throughout a final rendition of “Listen.”

Then, at the urging of host Steve Jones, she shouted out thanks to all the fans who supported her throughout the competition.

In truth, X Factor struck more right than wrong chords on its final night.

There were misfires. A countdown of the examples of bad behavior struck me at odd. The mostly-bleeped out performance by 50-Cent, backed by six dancers imitating strippers, struck me as classless. Especially once 15-year-old Astro joined in.

But there were plenty of highlights, too.

Like Justin Bieber inviting Drew Ryniewicz, one of his biggest fans, on stage to finish a Christmas song with him.

Like those touching congratulatory clips from close friends and relatives of the finalists. They reduced all three to tears.

And like that glorious vocal by Leona Lewis while images from the first season of X Factor flashed in the background.

Followed by the crowning of Melanie Amaro, a truly deserving winner.

Live blog:

I felt a little sorry for Josh Krajcik as Wednesday’s episode of The X Factor wound down.

Chris Rene was on stage posing for the camera, as he so often does.

After all, he’d just been told he had given a $5 million performance.

Melanie Amaro was beaming a smile at the audience.

Simon Cowell had proclaimed she should win The X Factor.

Now Simon’s her mentor, so I guess we should have expected that. But it rang true after she sang the heck out of “Listen” in what was clearly the night’s superior vocal.

Josh Krajcik?  He stood there rather stoically, looking for all the world like someone destined for a third-place finish.

Fact is, he probably is.

Melanie Amaro should win The X Factor tonight.

Chris Rene might pull off an upset.

Josh Krajcik? Not gonna happen.

So, after a group number, we’ll get Christmas songs from the final three tonight.

Melanie Amaro kicks it all with “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”  Nicole Scherzinger says all she wants for Christmas is a Melanie Amaro album. L.A. Reid says her voice is a song’s best friend. In truth, a wonderful ending helped salvage an otherwise so-so performance. Grade: B

Hey, one of the better things I’ve seen from X Factor, rounding up those congratulatory clips for Melanie.

Chris Rene will follow that with “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” STOP! STOP! Someone please stop Chris Rene. That had to be the most boring, most off-key performance of that song ever done in front of such a large audience.  Grade: F.

Josh Krajcik performs “Please Come Home for Christmas” and probably did the best job of picking a song well-suited for his voice. That was a really nice rendition of the song, the best of the three Christmas carols we just heard. Grade: B+

After the break for a couple of Justin Bieber Christmas songs, we’re about to get our first result. Nice touch, bringing Drew Ryniewicz out for the end of that song. Gotta admit, X Factor is striking at least a few correct chords with this season-ending episode.

And, the third-place finisher is: Chris Rene.

Wow, that’s something of a surprise, especially considering how hard the judges were pushing Chris in recent weeks. But wonderful job, X Factor voters.

Look at that, L.A. Reid — singing does matter!

After a couple more guest performances, and a nice duet of “We Should be Heroes” from Josh and Melanie, it’s time to find out who wins the first season of The X Factor.

And the winner is — MELANIE AMARO.

A female can win a show like this.  Talent can prevail.