Stacey France was voted off The X Factor USA this week after finishing in the bottom two along with 14 year-old rapper Astro.

It was a surprise to see Astro in the bottom two because we thought he was pretty good in the main show this week, although strictly speaking we could see that some people might be a little bit put off, as it was rock week and perhaps rapping and rock are not comfortable bed fellows.

As a singer we like Stacy, but we have to agree with Simon; This week she was a complete mess and deserved to go.

In the sing off, Stacy performed “Amazing Grace.” It’s… pretty rough. She gets better as the song goes on, but it was not a truly inspiring performance.

Astro comes out and says he doesn’t feel like it’s necessary for him to perform, and asks L. A. if he should, and then asks the audience. How dramatic! His rap, set to the Jackson 5’s “Never Can Say Goodbye” is actually a pretty good,  but he’s clearly miserable. If he performed it with his normal swagger, he’d be lighting the place up.

Judges Votes

L.A: He tells Astro he’s disappointed in his performance tonight, but he still chooses to send Stacy home.

Nicole: No surprise here, Nicole votes  to save Stacy because that’s her girl.

Paula: has “tremendous respect” for both of them and votes to send Stacy home.

Simon: he had the deciding vote on the night — if he sends Stacy home she goes, if he sends Astro home it comes down to the votes.

Simon lectures Astro about his attitude, and Astro proceeds to completely blow it for himself by saying putting him in the Bottom 2 made him not want to perform. Astro cries, showing for the first time he is only a child. Maybe contestants like Astro and Rachel really are too young for a show like this. Luckily for Astro, Stacy’s performances the past couple of weeks have been big enough messes that Simon votes to send her home, and the littlest rapper lives to fight another day. Stacy pulls herself together and makes a speech thanking the judges and singles out Simon instead of her mentor Nicole, so that’s awkward.