X Factor judge Demi Lovato sobbed her way through Monday night’s show while a visibly nervous Britney Spears gave short, repetitive answers and fluffed her lines on the auto cue.
In honour of the Thanksgiving holiday each contestant dedicated their song to a person who has helped them throughout their lives.
With emotional back-stories ranging from a mother who died on Christmas Eve (Paige Thomas) to a sister lost to Cerebral Palsy (CeCe Frey) Disney actress Lovato could hardly keep her eyes dry.
Meanwhile Britney Spears seemed anxious and restlessly looked around the room between songs.
When it was her turn to comment The Toxic singer smiled uneasily and she muddled her auto cue when introducing the last act of the night - Carly Rose Sonenclar.
'Now get ready to be amazed all over again,' read Britney woodenly before the 13-year-old’s song.
'This is Arin Ray…errr no it’s not Arin Ray… it’s Carly Rose,' she blundered.
For the contestants pressure was mounting as they face another double elimination tomorrow.
First up was last week’s favourite, Tate Stevens, who sang the country song, I'm Already There, which he devoted to his father.
'Your performances are always so special and so touching,' said Britney, who wore a royal blue cropped dress with chainmail top - to reveal her washboard stomach.
But Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato were not completely convinced by the cowboy-hat wearing crooner.
'I feel as if maybe this wasn’t your best performance but it was still incredible,' said Lovato, who was dressed in a sleeveless metallic dress.
'Your voice was breaking in parts, it wasn’t as strong as it has been,' said Cowell.
Adding: 'But that does that mean that you’re going home tomorrow? Not a cat in hell’s chance.'
From Britney’s team 13-year-old Diamond White, who grew up without a father, sang Celine Dion’s ‘Because You Loved Me’ for her mother.
'I cannot imagine even carrying on without my mom,” said the teenager tearfully.
'She has always been my everything.'
Her ballad provoked a standing ovation from the judges and caused Lovato to break down in tears for the first time during the live show.
'You’ve never had a moment like that baby. Unless I’m dead wrong we’re gonna be hearing your name for many, many years. You are the truth ' said music executive and producer La Reid, 56.
'You literally gave me chills. You’re mum is hysterically crying in the crowd there and you made Demi cry,' exclaimed host Khloé Kardashian-Odom, who was being watched from the audience by her entire family and her sister’s boyfriend Kanye West.
'What an emotional night,' said Kardashian’s co-host Mario Lopez.
Next on the bill were Cowell’s boy-band Emblem3 who sang the One Republic hit Secrets for their youth club leaders.
'For me your performance lacked emotion,' said Reid.
'I thought it was very emotional,' breathed Lovato.
'I thought it was a great change of pace with more emotion,' disagreed Cowell.
'Don’t listen to the Grinch on my right,' said Cowell.
'I want to thank you guys for being such a pleasure to work with,' added the music mogul.
Britney’s protégée Arin Ray failed to impress the judges when he sang Hero by Enrique Iglesias for his older brother.
'It was a great song choice but I feel like it was too big for you,' said Reid.
'There’s a $5 million price at the end of this and I don’t feel like you gave me a $5million performance,' he added.
Lovato was even more harsh, saying: 'If I owned a record label I wouldn’t have signed you, I was just so bored.'
CeCe Frey tearfully dedicated her performance to her sister Kelsey, who died at age 7, after suffering from Cerebral Palsy.
'I always feel that Kelsey is watching over me and that she is my guardian angel,' said the singer who channeled old-fashioned Hollywood glamour to sing Bette Midler’s Wind Beneath My Wings.
'I felt every word of this song,' praised Reid.
'You poured your heart and soul into that. I thought you were amazing,' said Spears.
'I like you and I hope the public keep you in this competition,' said Cowell and as CeCe sobbed from the emotion of the song Lovato had to look away.
'I can’t look at you because I’ll start crying again,' sniffed the Disney actress and pop star, 20.
Religious girl band Fifth Harmony chose to devote their song to God.
'We love God,' they chimed before hitting the stage in hot pants and skinny jeans for The Pretenders song I’ll Stand By You.
Britney’s teen sensation Beatrice Miller sang Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol for her two adopted sisters, who have learning disabilities.
Sporting multi-coloured hair and an abundance of oversize jewellery the 13-year old choked while singing her heartfelt ballad.
'You are so adorable,' said Reid.
From La Reid’s team heavily-tattooed Vino Alan sang for the troops in the US military.
'From the moment they get up to the moment they sleep their lives are always in danger for us,' he said.
While thumping his heart and gesturing repeatedly to the sky he belted out the patriotic Lee Greenwood song God Bless the U.S.A.
'I think on the back of this we could be seeing you at number one tomorrow,' he added.
She was at the bottom of the leader board last week and Paige Thomas failed to melt the judges with a rendition of Everytime by Britney Spears.
The emotional song was dedicated to Colleen, the woman who cared for Paige after her mother was killed in a car accident on Christmas eve.
Last on the bill was one of last week’s favourites, Carly Rose Sonenclar.
Despite having her intro muddled by Britney Spears Carly, 13, gave it her all for the classic song Somewhere Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz.
Her performance gained a standing ovation from all four judges, 'you are an absolute force of nature,' said Reid.
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