Diamond White is back and better than ever!
Britney Spears eliminated the 13-year-old singer during the Nov. 1 episode of The X Factor when the new judge was tasked with narrowing her team of four teens down to three. On the Nov. 6 episode, however, the Detroit native made a surprise return and became the 13th finalist on the FOX singing competition.
The move wasn't entirely surprising, given that season 1 winner Melanie Amaro was eliminated before creator Simon Cowell decided to bring her back in 2011. White performed a rendition of Whitney Houston's 1993 smash " I Have Nothing."
Spears, 30, and fellow judges L.A. Reid, Demi Lovato and Cowell were blown away by the musical prodigy. "Diamond, this just proves dreams can come true," Cowell, 53, told her. "You were kicked out of the competition, you've come back, fighting, gutsy. Great vocal, great song, great performance, and I am so happy you are back in this competition."
"I feel like you definitely channeled Whitney in that performance and she would be very proud," a proud Spears said of the late beloved singer.
Us Weekly spoke with White after the show in L.A. "It feels awesome being back and just knowing that I got this second chance — I'm pretty much the Melanie Amaro of this season, so hopefully I end up the same place she does: winning," White said. "That would be awesome."
White said she had no idea the judges would be bringing an eliminated contestant back for the live shows. "Just knowing that I am the wild card this season kind of shocks me because people believe in me, and I'm glad those people believe in me."
Reentering the competition, White told Us, makes her "want to work extra hard because now that I have gotten a taste of being eliminated, I don't want to go back to that."
Will White survive the first week of viewer eliminations? Find out when The X Factor airs live Thursday, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m. EST on FOX.
