Saara Aalto X Factor Final winner

After nine weeks at ITV’s now defunct Fountain Studios, The SSE Arena at Wembley is playing host for the final weekend of X Factor UK 2016.

And on Saturday’s show, 5 After Midnight fell at the final hurdle, becoming this year’s third place finishers. They received the fewest number of votes despite a well-staged performance of Beyoncé’s “Crazy In Love”and a stirring performance alongside pop icon Clean Bandit, dropping his hit single “Tears”. Last year’s winner Louisa Johnson joined them on stage.

Saara Aalto will face Matt Terry in Sunday’s winner-takes-all showdown, where they’ll each sing their “song of the series” and this year’s X Factor winner’s single — which inevitably contends for Christmas No. 1 on the UK charts.

Vote for Saara Aalto

If you are in the UK, you can vote by phone or mobile, or by using the X Factor app. Voting will close during Sunday’s show after both performances from Matt and Saara. Votes from Saturday’s show will be carried over so every vote counts! If you’re calling from a landline or mobile, Saara is #3.

Saara Aalto covers Tears For Fears

Saara didn’t just nail her cover of Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” — she hammered it, she bolted it and she stomped on it, earning rave reviews from all of the judges.

“I have loved you from day one,” Louis said. “You are an amazing performer and you love music. And you never complain, you’ve got a great work ethic and the bigger the song, the better you became. You are an incredible artist.”

Nicole admitted that she regretted picking Saara as Sharon’s wildcard act. “What a beautiful reception back home and your voice, there’s nothing you can’t sing. It was beautiful, it’s so bold. Congratulations.”

“I don’t know about bold — it was brilliant,” Simon responded. “That performance, when you’re on a big stage you just get bigger. It’s actually what star power is all about. You’re in front of an audience, the staging production, the track, everything was incredible.”

Mentor Sharon was over-the-moon: “You just keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger. There is nothing you can’t handle. There is no song no matter how big or small that you can’t take and make something out of it. Everything you do is spectacular.”

The bookies responded instantly and her lowest odds dropped from 8/13 to 2/5, showing that there was growing confidence in our beloved snow fairy. (Note I said was. Read on to see what happens after the show…)

 

Saara Aalto duets with Adam Lambert

Next it was time for the duets, with Saara partnering with Adam Lambert on the Queen classic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Ahead of the performance there was a long interlude with Saara having a heart-to-heart with Mrs. O.

Would Saara have believed that she would be in the final if she were told just a few weeks ago?

“I wouldn’t have believed it,” she said. “When I was in Finland like a year ago I just hoped that some day I would be able to sing in front of people who really helped me. I feel like this whole experience has been up and down — and miracles have happened.”

“I’ve been working for the last 15 years to get here, but I always had this dream to be an international singer.”

“This competition has changed my life completely and not only career wise, but the way I am inside. I felt this is the first time in my life I’ve had support and acceptance from people who really mean a lot. I really needed that support because I didn’t get that from Finland. This whole experience has told me that anything is possible.”

After smashing her duet, which saw her dancing on a piano with her idol, Saara seemed simultaneously thrilled and relieved.

Adam was quick to offer his support: “Saara is a superstar ladies and gentleman!”

Following tonight’s episode — and with 5 After Midnight now out of the race — Matt Terry saw his odds shrink dramatically.

In fact, moments after the show he surpassed Saara to become the odds-on favourite to win, with his odds shrinking to 8/13 at Sky Bet.

Saara’s odds widened to as high as 6/5, putting her over 1 for the first time in days.

The bookies may have insider knowledge of tonight’s voting — suggesting Matt killed it. Or it may simply reflect the fact 5 After Midnight are out and their viewers may be more keen to get behind Matt than Saara.

Saara Aalto X Factor odds to win matt terry

Saara Aalto’s journey

Prior to tonight’s show Saara had already made her fair share of history. She is the very first act ever to make the final after having been in the Bottom Two in Week One. And she’s also the only contestant to make the final having been in the Bottom Two during the first two episodes. That’s a record unlikely to be matched in the future.

Among those supporting Saara inside the arena tonight was fiancée Meri Sopanen — a Saara Aalto superfan who sent the “No Fear” singer a message during the taping of The Voice of Finland in 2012.

Saara’s instant attraction led her to dump then-boyfriend Teemu Roivainen, whom she had been with for nine years at the time.

But clearly there are no hard feelings. Speaking on Lorraine, Saara revealed that Teemu flew out to London to support her this weekend as well.

Do you think the right act was eliminated? Who do you think is going to slay during the final night of competition on Sunday? Let us know in the comments box below.

READ MORE OF OUR X FACTOR NEWS

23 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Veronica
6 years ago

Hi there! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new iphone 3gs! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the fantastic work!

Kimble
Kimble
7 years ago

It’s obvious that the vocals should not be compared 1:1. It’s simply not fair!!! Saara is doing all the work to keep X-Factor alive with lively performances having demanding choreographies. Let’s put the other contestant(s) to work and to sing laying on their backs, running up or down the stairs, etc. ????

ESCFan
ESCFan
7 years ago

NOOOOO 🙁 She has to win 🙁 Matt has an amazing voice but I find him lacking charisma. Saara is the best, she oozes charisma and aside from an amazing voice she can dance! She is a performer .

Nicolas
Nicolas
7 years ago

Saara to win!!!

(J)ESC Fanatic
(J)ESC Fanatic
7 years ago

#SaaraForTheWin!

Davve
Davve
7 years ago

Matt is a sweet white man. That usually is enough to win these shows. It has happened so many times, they win and then usually have little or non success…Matt really is as boring as watching paint dry.

Saara will have success no matter what

Roelof Meesters
Roelof Meesters
7 years ago

Still amazed how she didn’t win UMK. If Finland and Denmark make the same STUPID mistakes as last year, I hope they take the last places in the semi’s

Chicken Kyiv?
Chicken Kyiv?
7 years ago

Hated her the first two weeks loved her ever since desperate for her to win now.

Matt Terry is so bland. There have been so many winners like him, straight hot white guys but they then fail when it comes to success after the show.

Saara has to do Eurovision, for the UK though not Finland

#BlessedWithLove
#BlessedWithLove
7 years ago

She is a fighter and hard worker. She is so humble and down-to-earth. She is an idol. Her voice is beyond this planet beautiful. I hope British people will make the right choice.

fikri
fikri
7 years ago

wiwibloggs is lobbying for saara’s win HARD. she’s good but i think the other finalist is good as well.

Davve
Davve
7 years ago

These kind of shows do have a tendencg to favour white “nice and cute” men. They dont need to even be that good to win…

I still hope Saara do win though

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
7 years ago

You know, Simon Cowell said on “The Xtra Factor” after the show that: “You know what, it feels like the Eurovision Song Contest!” – that’s a real quote; i’m not making that up!! Now for my opinion. Matt’s duet with Nicole Scherzinger was vocally stratospheric! – this won the night for me. Saara is always awesome, and I loved how likeable she was on stage tonight with Adam Lambert. It’s genuinely going to be close between those two on Sunday. Paradoxically, we have ended up with one of the best ever Grand Finals in X Factor history after one of… Read more »

Colin
Colin
7 years ago

Good luck Saara! She is so amazing and I am rooting for her to win!

Paul D.
Paul D.
7 years ago

Off topic:

Brequette’s ”No Enemy” has a new version with some changes particularly in the ending. I quite like this song and would be a fine entry for Spain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXq4Es1QmVY

Paul D.
Paul D.
7 years ago

I think that Saara won tonight because the majority of people who vote more in men were split. I fear tomorrow the same won’t happen and she loses…

Aleksi
Aleksi
7 years ago

Looking at the odds and it’s impossible to predict which one will win right now. Hopefully Saara will win though.

SpanishLover
SpanishLover
7 years ago

I Hope she wins. She is pure X Factor!!!!! I like Matt but like his there so much.
Sara for win and Sara for Eurovision soon please

cheesecake
cheesecake
7 years ago

Sorry, but I didn’t really like her tonight. She actually managed to win me over during the past weeks, but tonight Matt was definitely stronger.

esc1234
esc1234
7 years ago

if she wins, i think she should go to eurovision. She may be the one who can revamp the eurovision for uk

EscPotato
EscPotato
7 years ago

Saara is doing “It’s oh so quiet”

OMG OMG YES!!

Ben
Ben
7 years ago

You know you really ought to point out that those phone numbers are premium rate!

Unfortunately Matt has now overtaken Saara in the odds as well

Gav
Gav
7 years ago

What an unexpected Saara Aalto year. I never heard of Sara in January… then loved ‘No Fear’ and Iv loved seeing her grow and get recognition during the X Factor. Not to mention loads of new songs sung by Saara!

It’s been fantastic!

Stephanie
7 years ago

So thrilled for Saara, she deserves to be in the final 2 and has worked so hard to get there! I’d love to hear “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)” or “The Winner Takes It All” for her song of the series, but it will be interesting to see what she eventually picks