Nerves were jangling tonight as the X-Factor semi finalists were put through the ringer as they battled to earn their chance at stardom.
Olly Murs, Danyl Johnson, Stacey Solomon and Joe McElderry warbled for all their worth as a place in next week's final beckoned.
And it was bookies' favourite Joe who made the early running as his two performances went down a storm with the hard-to-please judges.
Joe stole a march on his rivals after he earned a glowing endorsement for his rendition of Michael Jackson's 'She's Out of My Life'.
Louis Walsh gushed that Joe had the talent to sell millions of records.
Joe then had the judges eating out of his hand as he followed up his first performance with a rendition of 'Open Arms' by Journey.
Simon Cowell said: "I genuinely wish and hope you are there next week because you deserve it.
But it was a mixed bag for Dagenham diva Stacey Solomon.
Her performance of Jackson's 'The Way You Make Me Feel' divided opinions.
Cowell said it was the wrong choice of song, branding the performance "gimmicky and silly".
But Cheryl Cole praised the performance as "absolutely fantastic".
Danyl Johnson left the judges dumfounded as he hit back at recent criticism with a blistering performance of 'Man In The Mirror'.
Cowell said: "It was absolutely on the money, genuine, brilliant".
Johnson looked like he had cemented his place in the final after a storming cover of 'I Have Nothing' by Whitney Houston, despite earlier claiming that she "absolutely hated him".
Olly Murs opened with rendition of 'Can You Feel It' to all round acclaim from the judges.
Walsh said: "Everybody loves you, you can dance and sing. You're an all-round entertainer."
Afterwards, Olly said: "I love it. I don't want to go home yet."
His second song was a performance of Stevie Wonder's 'We Can Work it Out'.
The decision on who has made it through to next week's final will be revealed tomorrow following a public vote
