# X Factor (Romanian TV series) season 3

X Factor is a Romanian television music competition that aims to find a new music talent to become a star. The third season began airing on 23 September 2013 on Antena 1. The winner will receive a prize of €120,000 (decreased from €200,000 last season).
This season has the slogan "Muzică și suflet" ("Music and soul").
The hosts are the same as in the first and second season: Răzvan Simion and Dani Oțil, who are also known for hosting a well-known morning show on Antena 1. Dan Bittman, Delia Matache and Cheloo have returned as judges for the third season.
The registration started for the third season in June 2013. Antena 1 made changes on the list for the audition cities: Craiova was dropped, Arad and Bucharest were added.
On December 22, 2013, the season was won by Florin Ristei, mentored by Matache. Alex Mațaev, mentored also by Matache finished in second place.

## Judges

* Delia Matache – singer
* Dan Bittman – singer, television host
* Cheloo – rapper

## Selection process
### Auditions

Audition process was based on the British and American version. First up were "The Producer's Audition", where the producers chose singers to proceed to the second phase which was "The Audition before the Judging panel". The first auditions took place at Craiova, on 2 June. They then took place in Arad, on June 5 in Cluj Napoca on June 8, 2013, on June 11 in Iași, on June 14 in Constanța and concluded on June 17, 2013 in Bucharest.
Summary of auditions :
| City | Auditions date | Venue |
| Craiova | June 2, 2013 | Craiova University |
| Arad | June 5, 2013 | Hotel Parc |
| Cluj Napoca | June 8, 2013 | Iulius Mall |
| Iași | June 11, 2013 | Palas Mall |
| Constanța | June 14, 2013 | Bavaria Blu - Mamaia |
| Bucharest | June 17, 2013 | Children's Palace |

### Bootcamp

In a change to the usual format, the judges were allocated their categories before bootcamp. Cheloo will mentor the Groups, Matache took the Over 20s and Bittman had the Under 20s. The group Bruiaj (Eliza Bunu and Rareş Raicu) was formed in bootcamp. After the bootcamp period, there were 32 acts left.
The 32 acts who reached the Judges' Houses:
* Under 20s: Ana-Maria Mihăieș, Andrei Ciobanu, Alexandru Simion, Bogdan Bratiș, Florena Țicu Șandro, Rodica Tudor, Mihai Tăbăcaru, Claudiu Nergheș, Andrei Raețchi, Alexandru Ionașc, Andreea Lazăr, Ruxandra Tomulesei and Mădălina Lefter
* Groups: Bruiaj, Cat Girls, Chillout, Căminu' 16, Double X, Fără Titlu, November and Quattro
* Over 20s: Alex Mațaev, Diana Vartolomei, Dumitru Botnaru, Florin Ristei, Maria Roșculete, Larisa Vâna, Eliza Nirlu, Mihai Tăbăcaru, Miruna Diaconescu, Isabella Covrig, Paolo Lagana and Oana Muntean

### Judges house

The judges' home visit was the last stage of the selection process. The episode were aired on 17 November 2013. Each judge took the remaining members of their category to an overseas location, and had guests to assist them in their decisions. Cheloo was assisted by Mihaela Rădulescu, Delia was advised by Mihai Bendeac and Bittman was by Simona Gherghe. In this stage Bella from November was eliminated by her mentor and the group November remained with only two members.
The seventeen eliminated acts were:
* Under 20s: Andrei Ciobanu, Alexandru Simion, Rodica Tudor, Mihai Tăbăcaru, Andrei Raețchi, Alexandru Ionașc, Andreea Lazăr
* Groups: Chillout, Fără Titlu, Cat Girls
* Over 20s: Diana Vartolomei, Maria Roșculete, Larisa Vâna, Eliza Nirlu, Claudiu Nergheș, Miruna Diaconescu, Isabella Covrig

### Finalists

The 15 finalists were confirmed as follows:
Key:
    – Winner
    – Runner-up
    – Third place
| Category (mentor) | Acts | Acts | Acts | Acts | Acts |
| Under 20s (Bittman) | Bogdan Bratiș | Mădălina Lefter | Ana-Maria Mihăieș | Florena Țicu Șandro | Ruxandra Tomulesei |
| Over 20s (Matache) | Dumitru Botnaru | Paolo Lagana | Alex Mațaev | Oana Muntean | Florin Ristei |
| Groups (Cheloo) | Bruiaj | Căminu' 16 | Double X | November | Quattro |

### Results summary
#### Color key

| – | Winner |
| – | Contestant was in the bottom two and had to sing again in the final showdown |
| – | Contestant received the fewest public votes and was immediately eliminated (no final showdown) |
Weekly results per contestant :
| Contestant | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 5 |
| Contestant | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 1 | Round 2 |
| Florin Ristei | Safe | Safe | Bottom two | Safe | Safe | Safe | Winner |
| Alex Mațaev | Safe | Safe | Safe | Safe | Safe | Safe | Runner-up |
| Mădălina Lefter | Safe | Bottom two | Safe | Safe | Safe | 3rd | Eliminated (week 5) |
| Bogdan Bratiș | Safe | Safe | Bottom two | Safe | Safe | 4th | Eliminated (week 5) |
| Double X | Safe | Safe | Bottom two | Safe | 5th | Eliminated (week 4) | Eliminated (week 4) |
| November | Safe | Bottom two | Safe | 6th | Eliminated (week 4) | Eliminated (week 4) | Eliminated (week 4) |
| Florena Țicu Șandro | Safe | Safe | Bottom two | Eliminated (Week 3) | Eliminated (Week 3) | Eliminated (Week 3) | Eliminated (Week 3) |
| Oana Muntean | Bottom two | Bottom two | Bottom two | Eliminated (Week 3) | Eliminated (Week 3) | Eliminated (Week 3) | Eliminated (Week 3) |
| Bruiaj | Safe | Safe | Bottom two | Eliminated (Week 3) | Eliminated (Week 3) | Eliminated (Week 3) | Eliminated (Week 3) |
| Căminu' 16 | Bottom two | Bottom two | Eliminated (Week 2) | Eliminated (Week 2) | Eliminated (Week 2) | Eliminated (Week 2) | Eliminated (Week 2) |
| Paolo Lagana | Safe | Bottom two | Eliminated (Week 2) | Eliminated (Week 2) | Eliminated (Week 2) | Eliminated (Week 2) | Eliminated (Week 2) |
| Ana-Maria Mihăieș | Bottom two | Bottom two | Eliminated (Week 2) | Eliminated (Week 2) | Eliminated (Week 2) | Eliminated (Week 2) | Eliminated (Week 2) |
| Quattro | Bottom two | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) |
| Ruxandra Tomulesei | Bottom two | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) |
| Dumitru Botnaru | Bottom two | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) | Eliminated (Week 1) |
| Final showdown | Dumitru Botnaru, Oana Muntean | Ana-Maria Mihăieș, Mădălina Lefter | Bruiaj, Double X | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated |
| Final showdown | Ana-Maria Mihăieș, Ruxandra Tomulesei | Oana Muntean, Paolo Lagana | Oana Muntean, Florin Ristei | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated |
| Final showdown | Căminu' 16, Quattro | Căminu' 16, November | Florena Țicu Șandro, Bogdan Bratiș | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated |
| Bittman's vote to eliminate | Ruxandra Tomulesei | Ana-Maria Mihăieș | Florena Țicu Șandro | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated |
| Matache's vote to eliminate | Dumitru Botnaru | Paolo Lagana | Oana Muntean | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated |
| Cheloo's vote to eliminate | Quattro | Căminu' 16 | Bruiaj | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated | No judges' vote or final showdown: public votes alone decide who is eliminated |
| Eliminated | Ruxandra Tomulesei by Bittman | Ana-Maria Mihăieș by Bittman | Florena Țicu Șandro by Bittman | November Public vote | Double X Public vote | Bogdan Bratiș Public vote | Alex Mațaev Public vote to win |
| Eliminated | Dumitru Botnaru by Matache | Paolo Lagana by Matache | Oana Muntean by Matache | November Public vote | Double X Public vote | Bogdan Bratiș Public vote | Alex Mațaev Public vote to win |
| Eliminated | Dumitru Botnaru by Matache | Paolo Lagana by Matache | Oana Muntean by Matache | November Public vote | Double X Public vote | Mădălina Lefter Public vote | Florin Ristei Public vote to win |
| Eliminated | Quattro by Cheloo | Căminu' 16 by Cheloo | Bruiaj by Cheloo | November Public vote | Double X Public vote | Mădălina Lefter Public vote | Florin Ristei Public vote to win |
| Reference(s) | | | | | | | |

## Live Shows

The live shows underwent a change in this season. In the first three live shows, each category will have its own final showdown, the result of which is decided solely by its mentor. The outcome of the fourth show will only rely on the public vote and will have two eliminations (one of which will happen halfway through of the show, when the voting will have been frozen). Thus, the final will have four contestants (not three as in previous seasons). Two of the finalists will be eliminated halfway through the final show, when the voting will have been frozen. The winner is still determined by the public vote.

### Week 1 (24 November)

* Theme: Hits from last 20 years
* Group performance(s): Medley from "U Can't Touch This", "Gonna Make You Sweat, "MMMBop", "Wannabe", "Hung Up", "Blurred Lines", "I Gotta Feeling"
* Musical Guest: Paraziții ("Din colțul blocului", "Toate-s la fel", "Arde")
Contestants' performances on the first live show :
| Act | Order | Song | Result |
| Dumitru Botnaru | 1 | "Livin' la Vida Loca" | Bottom two |
| Oana Muntean | 2 | "Unfaithful" | Bottom two |
| Florin Ristei | 3 | "Locked Out of Heaven" | Safe |
| Alex Mațaev | 4 | "Impossible" | Safe |
| Paolo Lagana | 5 | "Paparazzi" | Safe |
| Ana-Maria Mihăieș | 6 | "Memories" | Bottom two |
| Ruxandra Tomulesei | 7 | "Hurt" | Bottom two |
| Bogdan Bratiș | 8 | "This Love" | Safe |
| Mădălina Lefter | 9 | "Listen" | Safe |
| Florena Țicu Șandro | 10 | "Girl on Fire" | Safe |
| Quattro | 11 | "Candyman" | Bottom two |
| Căminu' 16 | 12 | "Two Princes" | Bottom two |
| Double X | 13 | "Doo Wop (That Thing)" | Safe |
| November | 14 | "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" | Safe |
| Bruiaj | 15 | "Jump Around" | Safe |
| Final showdown details ||||
| Dumitru Botnaru | 1 | "Wild Dances" | Eliminated |
| Oana Muntean | 2 | "If You Could See Me Now" | Safe |
| Ana-Maria Mihăieș | 1 | "Rolling in the Deep" | Safe |
| Ruxandra Tomulesei | 2 | "Euphoria" | Eliminated |
| Căminu' 16 | 1 | "Angels" | Safe |
| Quattro | 2 | "Don't Let Go (Love)" | Eliminated |

#### Judges' votes to eliminate

* Matache: Dumitru Botnaru - gave no reason
* Bittman: Ruxandra Tomulesei - based on the performances
* Cheloo: Quattro - gave no reason

### Week 2 (29 November)

* Theme: Romanian music
* Group performance(s): Medley - Romanian music: "Inima mea", "O secundă", "Amintirile", "Poezie de stradă", "Rămâi cu mine", "Dragostea din tei", "P.O.H.U.I", "Ți-am dat un inel".
* Musical Guest: Holograf ("Roua dimineții", "Cât de departe", "Dacă noi ne iubim")
Contestants' performances on the second live show :
| Act | Order | Song | Result |
| Ana-Maria Mihăieș | 1 | "Zig-Zagga" | Bottom two |
| Florena Țicu Șandro | 2 | "Timpul" | Safe |
| Mădălina Lefter | 3 | "Inevitabil va fi bine" | Bottom two |
| Bogdan Bratiș | 4 | "Prăjitura cu jeleu" | Safe |
| Oana Muntean | 5 | "Un actor grăbit" | Bottom two |
| Paolo Lagana | 6 | "Te-aștept să vii" | Bottom two |
| Florin Ristei | 7 | "De-ai fi tu salcie" | Safe |
| Alex Mațaev | 8 | "Vama Veche" | Safe |
| Bruiaj | 9 | "Vino la mine" | Safe |
| Căminu' 16 | 10 | "Perfect fără tine" | Bottom two |
| November | 11 | "Change" | Bottom two |
| Double X | 12 | "Iarna pe val" | Safe |
| Final showdown details ||||
| Ana-Maria Mihăieș | 1 | "Grenade" | Eliminated |
| Mădălina Lefter | 2 | "Bound to You" | Safe |
| Oana Muntean | 1 | "Raggamuffin" | Safe |
| Paolo Lagana | 2 | "Proud Mary" | Eliminated |
| Căminu' 16 | 1 | "Sex Bomb" | Eliminated |
| November | 2 | "Thrift Shop" | Safe |

#### Judges' votes to eliminate

* Matache: Paolo Lagana - praised his attitude, but went with Oana for her voice
* Bittman: Ana-Maria Mihăieș - gave no reason
* Cheloo: Căminu' 16 - said he trusted in the other group's abilities

### Week 3 (8 December)

* Theme: Best voices (Hits)
* Group performance(s): Medley from "Wake Me Up", "Call Me Maybe", "Feel This Moment"
* Musical Guest: Delia Matache ("Doar pentru tine", "Doi în unu", "Vino la mine"), Cocoon Kills and Andreea Lazăr ("Pisi cea obraznică"), Petra Pintelei ("Sleeping Sun"), Tudor Turcu ("Nu minţi")
Contestants' performances on the third live show :
| Act | Order | Song | Result |
| Bruiaj | 1 | "I'll Be Missing You" | Bottom two |
| Double X | 2 | "In the End" | Bottom two |
| November | 3 | "Love the Way You Lie" | Safe |
| Florin Ristei | 4 | "Don't Stop Me Now" | Bottom two |
| Oana Muntean | 5 | "Empire State of Mind" | Bottom two |
| Alex Mațaev | 6 | "It's My Life" | Safe |
| Florena Țicu Șandro | 7 | "We Found Love" | Bottom two |
| Bogdan Bratiș | 8 | "Mirrors" | Bottom two |
| Mădălina Lefter | 9 | "Someone Like You" | Safe |
| Final showdown details ||||
| Bruiaj | 1 | "I Need a Doctor" | Eliminated |
| Double X | 2 | "Paradise City" | Safe |
| Oana Muntean | 1 | "You Know I'm No Good" | Eliminated |
| Florin Ristei | 2 | "I'll Make Love to You" / "End of the Road" | Safe |
| Florena Țicu Șandro | 1 | "Don't You Remember" | Eliminated |
| Bogdan Bratiș | 2 | "Home" | Safe |

#### Judges' votes to eliminate

* Matache: Oana Muntean - based on performance
* Bittman: Florena Țicu Șandro - based on performance
* Cheloo: Bruiaj - gave no reason

### Week 4: Semi-final (15 December)

* Theme: Celebrity Duets
* Group performance(s): Medley from "Wild Ones", "When Love Takes Over", "Moves like Jagger"
* Musical Guest: Dragoş Udilă feat. What's Up ("Scumpă domnişoară"), CRBL ("KBoom"), Lora ("De iarnă")
Contestants' performances on the fourth live show :
| Act | Order | Song | Result |
| First Round ||||
| Double X | 1 | "România nu-i jucăria ta" (with CRBL) | Safe |
| Mădălina Lefter | 2 | "Je t'aime" (with Luminița Anghel) | Safe |
| Alex Mațaev | 3 | "Just Give Me a Reason" (with Paula Seling) | Safe |
| November | 4 | "Breathe" (with Dragoş Udilă) | Eliminated |
| Bogdan Bratiș | 5 | "20 de ani" (with Călin Goia) | Safe |
| Florin Ristei | 6 | "Somebody That I Used to Know" (with Lora) | Safe |
| Second Round ||||
| Double X | 1 | "Sing for the Moment" | Eliminated |
| Mădălina Lefter | 2 | "I Have Nothing" | Safe |
| Alex Mațaev | 3 | "Sex on Fire" | Safe |
| Bogdan Bratiș | 4 | "Stop and Stare" | Safe |
| Florin Ristei | 5 | "Fairytale" | Safe |

### Week 5: Final (22 December)
#### Round 1

* Theme: Duets & Romanian Songs
* Group performance(s): X Factor Finalists ("Merry Christmas Everyone"), "Silent Night"
* Musical Guest: Zdob și Zdub ("Bunica Bate Toba"), The Colors ("Two of Us")
Contestants' performances on the fifth live show :
| Act | Order | First song (duet) | Order | Second song | Result |
| Bogdan Bratiș | 1 | "Vreau o minune" (with Dan Bittman) | 5 | "Zece" | Eliminated |
| Mădălina Lefter | 6 | "Ochii tăi" (with Dan Bittman) | 2 | "De-ar fi să vii" | Eliminated |
| Florin Ristei | 3 | "Stay" (with Delia) | 7 | "Cerul" | Safe |
| Alex Mațaev | 8 | "Read All About It" (with Delia) | 4 | "Acasă" | Safe |

#### Round 2

* Theme: Final Duel
* Musical Guest: Zdob și Zdub ("DJ Vasile")
Contestants' performances on the final live show :
| Act | Order | Song | Result |
| Alex Mațaev | 1 | "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" | Runner-up |
| Florin Ristei | 2 | "Bed of Roses" | Winner |

## Artists' appearances on earlier talent shows

* Oana Muntean and Alexandru Simion made it to Vocea României's The Battle rounds in season two.
* Eliza Bunu participated in season two of X Factor, but she was eliminated at Judges home.
* Alex Mațaev former Fabrica de Staruri winner is one of the contestants to compete this season.

## Controversy

One of the contestants, Paolo Laganà (an Italian living in Romania at the time of the contest), made known his homosexuality on his entrance forms, which eventually drew ire and epithets from judge Cheloo. The offending remarks were edited from the broadcast, but may have affected the outcome of the contest in which Laganà was eliminated early. The event drew outcries from the Italian LGBT community, with calls for action from the Italian Ministry of the Exterior.
After the show, Laganà left Romania and moved to Berlin.

## Ratings

| Ep | Title | Date | National | National | Urban | Urban | Source |
| Ep | Title | Date | Average (thousands) | Rating (%) | Average (thousands) | Rating (%) | Source |
| 1 | Auditions 1 | 23 September 2013 | 1 593 | 8.4 | 1 093 | 9.0 | |
| 2 | Auditions 2 | 29 September 2013 | 1 634 | 8.6 | 998 | 9.5 | |
| 3 | Auditions 3 | 6 October 2013 | 1 614 | 8.5 | 1 079 | 10.3 | |
| 4 | Auditions 4 | 13 October 2013 | 1 872 | 9.8 | 1 247 | 11.9 | |
| 5 | Auditions 5 | 20 October 2013 | 1 518 | 8.0 | 1 018 | 9.7 | |
| 6 | Auditions 6 | 27 October 2013 | 1 405 | 7.7 | 998 | 9.5 | |
| 7 | Auditions 7 | 3 November 2013 | 1 560 | 8.2 | 1 129 | 10.8 | |
| 8 | Auditions 8/Bootcamp | 10 November 2013 | 1 254 | 6.6 | 891 | 8.5 | |
| 9 | Judges house | 17 November 2013 | 1 189 | 6.2 | 830 | 7.9 | |
| 10 | Live Show 1 | 24 November 2013 | 890 | 4.7 | 635 | 6.1 | |
| 11 | Live Show 2 | 29 November 2013 | 1 037 | 5,4 | 712 | 6,8 | |
| 12 | Live Show 3 | 8 December 2013 | 748 | 3,9 | 539 | 5,1 | |
| 13 | Semifinal | 15 December 2013 | 986 | 5,2 | 669 | 6,4 | |
| 14 | Final | 22 December 2013 | | | | | |