The X Factor: Emblem3 Kicked Off in Surprise Elimination!

USMagazine, Friday, December 14, 2012, 5:45am (PST)

No one is safe on The X Factor.

Co-hosts Mario Lopez and Khloe Kardashian-Odom kicked off the Dec. 13 episode by announcing that Simon Cowell's girl group, Fifth Harmony, would be moving forward in the competition -- much to the surprise of fellow judge Britney Spears, who was seen sneering on stage.

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The quintet -- Dinah Hansen, Lauren Jauregui, Ally Brooke, Normani Hamilton and Camila Cabello -- were equally surprised by the results and began crying. "This is absolutely phenomenal," Brooke, 19, said. "Thank you so much to everybody who's been supporting us. We love you all so much."

"Like I said, I believe in miracles and these girls -- I thought they were sensational last night," Cowell told the co-hosts. "I could not be happier."

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Cowell's other group, Emblem3, was not as fortunate. The trio -- Drew Chadwick and brothers Wesley and Keaton Stromberg -- were eliminated just one week shy of the finals. "This is the way it goes on competitions," Cowell said. "I'm gutted really for them because I thought they had a fantastic night last night."

When Us Weekly spoke to the eliminated contestants post-show, they appeared to be in good spirits. "We are going to go make some badass music now and we won't be under any restrictions," Wesley, 18, explained. "Bottom line is, we had the dopest experience and we got everything that we wanted out of this."

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Drew, 20, added, "Simon's made it very clear that he's definitely interested, and he told us we had big careers ahead of us."

The X Factor airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. EST on FOX. Carly Rose Sonenclar, Fifth Harmony and Tate Stevens will compete in the finale Dec. 19.

Tell Us: Are you sad to see Emblem3 eliminated?

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: The X Factor: Emblem3 Kicked Off in Surprise Elimination!