'X Factor' final 8: What the judges said

This week's X Factor saw the remaining eight acts performing songs by Mariah Carey.

Here's what the judges had to say:

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Eoghan Quigg - 'Anytime You Need A Friend'

Louis: "Eoghan, every week you walk out on that stage and what the people at home don't know is that this kid has no fear. The only critique is the hair - it's turning into a birds' nest! Simon Cowell is the only person not to take advice from about hair."

Dannii: "Congratulations on everything this week! The voice was magic on that. Best performance so far!"

Cheryl: "You amaze me more and more each week. The amount of confidence you have is unbelievable. I'm so happy for you tonight. That song shouldn't have worked with your voice but it really did. You made it work."

Simon: "I find it astonishing, that you're 16 years old, you’ve got a little baby sister and you're singing in front of Mariah Carey. That's the best song you've sung so far, actually you'd probably have a hit record with that. And one of the top mangers in the country just comments on your hair. What a ridiculous thing to say!"

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Ruth Lorenzo - 'My All'

Louis: "Ruth, you always give it your all. I love the song, I love the dress but there's something missing, I don't think you're connecting with the audience. To be honest it was more Mariah Scary than Mariah Carey."

Cheryl: "Is it just me or do you get hotter every week? I love the simplicity but because I love you, I'm going to be honest with you, it wasn't one of my favourite songs for you Ruth, but you look sensational."

Simon: "Two things I loved about that performance…and the singing was good as well! Ruth, you really are growing on me! I like you, I like the fact you are passionate but I think you were always going to suffer with the Mariah comparison tonight. I hope you stay in the competition."

Dannii: "That was a beautiful performance, Ruth. It came from the heart and I know you wanted to sing this one. It was beautiful and you do give it your all every week."

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Laura White - 'Endless Love'

Louis: "After boot camp and the auditions, the reason we were so excited about you was because of this amazing voice. I think you're on the way, the image is getting better and you have a great voice."

Dannii: "Laura, your performances are always so spot on. What I love seeing growing in you is your confidence and if Mariah is saying no notes, then that's a massive confidence boost!"

Simon: "Just to end on this subject of image, the only reason I said it was because when I first met you, you had your own style and quirkiness and I wanted you to get back to your own individual style. The performance tonight was one of your weakest. It was very hotel bar performance, old fashioned and I didn't like the arrangement. It wasn't you and it wasn't the person I saw at the beginning."

Cheryl: "Simon, there is a big, big difference from someone coming into the audition room and then singing to 12 million people each week. To me, your image is the least important thing. To get up there and play the piano, you have to be so dedicated to music. I am so proud of you and you are absolutely amazing."

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Rachel Hylton - 'Against All Odds'

Louis: "I'm glad I saved you last week. You're getting a hard time in this competition and I wish people would judge it on your vocals and not believe everything they read in the papers because you have talent."

Cheryl: "You seemed very emotional in parts of that song. I was glad you chose your own song but I think you’ve had a big confidence knock and it's not nice to see. I want to see that spark and spunk you had originally but well done for tonight."

Simon: "I just like you and your feistiness and the fact you stood up for yourself and I know what this means to you. I've got to know you and your family and I really hope people give you another chance."

Dannii: "It was a great achievement for you to get through from last week. We work on the songs each week and [the reports were] misleading as we work on the songs together each week. I must stress, we also work together on image, styling and vocal training - the whole package. It was a great performance tonight."

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JLS - 'One Sweet Day'

Dannii: "You guys that was fantastic. I love your style and image and vocally that was really good!"

Cheryl: "Marvin, that was the best I've ever heard you sing. I keep hearing this vocal harmony group thing but please don’t let Louis turn you into Westlife. The Michael Jackson week when you stole the show was brilliant…"

Simon: "Guys that was an impossibly hard song to sing. You guys have really connected, the image was fantastic. I'm actually going to be amazed if you guys don't make the final."

Louis: "I'm not trying to turn you into Westlife. Little Miss Showbiz here thinks she knows it all! In the words of Barack Obama, can you win the competition? Yes we can!"

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Daniel Evans - 'Open Arms'

Louis: "That was so much better than last week. I didn't think Mariah week would be good for you. Never in a million years are you going to win the competition."

Cheryl: "Someone's got their mojo back, haven't they? That was my best performance of yours yet!"

Simon: "Daniel, that wasn't bad! For you, it wasn't bad. It wasn't a Mariah song but that aside it was a good choice of song. You were certainly better than last week, which you know I thought was hideous, but this was OK!"

Dannii: "It fitted in with the brief of the songs for the week. What I like about you is that you have been so versatile to get through the weeks and all of your girl fans will have loved that!"

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Alexandra Burke - 'Without You'

Louis: "You're getting better week after week after week. I'm hearing Whitney, Mariah, Toni Braxton. That was the best performance of the night so far."

Dannii: "You look beautiful but what I also love to see is the funny side of you. After you met Mariah you were like a little kid! It's a great week for you."

Simon: "I love your attitude and your enthusiasm. We don't hear you whining or complaining. I have to say you're 20 years old and you're singing one of the big Mariah classics. She's ten metres away and that was outstandingly good!"

Cheryl: "I know how terrified you were, but like Mariah said, you are one of the few people who can use those nerves in a positive way. That was one of the best performances of the series."