Country singer Tate Stevens performs on The X Factor ahead of the live finale – Photo: FOX
Country singer Tate Stevens won The X Factor Season 2 on Thursday, beating 13-year old finalist Carly Rose Sonenclar and the all-girl group Fifth Harmony.
Although Tate Stevens was named the second season winner of The X Factor, the 37-year old singer from Belton, Missouri fought his way through the rankings all season against a younger crop of talents. In many ways, Tate was an underdog from the start of The X Factor given his age and country music roots.
Since the show has a lot of younger fans, and Tate went back and forth with Carly Rose in the rankings, it was only recently that Tate knew he could win.
“A couple of weeks ago, yeah,” Tate told The Deadbolt the day after his win. “I sat at number one for a couple of weeks and then went to number two and then she was one. When I went back to number one, that’s when I thought, ‘You know what? I have a shot at winning this!’ Up until then it was really anyone’s game.”
With a slew of younger singers in the competition, Tate obviously became a strong front-runner to win during the latter half of The X Factor season. But it was Tate’s country vocals and grounded down home charm that won over both The X Factor judges and fans across the country.
At the start of the season, however, Tate learned that his mentor, L.A. Reid, didn’t want the over-25 group. For Tate, The X Factor also became a challenge to prove his mentor wrong.
“It was a little disheartening at first,” Stevens continued to The Deadbolt. “But I think he realized that he had a really talented group of older singers, the “overs.” So I don’t think I was at a disadvantage.”
How do you feel about Tate’s win on The X Factor?