Teenager Molly Scott makes it to X Factor Live shows after impressing judge Simon Cowell

Singing starlet Molly Scott has made it through to the X Factor live shows.
Molly Scott on being told she'd made it through to the X Factor live shows by judge Simon Cowell. Picture courtesy of ITV.Molly Scott on being told she'd made it through to the X Factor live shows by judge Simon Cowell. Picture courtesy of ITV.
Molly Scott on being told she'd made it through to the X Factor live shows by judge Simon Cowell. Picture courtesy of ITV.

The 16-year-old, of Easington, successfully battled through to the later stages of the competition after impressing in a round of auditions at judge Simon Cowell's house.

Simon's old American Idol colleagues Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson helped him pick the girls, the category of which he is in charge of this year.

Molly Scott on being told she'd made it through to the X Factor live shows by judge Simon Cowell. Picture courtesy of ITV.Molly Scott on being told she'd made it through to the X Factor live shows by judge Simon Cowell. Picture courtesy of ITV.
Molly Scott on being told she'd made it through to the X Factor live shows by judge Simon Cowell. Picture courtesy of ITV.
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In Sunday night's episode, he asked Abdul and Jackson to help him whittle down the hopefuls at the Judges' Houses stage - with Molly, Bella Penfold, Shan and Scarlett Lee making the cut.

The girls, including fifth hopeful Georgia Burgess, were flown out to a plush pad in Malibu for the latest audition.

The sixth girl who had made it through the Six Chair Challenge, Maria Laroco, was unable to join them in America due to visa issues so tried out via a videolink.

Molly Scott performing on the X Factor. Picture courtesy of ITV.Molly Scott performing on the X Factor. Picture courtesy of ITV.
Molly Scott performing on the X Factor. Picture courtesy of ITV.
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Cowell then laid on a special evening where Paula and Randy, who sat beside him on the judging panel on Idol, American Idol host Ryan Seacrest, his friend Sinitta and a group of music industry professionals including songwriter Diane Warren and former X factor winner Leona Lewis gathered to hear the contestants perform.

Maria performed California Dreamin' from home and Shan gave an emotional performance of an original track inspired by the singing competition.

Jackson declared it was "fantastic", telling Cowell: "It really shows you who can be a star and who can't. Because stars rise to the occasion."

Molly Scott. Picture courtesy of ITV.Molly Scott. Picture courtesy of ITV.
Molly Scott. Picture courtesy of ITV.
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Penfold dazzled the audience with her delivery of Same Love by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft Mary Lambert.

Before starting her audition, she told the crowd she had just had the song title tattooed onto her neck.

"I put it on my neck just in case I don't get through so I don't have to look at it," she said.

Lee, who auditioned for the X Factor last year but did not make it through to the live shows, gave a powerful performance of I Didn't Know My Own Strength.

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When Cowell pointed out that it was written by Warren, who was watching, Lee said: "I'm not playing safe Simon, I want to go to the lives."

Her pitch perfect delivery had the audience on its feet and moved Warren to tears.

"Beautiful," she told Lee.

After the auditions Cowell, Abdul, Jackson and Warren discussed who to put through and Cowell decided that three slots were not enough and that he was taking four contestants to the live shows.

Upcoming episodes of the programme will see judge Robbie Williams picking the groups with the help of David Walliams, while his wife Ayda asks Leona Lewis and Adam Lambert for advice on the overs category.

Louis Tomlinson takes the boys to Ibiza where Nile Rodgers and his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne will help him choose the right wannabes to go through.