Misha B was the first to be saved until next week, followed by Little Mix, Marcus Collins and Janet, which left Amelia Lily and Colton to have their sing-off.
Colton sang a heartfelt Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow by Carole King, but Lily rocked the stage with Lady Gaga’s You and I.
Gary Barlow and Tulisa Contostavlos voted to save Colton, but Kelly Rowland and Louis Walsh voted to send him home and save Lily.
Contostavlos said: “I don’t think I have ever been so torn before in a sing-off.”
Walsh said he chose Amelia Lily because she was was more of a “ready made pop star”, while Barlow said she “shouted” her way through her performance.
Barlow added that Colton’s performance was “understated and gorgeous”.
But Colton had to go because he got fewer public votes.
The 22-year-old Scouser said: “I have had the time of my life these last few months. Thank you everyone who voted. I have done myself proud so I am made up.”
The show began with a surprise collaboration with Bryan Adams and the X Factor contestants, singing When You’re Gone.
Rebecca Ferguson also played the same stage that saw her earn her name last year, performing her new single Nothing’s Real But Love.
Sporting a gold and black dress, she said: “Standing on this stage, it feels like I’ve come home.”
Then Rihanna also treated the audience to a performance of Calvin Harris collaboration We Found Love.
Wearing a tartan dress for the show, she told host Dermot O’Leary how she nearly moved to the UK.
The Barbadian singer said: “I almost moved here this year. I had so many shows here I thought I should just move.”
