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The X Factor: Meet the final 12 contestants through to the live shows

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Emily Middlemas - GIRLS

18, musician from Glasgow

Emily has been singing from a very young age and previously auditioned in 2014, making it through to Cheryl's Judge's House, although she didn't get through to Live Shows as Cheryl felt she was too young at the time.

Emily has spent the past two years gigging and writing new songs and is now sure of the kind of artist she wants to be.

Audition song: Master Blaster by Stevie Wonder

Her idol is Beyoncé, while her dream duet would be with Taylor Swift.

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Gifty Louise - GIRLS

20, student from London

Originally from Ghana, she moved to the UK ten years ago. Gifty reached last year's Bootcamp stage, but lost her voice the day she was due to perform. Sharon called her first audition "very dramatic" and a "great performance".

Audition song: No More Drama by Mary J. Blige 

Gifty says her celebrity crush is Idris Elba, but also admits she has a weird crush on her mentor Simon Cowell.

She also loves to eat peanut butter and rice... together!

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Samantha Lavery - GIRLS

17, student from a village near Durham

Sam has been singing for six years, but started taking music seriously around two years ago. Her mum and dad are very supportive of Sam's music and her granddad is her No.1 fan and also her biggest inspiration, as he was a singer who had to give up music to look after his family.

After impressing the judges at her first audition and Bootcamp, Sam failed to keep her chair at the Six Chair Challenge and thought her time in the competition was over. However, Louis chose Sam to be a Wildcard contestant to go to Simon's Judge's House.

Audition song: Explosion by Ellie Goulding

Sam has a superstition - she always carries two £5 notes on her. Her party trick is doing a dolphin impression.

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Freddy Parker - BOYS

18, student from Ashford

Freddy has recently finished college and has been working part-time in a kennels. He has been singing since he was a toddler and his mum is his biggest fan. He is a keen songwriter and self-taught on the keys and he has never had vocal training. Freddy's first audition gave Simon goosebumps, and Sharon said it was "just perfect".

Audition song: Love is a Losing Game by Amy Winehouse

Freddy's most embarrassing moment was when he had to play King Herod in the school nativity play aged eight. He got so nervous that he peed himself on stage!

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Matt Terry - BOYS

23, waiter from Bromley

Matt spent his childhood and teenage years growing up in Spain, where his grandparents still live today. His grandmother is Simon Cowell's biggest fan and was over the moon to meet him at Matt's first audition. While Matt is often told he looks like One Direction's Louis Tomlinson, in his first audition Simon said he reminded him of the first time he saw Olly Murs.

Audition song: Stand by Me by Ben E. King

Matt's celebrity crush is Michelle Keegan, while he would love to duet with Bruno Mars. If he had a super power, it would be flying.

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Ryan Lawrie - BOYS

20, singer from Coatbridge

Ryan has been singing since his teens and earlier this year he won a competion with Capital Radio and got to perform at this year's Capital Summertime Ball at Wembley Park. Ryan impressed the judges at his first audition, but was then asked to join a boyband for the Six Chair Challenge. Although the band didn't secure a seat, Ryan was given another opportunity as Simon chose him as  the Wildcard for Nicole's Judge's House.

Audition song: Cecilia by The Vamps

Ryan's weird crush is Princess Jasmine from Aladdin. In real life, his idol is Michael Jackson.

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Honey G - OVERS

35, recruitment agent from Harrow

Honey G describes herself as a genuine urban artist, although she grew up around classical music. She studied pop music production at university and has been DJing since the early 2000s. She started rapping and singing in 2013. Honey G's audition split the judges, but Nicole said she "was feeling it" after her rendition of Missy Elliott's Work It. Honey G didn't originally get a seat at the Six Chair Challenge but when fellow contestant Ivy Grace had to withdraw from the competition due to visa issues, Sharon was given the opportunity to invite another act to her Judge's House and chose Honey G.

Audition song: Work It by Missy Elliott

Honey G's most embarrassing moment was bungee jumping naked. She's also a fan of doing impressions and can do a great Mrs Doubtfire.

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Relley C - OVERS

26, housekeeper from Birmingham

Relley has been working part-time as a housekeeper in a local hotel, where she also gets the opportunity to sing at functions. She started singing and writing music when she was 12 years-old, after her grandparents bought her a piano and they still have the same piano at home. Relley got to Nicole's Judge's House in 2013 but didn't get through to the Live Shows. She has spent the last three years growing and developing into the kind of artist she wants to be. After her first audition, Simon thought she was in a different league to everyone else they had seen that day.

Audition: Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

Relley's dream duet would be with Drake or Mary J. Blige. She counts Diana Ross and Lauryn Hill among her idols.

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Saara Aalto - OVERS

29, singer from Finland

Saara grew up in a musical family and has been singing ever since she was a child. After high school she studied classical singing at University in Helsinki. She performs regularly in Finland and auditioned for the show as she wants to be known internationally. Nicole was blown away by Saara's room audition, giving her a standing ovation and joking that "my ass wants to clap for you, that's how good it was". Saara failed to get a seat at the Six Chair Challenge but Nicole chose her as the Wildcard contestant to join Sharon's Judge's House.

Audition song: Chandelier by Sia

Saara says her biggest fear is needles, and her weird crush is Simba from The Lion King. Her idols are Beyoncé and Charlotte Church, but her guilty pleasure is the Spice Girls.

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Bratavio - GROUPS

Ottavio Collumbro, 24 and Bradley Hunt, 23, singing duo from Southampton

Ottavio and Bradley met at university three years ago and have been singing together ever since, although they briefly fell out over some undercooked chicken, before being reunited during their X Factor audition. Bradley has been working in an American diner and Ottavio has just completed his university course in Fashion PR. Although they weren't able to impress Simon in their first audition, Louis was sure that "people will love them".

Audition song: Buttons by Pussycat Dolls

Ottavio's biggest fear is... crumbs, while Bradley's is... baked beans. If they had a superpower, it would be to click their fingers and be ready in an instant.

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Brooks Way - GROUPS

Josh and Kyle, 17-year-old twins from Cardiff

Josh and Kyle began singing at their local church when they were eight years old. In 2014, they made it through to Louis' Judge's House but did not secure a place in the Live Shows. They returned this year more determined than ever, having spent the past two years gigging and getting as much experience as possible. At their first audition this year Simon and Louis were glad to see them back with Louis praising them, saying "there is such an improvement this year."

Audition song: Runnin' by Naughty Boy feat. Beyoncé

The twins have admitted that their weird crush is Sharon Osbourne, and their dream duet would be with Justin Bieber. The boys are also excellent bakers and like to trick people by pretending to be each other.

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5 After Midnight - GROUPS

Jordan, 20 from London, Kieran, 21 from Leicester and Nathan, 23 from Brighton

The boys share a love for music and dance and aspire to be a boyband that really entertains audiences. Nathan has worked as a dance teacher and part-time in a sports shop; Kieran has previously starred in the West End and also in a CBBC drama; and Jordan has been studying performing arts at college as well as working in a casino. In their first audition they surprised the judges with their energetic performance with Simon admitting they had "genuine potential" and could be "one of the best groups".

Audition song: One Dance by Drake

The boys would love to duet with Drake, Chris Brown and Justin Timberlake. Kieran used to be a semi-professional basketball player. Nathan's party trick is getting both legs behind his head.

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