Photo: WENN
Tate Stevens beat Carly Rose Sonenclar to be the winner of the latest series of The X Factor US.
The 37-year-old is a road worker from Missouri, and he was voted the winner over Carly Rose Sonenclar and third place act, Fifth Harmony. Stevens, who is a country singer, has won a $5 million recording contract and a Pepsi-produced debut video set to premiere at the 2013 Grammy Awards on February 10th.
Stevens said on the show, "This is the best day of my life. First and foremost I've got to thank the man upstairs for taking care of me.
"My family, all the country music fans, God bless you and thank-you so very much for all the votes. This is the best day of my life."
X Factor judge - and Stevens' mentor - LA Reid said, "You deserve this, I am proud to work with you and I think you represent the X Factor really, really well. On behalf of myself, Simon and all the other judges, congratulations."
He also confirmed that he wouldn't be returning to the show next year, saying, "I have decided that I will not return to The X Factor next year. I have a company to run that I've kind of neglected. It saddens me a little bit, but only a little bit."
Runner up Carly Rose with her mentor Britney Spears at the final press conference
He continued, "I love Simon. We have a great relationship. We have fun together, we talk, we laugh, we do bad things, we're friends."
The X Factor US final also featured British X Factor stars One Direction, who sang their new single 'Kiss You' taken from latest album Take Me Home.
Rapper Pitbull also performed on the show, singing his hit 'Don't Stop the Party'.
Watch Stevens perform Chris Young's 'Tomorrow' as his $5 Million Song on night one of the Season 2 Finals:
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