Arts & Entertainment

Chris Rene Performs for Rihanna; Fate to Be Revealed

Rene got mixed reviews after he performed for music royalty on Sunday's episode.

The field of talent on FOX's "The X-Factor" is on the verge being cut in half. The 16 that will remain after Tuesday will be the group that performs on the live shows starting next week.

Spanning the Thursday and Sunday episodes, each of the final 32 had the chance to perform for their mentor as well as a guest judge. In the case of, it was L.A. Reid and his special helper, superstar singer Rihanna. 

“I’ve been doing this for 17 years," Rene said before his performance. "Nobody in my city but me got a chance to sing in front of Rihanna and L.A. Reid. I was not made to haul trash. I feel like the contract and making it are what I was meant to do.”

Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Rene opted to perform a rap song infused with the chorus of Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People."

Rihanna ogled Rene as he sang, smiling with a fixed gaze.

Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"He has something very special," she said after his performance. "I want to know more about him.”

Reid concured but also threw shades of doubt.

“He is one of the special ones. He’s about his art," Reid said to Rihanna. "But I’ve never seen him that uncomfortable before. Maybe you were intimidating him.”

While Rene seemed happy with his showing, he also made it clear he knows he's on shaky ground.

“Everything I could possibly dream of is in their hands right now,” he said.

To find out if Rene will make the top 16, tune into FOX on Tuesday at 8 p.m.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here