What Happened to These ‘X Factor’ Contestants After the Show?

Lasting just three seasons, the American version of The X Factor didn’t have the staying power of international versions of the show. (The U.K. iteration, for example, lasted 15 seasons before getting the axe earlier this year.) But to its credit, Fox’s The X Factor did give talented individuals and groups their start in showbiz.

We haven’t heard much from the X Factor winners recently, but many of the runners-up have found success after the show. So now, with December 22 marking the 10th anniversary of the Season 1 finale, we’re checking in with some of those notable alums.

Astro (7th Place, Season 1)

The rapper—born Brian Bradley, now going by Stro—starred as Dash Hosney in the Fox teen drama The Red Band Society between 2014 and 2015 and as Calvin Walker in the 2019 Netflix sci-fi film See You Yesterday. He also dropped out of a starring role on HBO’s Euphoria, with sources telling The Hollywood Reporter he was uncomfortable shooting scenes that hinted at future homosexual experimentation.

Stacy Francis (10th Place, Season 1)

This R&B singer is perhaps better known as a reality TV star these days: In 2015, she starred in the third season of TV One’s R&B Divas: Los Angeles, and two years later, she was a housemate on the 19th series of the British Celebrity Big Brother.

Fifth Harmony (3rd Place, Season 2)

This girl group became a major success after the show, scoring Platinum-certified albums with 2015’s Reflection and 2016’s 7/27. The group has been on hiatus since 2018, but its members are continuing on with solo careers. And Camila Cabello (who left the group in 2016) and Normani have charted Top 10 hits with the songs “Havana” and “Love Lies,” respectively.

Diamond White (5th Place, Season 2)

As she kept up her pop music career, White also landed roles as Penelope Conners-Fairbanks in the Netflix comedy-drama Dear White People, Fuli in the Disney Junior animated series The Lion Guard, and Paris Buckingham in the CBS soap The Bold and the Beautiful.

Bea Miller (9th Place, Season 2)

The pop singer’s album Not an Apology hit No. 7 on the Billboard 200 in 2015, and in 2020, the NOTD track “I Wanna Know”—on which Miller has a featured appearance—was certified Platinum.

Jeff Gutt (2nd Place, Season 3)

In 2017, this alt-rock singer became the new lead singer of the seminal grunge rock band Stone Temple Pilots. “We wanted someone who would not only do our earlier songs justice, but would also write new songs and carve out a different path forward with us,” bandmate Dean DeLeo said in a statement. “It took some time, but we found our guy”

Carlito Olivero (3rd Place, Season 3)

This former Menudo singer has segued into acting, starring as Eddie Ramirez in the Hulu teen drama East Los High and as Davis Jimenez in the Starz dance drama Step Up: High Water. And earlier this year, Oliver co-starred with Indya Moore in the horror sequel Escape Room: Tournament of Champions.

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Restless Road (4th Place, Season 3)

After The X Factor, the country group lost member Andrew Scholz but gained American Idol alum Garrett Nichols. And just last year, they toured with country star Kane Brown, signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV, and released their self-named EP.