Re-capping Carly’s ‘X Factor’ semi-final performances

^[1]Mamaroneck’s Carly Rose Sonenclar sings Elton John’s “Your Song” in the semi-finals of “The X Factor” last night. Photo by Ray Mickshaw/FOX.

Carly Rose Sonenclar’s semi-final wasn’t as smooth as her ride to this point, but the pride of Mamaroneck is THIRTEEN, the youngest contestant in “The X Factor” competition and, if voters last night put her through to the finals, fans can certainly expect her A game.

The song choices, while sentimental, were decidedly serious and a bit downbeat.

Elton John’s “Your Song,” which she dedicated to her father, Bob, was a sentimental choice, but was slow and low and a challenge for the usually confident Carly.

Here’s the performance:

Last night, with a trip to next week’s finale on the line, the nerves began to show. And judge Britney Spears didn’t help matters, suggesting that for her second song, Carly—whose piano teacher calls her an intermediate player—accompany herself on a much-covered anthem, John Lennon’s “Imagine.”

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Carly Rose Sonenclar sings “Imagine” last night. Photo by Ray Mickshaw/FOX.

Watching the taped segment before the performance, Britney’s request seemed to put Carly on edge a bit, but after the performance, the judges gave her credit for showing another layer of musicianship. Simon Cowell said it would have been better if Carly had stayed behind the piano and not gotten up and moved around as there was a bit too much going on in the performance.

Watch for yourself. What do you think?

Tonight, by 9 p.m., we’ll know if Carly’s Angels (as her fans are known on Twitter) came through and put her into the finale.

Stay tuned.