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Melanie Amaro won the first X Factor USA. She won 5 million dollar grand prize, with Beyonce's song, "Listen".
Amaro, 19, won a $5m (£3.2m) contract with Simon Cowell's record label SyCo and a role in a TV commercial.
"I want to say 'America, thank you for giving this girl an opportunity'," said Cowell after Amaro was named the winner ahead of runner-up Josh Krajcik, 30.
Justin Bieber, Stevie Wonder and 50 Cent were among the stars who appeared on Thursday's season finale.
Amaro had been tipped by the show's four judges to win after her rendition of the Beyonce hit Listen on Wednesday's X Factor show.
Her triumph was all the more notable given she was originally eliminated from the contest during the judges' houses stage of auditions, only to be subsequently reinstated.
More than 100,000 people auditioned for a chance to compete in The X Factor, launched in a blaze of hype earlier this year following its success in the UK.
Watch video below to see more:
http://www.youtube.com/v/krCjnfpdPkk?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0
3rd place position
http://www.youtube.com/v/FrvGn6Rbh_M?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0
1st & 2nd position
BBC
Congratulations to you.
Congratulations to you.
im so happy for u.i congratulate you.