Mega X Factor US post.

A foot massage, a house for her mom – and a lifetime supply of chicken.

With an hour to think about it, Melanie Amaro has already tallied up her dream purchases with the $5 million she earned Thursday night after being named the The X Factor's first winner.

"Life will change a lot," she tells PEOPLE. "The most I have ever had before was $200, if I was lucky."

The college freshman and piano teacher from Sunrise, Fla., plans to buy her mother a new house because, as she deadpans, "The one we live in now sucks."

But the chicken is for her. "I can't live without it," she says. "It's my favorite food.

Backstage, Amaro laughed as she recalled the moment she won and how she forgot the lyrics to her final song, "Listen."

"I couldn't remember any of the words," she says. "I was so overwhelmed; it was such a surprise to me."

On Thursday, after 40 million votes were tabulated, Amaro, 19, defeated burrito slinger and second place finisher Josh Krajcik, 30, and third place finisher Chris Rene, 28, a former garbage man and recovering addict.

"It was a relief when it was over," says Krajcik, who will return home to Ohio Saturday to "decompress" for a week with his family before returning to Los Angeles next week to get back to work.

"I felt pride for Melanie and pride for myself," he tells PEOPLE. "She deserved to win; America decided, and she's got an amazing voice."

Rene, meanwhile, hopes to sign a deal with his mentor L.A. Reid, but for the near term, Rene says he will celebrate the night "with a Red Bull. Everyone who knows my music and my story, a lot more people have accepted me than I thought, and that's really beautiful."

Amaro is celebrating her win with family and friends – but she's already thinking about that next step: her debut record.

"I can do ballads," she says, "but I want to show people there is more. I can do anything if I put my mind to it."

After the show, her mentor, Simon Cowell, was beaming with pride.

"She was a good contestant because she thought long and hard about how she would interpret songs," says Cowell. "Every week we were discovering something new in her."

Cowell adds that four labels are interested in signing Amaro – and they plan to make their decision on Friday.

"America got it right," adds Reid. "My advice to Melanie is save some of that money and don't turn down a song."




The Welsh swordsman was warned to be on his best behaviour and not to date any contestants or co-stars after landing the presenting job.

But this will all change if he is sacked from the show next year.

Jones said: "If I ever leave X Factor, Scherzinger's phone will be smoking hot from me ringing it constantly — if we are not colleagues then she's fair game."

Steve — who has dated a string of famous beauties including Baywatch's Pamela Anderson, Oscar-winner Halle Berry and Hayden Panettiere, of Heroes — was originally hired to co-host the show with the former Pussycat Doll.

The pair were said to have "amazing chemistry".

But Steve was left to front the series alone after Nicole was promoted to the judging panel to replace Cheryl Cole. Despite being separated on screen, rumours of their closeness continued throughout the series.

They reached a peak when Nicole announced she had split from long-term love, Formula 1 racer Lewis Hamilton.

But Steve's chances of returning to US X Factor next year have nosedived after a lukewarm reception from American critics. And his fate appeared to be sealed after his embarrassing handling of 13-year-old Rachel Crow's eviction.

Steve failed to console the sobbing teenager when she was voted off, looking on awkwardly as Simon Cowell and the girl's mum tried to calm her.

He has admitted he finds it hard to say goodbye to contestants saying: "I'm there to ask certain questions and to move the show along.

"If I can't do that, then the programme makers and Simon will find somebody else who can.

"So it can be harsh for people to call me rude because I'm not rude... I am nice."

Simon is planning a shake-up for the second series after admitting being "too cocky" in expecting ratings of 20million. The show — which ended last night — averaged around nine million.

On his chances of returning to the show, Steve said: "There's been no contract conversations and there won't be until the New Year. If I'm back, great, if not, I'll do something else. Simple as that."



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I was going to do top moments of X Factor USA on ONTD but I got lazy and just did a news round up post. I included the final duet with Melanie and Josh because it wasn't posted and I really enjoyed it. Happy Holidays everyone!