Melanie Amaro wins first U.S. season of "X Factor

   An emotional Melanie Amaro won the TV singing contest "The X Factor" yesterday earning a $5 million recording contract and closing the first U.S. season of the heavily hyped Fox show.

   Josh Krajcik finished second after a public vote and Chris Rene came in third after a Christmas-themed, two-hour finale that also saw performances by Justin Bieber, Stevie Wonder, Leona Lewis and 50 Cent.

    Amaro, 19, a ballad singer whose voice has drawn comparisons to Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, had been tipped by the four judges to win after delivering a powerful rendition of Beyonce's hit "Listen" in Wednesday's live show.

More than 100,000 people auditioned for a chance to compete in "The X Factor," which judge and entrepreneur Simon Cowell brought to American television after making it the most-watched show in his native Britain.

  The X Factor" will return for a second U.S. season in the fall of 2012