‘The X Factor’ USA video: Carly Rose Sonenclar, Arin Ray lip-sync One Direction

Simon Cowell is one smart man. Why? Not only does he have his singing sensation from the United Kingdom in One Direction appearing on “the X Factor” USA Thursday night, but he also has them singing one of the British boy band’s greatest hits in what is a really fun lip-sync rendition of Live While We’re Young.”

You can check out the video below, and it really shows off everyone from Carly Rose Sonenclar (the youngest artist still in the competition) to Vino Alan (the oldest) rocking out to the lyrics of the song. You probably never thought you would see someone like Alan or country singer Tate Stevens having fun with this song, but the strange thing is that it totally works for him. They not only bring all of the energy that you would expect them to, but they make their own mini-performance into something that is not as ridiculous as it otherwise could be.

Unfortunately, we really cannot say the same for Paige Thomas, who was forced to do this rendition for whatever reason in the same ridiculously over-the-top getup that she wore during the photoshoot. We know that producers are desperate to turn both her and CeCe Frey into controversial pop stars, but it is okay to also occasionally dress them like normal young women.

All of the acts mentioned above, plus some other video standouts including Arin Ray and Emblem3, will be performing in a live show on Wednesday night that will hopefully be a bit more spaced out. Since the judges no longer have to get through 16 acts, hopefully this will lead some better criticism, and also less a feeling that Khloe Kardashian and Mario Lopez are about to be trampled. Do you think that this video is smart on Simon Cowell’s front, or is just a little too desperate for your liking?