PRESS ASSOCIATION -- X Factor reject Amelia Lily said her elimination from the show felt like "having your heart ripped out".
The 16-year-old student from Middlesbrough, who broke down on Sunday's live show when mentor Kelly Rowland dropped her, said it had been a "terrifying" moment as she waited to hear her fate.
But she revealed Rowland had promised to help her with her musical career.
Amelia said: "It is literally the hardest thing you could possibly ever go through in your life. It is like having your heart ripped out. It's terrifying being stood on that stage in front of a nation watching you, not knowing whether you are going to be saved or you're just going to go home."
She insisted her age had nothing to do with her leaving and that Rowland had told her after the show she would rise again after the X Factor.
Amelia said: "She said that I don't need this to get where I want to be. She said I need to be doing my own stuff and not coming on the stage every week doing covers because I'm already 'game ready'."
Meanwhile, 2 Shoes star and mum-to-be Charley Bird said she hoped her pregnancy had not played a part in her group being given the boot.
She and musical partner Lucy Texeira were knocked out of the ITV1 show when their mentor Tulisa Contostavlos chose to send the Essex duo home.
Charley said it would be "really, really wrong" if her pregnancy had been a factor. She said she would be "really upset" if it had any bearing on the result because she had pushed on despite her condition.
But she added: "Tulisa as a person, I don't think she's like that. She's a very, very beautiful person inside and out."