Age: 13
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
Mentor… Read Full Bio ↴Rion Paige Thompson
Age: 13
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
Mentor: Demi Lovato
5th Place on the X Factor USA
Rion Paige Thompson is an American country singer from Jacksonville, Florida who finished in 5th place on season 3 of the X Factor USA. She was a part of the Girls catagory, mentored by Demi Lovato.
Background
Rion, who has a rare condition called arthrogryposis multiplex congenita which has caused permanent damage to her arms, resulting in her hands being in a fixed bent position, is an adorable 13-year-old eighth grader who loves eating olives from the can and is a huge fan of The Hunger Games. She also loves country music and cites Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift as a couple of her musical influences.
The X Factor
Rion auditioned for the show in Charleston, South Carolina, impressing the judges with her cheerful and spunky attitude. She then wowed them with her rendition of the Carrie Underwood hit "Blown Away". She got four yeses and made the top 40 with Demi Lovato as her mentor.
Four Chair Challenge
In this phase of the competition, Rion took on the Rascal Flatts song, "I Won't Let Go". Very impressed by her, Demi chose her to be a part of the live shows.
Live shows
In the first live show, Rion decided to switch things up, choosing to sing "Skyscraper" by her mentor, Demi Lovato. Rion's performance wowed both the judges and the crowd. Simon Cowell even expressed hope that she would stay in the competition. His wish came true when Demi chose Rion to be a part of the top 12.
For Motown Night, Rion sang "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, putting a bit of a country twist to it. While Kelly Rowland wasn't crazy about it, Simon Cowell liked the fact that Rion went back to her country roots by adding that country aspect to the song. However, due to a graphics error that nullified the votes, she had to sing another song for the re-vote show. That song was a country version of the Lady Gaga hit "Born This Way".
On '80s Night, Rion sang the Pat Benatar hit "We Belong". The performance earned her praise from the judges, but Simon Cowell did criticize Demi Lovato for not connecting Rion with the right song for her, resulting in Demi trying to take his microphone away from him.
For British Invasion night, Rion sang "Your Song" by Elton John, dedicating it to her younger brother Colton. The judges loved the vulnerability she brought to the song. Simon Cowell even called the performance "beautiful".
For Big Band night, Rion dedicated her rendition of the 1983 John Anderson song "Swingin'", which has been covered by both Lee Ann Rimes and Chris Young, to her mom. Performance-wise, Rion mixed it up, moving around as opposed to standing in front of a microphone like she normally does. The judges loved it with Simon Cowell even calling it the perfect song for her and calling her "cute as a cupcake". She then went up against the other 7 acts in a face-off. However, Rion ended up in the bottom 2 with Josh Levi. Due to the judges sending the vote into deadlock, Rion received the most votes by the public and moved on to the next week.
For Divas/Unplugged night, Rion took on the Carrie Underwood hit "See You Again" for her "diva" song. Despite Simon Cowell telling her that he didn't think that was the right song for her, the judges gave her praise. For her "unplugged" song, she sang "Glass" by Thompson Square, which also earned her praise as well as brought her mentor Demi Lovato to tears. However, Rion ended up in the bottom 2 for the second week in a row, this time going up against Carlito Olivero. Despite pouring her heart out on her "save me" song, "The House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert, Rion was eliminated on December 5, 2013, finishing in 5th place.
Trivia
Rion enjoys riding bikes with her brother.
Her celebrity crush is Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson.
The super power Rion would love to have is the ability to fly.
Weight of the World
Rion Paige Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
they call us dumb
they call us anything they can come up with
talkers will talk but talk you down
show a mountain and dare you to move it
now is it just me and make???
I guess the best way to prove them all wrong
is to shut up, and show up, and do it
We've got the weight of the world on our shoulders
We're not afraid and we all got eachother
I'll cover you
The lyrics of Rion Paige's song "Weight of the World" showcase the struggles and challenges of being a young person in today's world. In the first verse, Rion acknowledges the dismissive attitude of some adults towards young people, often labeling them as "dumb". These derogatory labels do not discourage them but only fuel their determination to break through societal barriers. The next line, "talkers will talk but talk you down," highlights the pessimistic nature of some individuals who only want to bring down others. However, instead of succumbing to the pressures, Rion suggests that the best way to prove them all wrong is to "shut up, and show up, and do it." It is an attitude of determination that speaks to the resilience of young people in the face of adversity.
The chorus of the song, "We've got the weight of the world on our shoulders, we're not afraid and we all got each other," highlights the difficulties and burdens that young people face in today's society. In a world where everything seems to be rapidly changing, the young generation carries a huge weight to make a positive impact. The lyrics also emphasize the importance of solidarity, as they acknowledge that they are not alone. The line "I'll cover you" represents the bond of camaraderie that exists between young people. It shows that they often support each other and are willing to protect one another in times of need. Rion's song is an anthem for the young generation, depicting their struggles, resilience and unity.
Line by Line Meaning
They call us young
People refer to us as inexperienced and immature due to our age
they call us dumb
People belittle us due to the assumptions they make about our intelligence
they call us anything they can come up with
People use any derogatory term or label they can think of to diminish us
talkers will talk but talk you down
People who do not believe in us will speak negatively about us and try to bring us down
show a mountain and dare you to move it
People challenge us with seemingly impossible tasks, hoping to prove us wrong
now is it just me and make???
Questioning whether this is an individual or collective effort
I guess the best way to prove them all wrong
Acknowledging the doubters and the need to demonstrate our capabilities
is to shut up, and show up, and do it
To respond by working hard and letting our actions speak for themselves
We've got the weight of the world on our shoulders
Our generation faces immense challenges and responsibilities
We're not afraid and we all got each other
Despite the challenges, we are not intimidated and have each other for support
I'll cover you
Assurance that the singer will be there to help and support those around them
Contributed by Victoria P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.