On Thursday night, Nov. 19, former FAU student Alex Kinsey and his girlfriend Sierra Deaton took the X Factor USA title for 2013.

The singing duo — that goes by Alex and Sierra — will receive a 1 million dollar Sony recording contract for winning the top spot.

“We’re excited to get with producers and songwriters and see what Simon [Cowell] thinks we should do and just go in whatever direction feels right,” said Kinsey in a recent MTV interview.

Even though the couple gained popularity through their acoustic covers of pop songs like One Direction’s “Best Song Ever” and Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” Kinsey said the album would definitely be made up of original music.

Alex and Sierra — mentored by Simon Cowell — were the obvious fan favorites for this season’s X Factor. Compared to all of the other competitors, they had the most charted songs on iTunes, most Youtube views, and most Twitter and Facebook followers.

Kinsey, a former member of FAU’s student-run record label Hoot/Wisdom Recordings, were featured on Hoot/Wisdom’s CompOWLation Vol. 2, released in March 2012.

“They’re just my friends to me, but millions of people are inspired and amazed by them, which is the coolest thing ever,” said President of Hoot/Wisdom Recordings Matt Smith.

“They’re two of the most generous and compassionate people you’ll ever meet, so I’m excited to see them spread that amazing energy they have to more and more people.”

Look out for the UP’s upcoming Year in Review issue where Alex Kinsey will be featured as one of our People of the Year.