Ronan Keating's plea to spare his boy band What About Tonight fell on deaf ears when they became the second act to be eliminated on The X Factor.
The band received the least amount of viewer votes and were sent packing after the judges failed to save them.
What About Tonight, which comprises five teenagers and was under the guidance of Keating, and Nathaniel Willemse, who is being mentored by Guy Sebastian, both received the least number of votes.
Their fate originally fell to the judges and Sebastian, who was absent because he is in New York to perform on the The Late Show with David Letterman, went with Willemse, while Keating stayed true to What About Tonight.
Keating then pleaded with fellow judges Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Mel B to keep his boy band in the competition and play a strategic game for the sake of the show.
"Australia has an opportunity to have a band to equal and rival One Direction," Keating said during the telecast on Wednesday night.
"The judges need to think about what's best for X Factor."
Bassingthwaighte would not be swayed by Keating's plea.
"I'm not a strategic person, that's why I'm sending home What About Tonight," she said.
Mel B used her casting vote to send home Willemse.
Under the show's deadlock rules, the decision reverts to the viewers' original choice and What About Tonight received the least number of votes of all 11 acts.
The five teenagers were overcome by emotion and struggling to fight back tears.
Band member Christian Anthony, 15, said it was a shock to be voted out.
"It's up to the people ... we are really upset," he said.
Keating said it was not the end of What About Tonight, who he believes can have an impact on the music scene.
"We have so many fans here crying because they are going home," Keating said about the young girls in the audience who were shedding tears during the live telecast.
"If I can help (the band), I will do what I can."
