It’s been over a decade since they stepped onto that stage. You probably remember the moment. Two kids from Florida, looking slightly nervous, standing in front of Simon Cowell. When they started singing a sultry, stripped-back version of Britney Spears' "Toxic," the room shifted. It wasn't just another audition. It felt like watching a private moment between two people who were hopelessly in love.
X Factor USA Alex and Sierra didn't just win Season 3; they dominated it. In fact, Simon Cowell later admitted they were the top vote-getters every single week. That’s a level of consistency most reality stars would kill for. But where are they now in 2026? If you’ve been looking for them on the charts lately, you’ve probably realized the story didn't have the "happily ever after" everyone expected.
The Chemistry That Won a Nation
What most people get wrong is thinking Alex Kinsey and Sierra Deaton were just "put together" for the show. Nope. They met on a beach in Florida back in 2009. Alex was playing guitar in the back of a pickup truck—kinda cliché, right?—and Sierra just happened to be walking by. By the time they auditioned for The X Factor in 2013, they had already been dating for years.
That history was their secret weapon. While other contestants were struggling to build a brand, Alex and Sierra already had one. They had a "look." They had those effortless harmonies. Most importantly, they had a narrative that fans couldn't get enough of.
Watching them perform "Say Something" or "Gravity" felt like peering through a window. It was intimate. It was real. Or at least, it felt that way to the millions of us watching at home.
The Rise and the Sudden Silence
After they took home the title, things moved fast. Maybe too fast. They signed with Syco and Columbia Records and dropped their debut album It’s About Us in 2014. It actually did pretty well! It hit number 8 on the Billboard 200. Their song "Little Do You Know" became a sleeper hit, eventually racking up over half a billion streams on Spotify.
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But then, the industry did what the industry does. Around July 2015, the duo was dropped by their label. Honestly, the way it happened was brutal. They didn't get a formal meeting or a phone call. They found out via a text message sent to someone else. Imagine winning one of the biggest shows in the world and finding out you're unemployed through a third party.
They didn't give up immediately. They went independent and released an EP called As Seen on TV in 2016. It featured some of those iconic covers from the show. But behind the scenes, the foundation was cracking.
Why X Factor USA Alex and Sierra Actually Called It Quits
The announcement came on September 1, 2017. It was a Twitter post that broke a lot of hearts. They revealed that not only were they stopping the music, but they had also broken up as a couple over a year prior.
Think about that for a second. They spent a whole year pretending to be a happy, harmonizing couple while their personal lives were in pieces. They toured together. They did interviews. They played the "cute couple" part because they knew that was the brand.
"We’ve arrived at a place where it feels better to branch out rather than continue making music together," they wrote. It was a clean break. No messy public drama, no "diss tracks." Just two people who grew up and grew apart.
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Where Are They Now? (The 2026 Update)
If you’re wondering if they still talk, the answer is... it's complicated. They’ve both moved on to very different lives.
Sierra Deaton has found incredible success, though not in the way you might think. She’s a heavily sought-after songwriter now. She also has a very high-profile relationship with Luke Hemmings from 5 Seconds of Summer. They got engaged in 2021 and have been a mainstay in the pop-rock scene ever since. Sierra often contributes to 5SOS projects and has found her footing away from the "contestant" label.
Alex Kinsey has stayed closer to the indie-pop roots. He’s released several solo EPs, including Party of One and Antisocial Person. In 2026, he’s still actively touring and doing "Buddy Sessions," where he collaborates with other musicians in a more relaxed, raw setting. He seems much more comfortable in the indie space than he ever did in the shiny, over-produced world of Simon Cowell’s Syco.
Lessons from the Alex and Sierra Era
There’s something a bit tragic about the whole thing, but also something very human. They were 22 and 23 when they won. How many of us are with the person we were dating at 22? Add the pressure of a million-dollar contract and the "couple" gimmick, and it’s almost a miracle they lasted as long as they did.
If you want to revisit their journey, there are a few things you can do to see the "real" side of their story:
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- Listen to "Little Do You Know" again: But this time, listen to the lyrics with the knowledge that they were likely breaking up while promoting it. It hits differently.
- Check out Alex's solo work: Specifically his Antisocial Person EP. It’s got a grit that The X Factor never allowed him to show.
- Follow Sierra's writing credits: You’d be surprised how many modern pop hits she’s had a hand in. She’s turned into a powerhouse behind the scenes.
Ultimately, Alex and Sierra were the last winners of a show that tried to manufacture stars. They were the most "real" thing about it, which is probably why the reality of the music business was so hard on them. They aren't a duo anymore, but the music they made remains a perfect time capsule of that 2013 folk-pop era.
To follow their current paths, you can find Alex Kinsey on most streaming platforms under his own name, and Sierra’s influence is all over the credits of the biggest pop albums of the last few years. The brand of Alex and Sierra is dead, but the artists themselves are finally doing exactly what they want.
Next Steps for Fans: If you want to see the contrast between their TV personas and their actual musical identities, go watch their original "Toxic" audition on YouTube and then immediately play Alex's 2019 single "Simple." The difference in creative control is striking. You can also track Sierra's songwriting discography on platforms like Genius to see her evolution into a pop architect.
The most important takeaway? Don't wait for a reunion. Both artists have explicitly stated they are happier on their separate paths, proving that sometimes, winning the show is just the prologue to the real story.