If there is one thing we can say about this year’s new X Factor mentors, it’s that they are getting closer to their contestants than any of the old panel did before them.

Gary Barlow was never out of the acts’ home in Hertfordshire and last weekend, promised to stay in touch with Craig Colton after he was eliminated from the ITV show. Tulisa Contostavlos has been spotted out on the town with her groups on various occasions and Little Mix yesterday said that she is more of a friend than a mentor to them.

Today, Kelly Rowland has admitted that she is close to her three remaining ladies – Janet Devlin, Amelia Lily and Misha B – and told ITV.com that she sees the young singers as her ‘buddies’. She explained:

Yeah, they’re my buddies. With friendship, honesty is the most important thing so they tell it like it is and I appreciate that.

Kelly was shocked last weekend, when Amelia lily was in the sing off against Craig Colton, despite the fact that she had just been voted back onto the ITV show. However, the brunette beauty says Lily hasn’t let the experience get her down and added:

Ah, Amelia will be just fine – that girl is a fighter. I know she was upset, but she will be up there next week prepared and stronger than ever.

This weekend each act will have to sing two songs each, one of which will fit with a Motown theme. Rowland promised her girls will blow the other acts out of the water and laughed:

Get ready for some heat baby, cuz my girls are ready to bring it!

We have some great song spoilers, teasers and details of this week’s theme here, so check them out!