'X Factor' Backstage: An 'Awkward' Night for Paula

With two of her acts on the chopping block during Thursday night's round of The X Factor eliminations, Paula Abdul was left with no choice but to vote against one of her own, and it wasn't pretty.

Reluctantly, Paula chose InTENsity over Stereo Hogzz as the weaker of the two groups. This decision, she explained to the press after the show, was a difficult one. "It's an awkward feeling," she explained with evident emotion. "I cared so much about all of the kids that I'm working with, but there were a lot and I got to know them very well and they worked extremely hard."

MORE: Team Paula Loses Its Weakest Link

Even Simon had to concede that Paula's groups were both worthy contenders. "They were both good last night. I wasn't expecting to see either of them in the bottom two."

Paula was later able to regroup with inTENsity in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, and it was clear that everyone involved was still reeling from the elimination. Seeing her kids so disappointed, Abdul's motherly instincts came out and she addressed her ten with great affection and harsh reality. "I think it's wrong that a judge mentor of their own category has to be forced to say something. How do you make a decision?," Paula lamented.

MORE: 'The X Factor' Axes 5 Acts Down to the Final 12

"These kids have been working so hard. I had a very difficult job and it went by very rushed and chaotic," she told her group who listened with rapt attention, some wiping away tears. "It is a competition and that's the most important thing is that all of you realize that. Every week someone is going to be leaving. Every week."

The X Factor returns to Fox next Wednesday night.