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"X Factor USA winner Melanie Amaro has said that Simon Cowell will continue to be her mentor now that the show has ended.  The 19-year-old was mentored to victory by Cowell on the debut season of the Fox competition, winning the $5 million recording contract and Pepsi Super Bowl commercial prize over fellow finalists Josh Krajcik and Chris Rene in December.   During an interview with Access Hollywood the singer was asked if she had spoken to Cowell since the finale, replying: &amp;quot;I have. He just wanted to let me know he&amp;#039;s enjoying himself in Barbados! He was just saying Merry Christmas and sending holiday wishes to me.&amp;quot;  As for Cowell&amp;#039;s future involvement in her career, she said: &amp;quot;He&amp;#039;s going to help with the music process, picking the music for the album, helping with the commercial. He&amp;#039;ll continue to be my mentor.&amp;quot; Amaro also shared some advice that she had been given by Cowell, saying: &amp;quot;He&amp;#039;s giving me the same advice that my parents are giving me. He&amp;#039;s like daddy in a way as the mentor! He&amp;#039;s like, &amp;#039;Just remember who you are, remember the things that you love and don&amp;#039;t change&amp;#039;. &amp;quot;He says he loves me just the way I am and he&amp;#039;s like, &amp;#039;Please don&amp;#039;t change!&amp;#039; I&amp;#039;m like, &amp;#039;No, I will do my best not to change&amp;#039;.&amp;quot;  It was announced this week that Amaro had signed to Epic Records, where X Factor judge LA Reid serves as CEO and Chairman, but she told Access Hollywood that she will focus on her upcoming Super Bowl commercial before beginning work on her album.  Reflecting on life after her win, she added: &amp;quot;The biggest change for me is the fact I have so many people appreciating what I do saying, &amp;#039;I love you. Can I get your autograph? Can I get your picture?&amp;#039;  &amp;quot;That, for me, is ultimate. So many people enjoying what I do. I love that, it&amp;#039;s really nice.&amp;quot;  Amaro revealed this week that she would love to work with Ne-Yo and Mariah Carey, who had been lined up to guest mentor alongside Cowell at the Judges&amp;#039; Houses stage of The X Factor before weather disrupted her travel plans.  &amp;quot;There&amp;#039;s lots of people I want to work with. There so many different artists I think have so much talent that I think would really complement me and my voice,&amp;quot; said Amaro. &amp;quot;I really, really want to do a song with Mariah, like, oh my God, she is like my idol. I also want to work with Ne-Yo, cause I hear he&amp;#039;s a great songwriter.&amp;quot; The X Factor has been renewed by Fox for a second season.  &amp;gt; Read Digital Spy&amp;#039;s full X Factor headlines Watch Melanie Amaro talking with Access Hollywood below:   "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/the-x-factor-us/news/a358779/x-factor-melanie-amaro-simon-cowell-will-continue-to-be-my-mentor/>