Is this the creepiest X Factor audition ever?

Shawn Armenta performs his song Candy Girl during his X Factor audition. Photo / YouTube

A 50-year-old contestant shocked judges on talent show The X Factor by performing an "uncomfortable" song about "sweet cotton candy girls".

The show's newest judge Britney Spears told airport baggage handler Shawn Armenta that she felt "uncomfortable with you even staring at me" after his performance of his original song Candy Girl in the first episode of season two, which debuted on TV3 last night.

Armenta said he had been preparing with a vocal trainer and a choreographer for 18 months before performing his song, which was about "girls that you might meet at your local bar ... they're really good looking and they're your sweet cotton candy girls".

The song's lyrics included the lines: "Walking left and right, you're a bad girl in a rut ... Candy girl, my sweet cotton candy girl, cotton cotton candy girl."

Shocked judge Simon Cowell told Armenta, 50, he was like "a mouse trying to be an elephant" but he hit back saying, "I know I'm a good singer".

He also accused Demi Lovato of using Auto-Tune but Spears stood up for her fellow judge, replying: "I want to know who let you on stage."

Spears heavily criticised performers throughout the auditions, telling fitness instructor Amy Gibson that she was "kind of bad".

Perhaps the cruellest moment of the night came when Britney turned down 32-year-old vocal coach Don Philip - who she sang a duet with 10 years ago.

As he cried, she told him: "I feel like through the years, maybe you've gone through a lot of hardship and battles, like your voice really isn't up to the bar of the standards of The X Factor."

Even Cowell, famed for his harsh feedback, admitted that his role as the nasty judge could be under threat from Spears.

He joked: "And everybody thinks I'm the mean one."

- Herald online with Bang! Showbiz