The duo simply named "Alex and Sierra" were recently crowned the winners of "X-Factor USA" Season 3. They claim that the edge they have over the other contestants was their 'love.'

The Florida natives celebrated, and the Orlando Sentinel talked with Alex Kinsey and Sierra Deaton along with their loved ones and their mentor, the one and only, Simon Cowell.

John Deaton, Sierra's dad, seems to approve of their relationship. He beams with pride when he shares: "Alex and Sierra were from the beginning America's favorite and I think that's because they represented what we all look for --.love. That was the theme and thread of most of Alex & Sierra's music on 'X Factor.' "

How exactly did they meet? Alex Kinsey shares: "I've been performing for six or so years at little shows, coffee shops, restaurants. When she'd come to shows, I'd plead for her to come up and sing with me. It grew over time." They have been singing together for two years now.

Simon Cowell fortifies his claim about his talents: "What Alex and Sierra have achieved on iTunes over the last couple of weeks ... is phenomenal. I'm really happy because the show is set up to achieve what it sets out to achieve, which is you find the star."

Their "X-Factor USA" journey was not all that smooth. There was one episode when Sierra had to take some flak. She almost lost her confidence as she had only been singing (seriously) for the past two years as opposed to Alex.

She used those comments as fuel for her fire: "I came back so hard that I wanted to prove that I deserve to be here, too, not just Alex. I think getting that criticism just motivated me and I'm actually glad I got it because I know now that I can take criticism on national TV and still come back stronger. So I just feel stronger as a person and not just an artist."

Their sharp-tongued mentor also recalls that moment when the tables were turned on his talents: "I said to the both of them that night what I was concerned about was I've seen artists have a knock like that and not recover. But she came back stronger. So maybe it was a good thing that it happened because both of them have been really, really consistent afterwards."

Alex Kinsey's final message: "We have to be able to sell the music that we're performing. We have to be able to be behind it and love it and perform the crap out of it. We can't do that if we don't love what we're doing from the get-go."

Sierra Deaton adds:  "We've learned how to stand up for ourselves, but also know how to compromise."