The Insider.com

It's been almost five months since Chris Rene lost out on The X Factor's $5 million prize, but to hear the 29 year old tell it, coming in third was the best thing that could have happened to him.

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"On The X Factor there were things I really couldn't say or do," Chris tells Insider.com. "Melanie [Amaro, winner], Josh [Krajcik, runner-up] and I all have certain things we get to do now that we have record deals, and one of those is the freedom to finally unleash."

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Fans will feel that freedom on the debut album Chris is putting the finishing touches on and aims to release this summer. "It's a much different me than you heard on the show," he reveals of the disc's tone. "I've grown a lot since then and the album has a lot of different sounds on it. I sing and I rap on it -- but the rapping is more intense. I have the time to say what I really want to say."

And what he wants to tell fans right now is that this is just the beginning of big things. "I'm excited about the CD, I'm excited about getting back out on stage and touring." And while he's hoping to perform on season two of The X Factor, he isn't so sure about looking at the revamped judges panel.

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"I loved all our mentors," he said when I asked about the possibility of Britney Spears joining the show. "I think it will be funny to watch because I know she's kind of … silly. She's a top artist, but I think it could be funny to hear what kind of wisdom she gives."