Imagine being really shy. So shy, in fact, that you are unable to perform in front of others. Imagine now if in addition to all of this, the thing that brings you the greatest joy is something that requires… performing in front of an audience.
This was very much the situation for Amelia Lily, the shy 16-year-old girl who sang a version of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” on The X Factor UK in 2011.
However, if you were to witness her performance, you would have no idea that she had suffered from stage fright.. The bleached-blonde singer walked out onto the stage with complete self-assurance as she sang out each line in a style that was similar of Joplin’s. She gave the performance a killer edge by singing every line with a growl that could hit you right in the heart.
The audience liked her so much that they cheered for her during her performance pretty much every time she opened her mouth.
Naturally, the judges were all in amazement after the performance. And they were overjoyed that Amelia was on the program. It was just difficult to imagine that a voice so powerful and mature came from someone so young.
Amelia finished singing and one of the judges said, “Let me tell you something. People work their entire lives and take a very long time to reach the level you are at now. You appear on the stage looking considerably older than your actual age. You presented yourself like a 30-year-old woman who had been perfecting her talent for a very long time. That was incredible.”
Backstage, Amelia’s family was also there, smiling endlessly from ear-to-ear and, of course, shouting enthusiastically for her fantastic performance.
Another judge, who was just as surprised by the young performer’s age, shouted, “Amelia, this is the reason I wanted to sit in this chair: to discover talent like this. That absolutely lifted the top of this arena. That was incredible.”
It seemed like the four judges were in agreement when it came time to give their votes. “Amelia, you have only scratched the surface,” one said. In a stunning and uplifting moment, the last judge said, “Amelia, you got four big yes’s.”
It’s almost like Amelia doesn’t know how talented she is. She undoubtedly will be able to bring the house down wherever she appears, no matter the size of the stage on which she is performing. Her voice is really incredible.
See what Amelia looks like now in the photo below:
And this one right below:
Watch the full performance here. Please SHARE this with your friends and family.