When Wesley Stromberg, his brother Keaton, and their friend Drew Chadwick stepped onto the X Factor stage in San Francisco in 2012, they skipped the usual pop cover. Instead, the trio calling themselves Emblem3 performed an original song Drew had written called “Sunset Blvd.”

The breezy, hip-hop-flavored track painted a picture of Los Angeles glamour — “the city of blinding lights and starry eyes” — and it was unlike anything else being performed that day. With their surfer looks and easy chemistry, the guys had the crowd and the judges hooked within seconds.

All four judges — Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid, and newcomers Britney Spears and Demi Lovato — said yes, sending Emblem3 straight through to the next round. The performance quickly became a fan favorite the moment it aired, giving the group instant buzz before they’d sung a single cover.

That gamble on an original song paid off in a big way. Emblem3 rode the momentum all the way to the semi-finals, finishing fourth for the season before eventually signing with Columbia Records.