If shows like The X Factor have taught the world anything, it’s that there are countless talented people out there.
On shows like American Idol, the goal is often to find label-ready musical acts to discover and eventually sign as pop acts.
Though it still breaks all kinds of new talent, the people who go on the show are generally a bit older and are trying to be commercially viable. Still, other shows allow a wider variety of acts and backstories, some of which are so incredibly inspiring.
And this audition from the The X Factor’s 2013 season was one of those moments.
Like any other audition, this one began with the contestant walking out onstage to introduce herself.
The woman competing is Rion Paige, a spunky and energetic young woman from Jacksonville, Florida who is only 13 years old.
As she introduces herself, she tells judge Demi Lovato that she used to watch her on television all the time and that she used to watch her on Camp Rock all the time growing up. After that, she explains that she has Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenitia (AMC), a congenital disease which causes strange formations of her joints and renders her nearly blind in her right eye.
Still, her attitude and outlook couldn’t be more positive.
As Paige says, she’s been dealing with AMC her whole life—but she’s been interested in performing her whole life as well.
She explains that although AMC has made her life more difficult in some ways, she’s found her refuge and comfort in her music.
Though she’s nervous to go before the judges, her mom gives her the confidence boost she needs to get out there and give it her all. After everything, the judges tell her good luck and clear the way for her to perform. With that, she walks up to the microphone and the backing music starts playing.
Before she even starts singing, the whole crowd is clapping along with her.
The song she decides to sing is “Blown Away” by Kelly Clarkson.
Though she starts off gently and slowly, her voice gradually builds and builds until it’s soaring through the chorus. Even though she’s so young, she clearly has all the confidence and stage presence that she needs to be a star!
Before she’s even halfway through the song, she has the entire audience on their feet and clapping along with her! Even though the song she chose to sing was challenging for anybody, she handled it with ease.
When it’s all over, the crowd gives her an enormous round of applause!
For his part, judge Simon Cowell can’t stop smiling.
Down the line, all the judges give her incredible feedback and tell her how much they loved her performance. When it’s finally Cowell’s turn to speak, he tells Paige that he thinks she’s “literally extraordinary.”
He even compares their meeting to the first time that he met Kelly Clarkson. As he explains, in the first impression with Clarkson he thought she was a singular talent and presence—and he feels the exact same way with Paige. Needless to say, that gives her a huge smile on her face.. and after that, she gets her four yeses!
Congratulations to Rion Paige on her incredible performance! Watch the full audition in the clip below:
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