12-year-old Fayth Ifil was “born to be a superstar”, judge David Walliams said after watching her power through a high voltage version of “Proud Mary” on Britain’s Got Talent. The Swindon schoolgirl charmed the judges with her adorable personality, but underneath that sweet exterior is the soul of a rock star. When Fayth took up the mic she showed a powerful and passionate R&B voice on the opening verse of “Proud Mary”, before kicking things up a notch and giving the crowd a real show.
Working off the upbeat jam, Fayth showed off a bold and strident vocal style and just exuded a wild energy that got the whole room pumped and cheering. Her vocals were exciting and dynamic, as well as being totally on-point throughout the performance. It’s clear some people are just born with that x-factor that makes them a natural entertainer and she’s got it by the truckload. You can watch her audition in the video below.
Simon Cowell had plenty of praise for the young singer, saying “I absolutely love your personality. You talked about the support you’ve had from your mum and dad, then you see the support you’ve had from 3000 people.” Cowell then said he was going to show a little more support and hit the golden buzzer, sending the crowd into overdrive.
Fayth and her mother were then both totally overcome with emotion and embraced onstage. Fayth was half crying and half laughing, while Cowell came up and told her “that was just like Tina Turner’s came back. You could sing the phone book. That was such an amazing audition.” You can watch Fayth take on Andra Day’s “Stand Up for Something” in the semi-finals in the video below.
Prior to her performance, Fayth told Cowell that “I have lost my confidence a little bit with a bit of negative energy from different schools. But my mum and my dad help me get through that, which is why I’m here today.”
Cowell then referenced it again when he met Fayth onstage after she got the golden buzzer, saying “I asked the question if you ever had any negativity because when I grew up I had that as well. The most important thing is that they never get to you. And when you’re as good as you are – you win. It gives you that strength and determination. If anyone ever says anything negative to you, remember this moment.”
Fayth progressed to the semi-finals in season 14 of Britain’s Got Talent, where she performed Andra Day’s “Stand Up For Something”. Walliams said Fayth gave the “best performance of the night”, yet that apparently wasn’t enough because she didn’t make the cut for the finals. The young singer later returned for the Britain’s Got Talent Christmas Spectacular, where she sang Lily Allen’s “Somewhere Only We Know”.
Fayth has continued to work towards a career in the entertainment industry since appearing on the show. She updates her fans on Instagram with her singing and modelling, as well as showcasing her efforts to learn dancing and piano. If you would like to see more from Fayth Ifil, you can subscribe to her YouTube channel or follow her on Instagram.