Jade Richards had several judges in tears after her heartfelt audition on The X Factor, performing Adele’s “Someone Like You”. The 21-year-old from the Scottish town Buckhaven came to her audition with her gran, Laura, who watched proudly from the side of the stage. Richards’ longing voice soon had Laura in tears, and she wasn’t the only one, as judges Kelly Rowland and even the normally composed Louis Walsh teared up big time during their comments.
Richard sang a breathy and intimate version of the Adele hit, and her voice dipped and soared so beautifully on the iconic melodies. Her voice was at once delicate and powerful, making the Adele number the perfect choice to show off her talent as a performer. She also really had the skill of connecting with the audience emotionally, as many in the room were spotted dabbing their eyes throughout.
Richard’s audition clocked up 15.6 million views, which made it one of the most popular performances from that season of The X Factor. The Scottish songbird’s choice of “Someone Like You” had special significance for Rowland, who had to compose herself before making her comments. As she wiped away tears, Rowland said that before the audition, she whispered to Gary Barlow that she knew it was going to be amazing.
Rowland said that she had a dream and had been thinking about “Someone Like You” all weekend. “The fact that you came here and sang that song so beautifully is amazing,” she said. “You have the X factor and then some.” Tulisa agreed, saying, “While you were singing, I felt like I heard your whole life story through your voice. I’ve never heard someone sing a song like they mean it so much.” Richards later returned to The X Factor two years later to sing Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black”.
Louis Walsh told Richards, “You have a God-given talent. You just make the whole show worthwhile – I’m so glad you came here.” At this point, Walsh got choked up with emotion, leading the audience to cheer him on. He continued, saying, “I’ve been doing this show for eight years, and this is what it’s all about, finding someone that deserves a break. And you deserve a break because you’ve got talent.”
It will come as no surprise that when it came time to vote, all four judges gave the Scottish talent yes votes. She later returned to the show in two subsequent seasons, giving a number of powerful performances.
If you were moved by Jade Richards’ soulful performance on The X Factor, continue to follow her musical journey by subscribing to her YouTube Channel. As she ascends to new heights in her singing career, you can be sure to not miss out on any captivating performances.