Caitlin Koch didn’t conform to the stereotype of a pop star when she appeared on The X Factor USA stage in 2011. What followed was even more unexpected because she identified herself as a 21-year-old rugby coach and player.
The Supremes’ “Stop! In the Name of Love” was an audacious song choice. However, Caitlin transformed the Motown song into something slower, smokier, and soulful rather than just copying it. The judges’ faces altered as soon as they heard the first note; the athletic girl they thought would be “fun” suddenly sounded like a true musician.
The contrast between her powerful athletic exterior and her deep, retro-soul voice as soon as she began to sing was what set the audition apart. Caitlin’s performance helped make her one of the most memorable X Factor USA Season 1 candidates, and the audition is still remembered as the moment when people stopped making snap judgments about her.
