When 12-year-old Fayth Ifil from Swindon walked onto the Britain’s Got Talent stage, she looked like any sweet, slightly nervous schoolgirl. She told the judges she’d faced “negativity” at school and just wanted to make her family proud – especially her nan and grandad, who always listened to her sing at home.
Then she announced her song: “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner. A huge, iconic track for someone so young – and the perfect test of whether she really had what it takes. From the first slow, soulful lines, her voice came out strong and confident. But when the tempo kicked in, Fayth transformed the stage, bursting into full Tina-style power with big vocals, big energy and fearless attitude. The audience went from curious to absolutely wild in seconds.
By the final chorus, the whole theatre was on its feet, dancing and cheering as this tiny 12-year-old “rolled” her way through the song like a born performer. David Walliams told her she seemed “born to be a superstar,” and before the other judges even finished their comments, Simon Cowell reached over and smashed the Golden Buzzer, showering Fayth in gold confetti.
He told her that when people say negative things, she should always remember this moment — the night she stunned the judges, won the crowd, and sang her way straight into the semi-finals with one of the most explosive kid auditions of the series.
