Simon Cowell doubts Lucie Jones’ ability to perform Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” during her audition on The X Factor. But boy, was he mistaken!

Lucie Jones, 18, is from a small village in Wales with a population of only a few hundred people.

“I really want to get out, and I really want to get out there on the big stage,” Lucie says of her hometown.

“For someone like Lucie, who has her sights set on the bright lights, this could be the way for her to move away and realize her dream,” Lucie’s mother says in an interview prior to Lucie Jones’ X Factor audition.

Lucie Jones Shines on The X Factor
When Lucie begins to sing ‘I Will Always Love You,’ she appears a little nervous up there on stage. But then she gains confidence and her voice grows stronger. Simon even starts to smile as he sees her blossom on stage.