54-Year-Old Singer Brings "X Factor" Judges To Tears With Her Voice

I don’t really watch FOX’s X Factor like that, because there are far too many reality competition shows on these days. Plus, when you do watch, the people who deserve to win usually get voted off too soon. But I couldn’t help but be thoroughly impressed by a gorgeous black woman with a big heart, big hair, and a big voice when she auditioned for the show this week. Lillie McCloud looks like she could be somebody’s young aunt, but the woman is actually 54 years old. When she tells Simon Cowell her age before she sings, the crowd, and the judges, gasp because they hadn’t heard the news: black don’t crack.

McCloud goes on to give a rousing rendition of CeCe Winans’ “Alabaster Box,” and gets to go on to the next round after she brought the crowd to their feet and had folks like Kelly Rowland and Demi Lovato breaking down in tears because of her voice. This is all a major feat considering that McCloud says she has been trying to sing for years but just hasn’t received her big break. But she kept the faith, and it just might be her time! Check out her amazing performance and backstory above and let us know what you think.