
Walking into a packed arena, surrounded by thousands of eyes and a panel of judges who don’t sugarcoat anything, 18-year-old Lucie Jones from Wales had a decision to make: play it safe or risk everything for a shot at greatness. She chose the risk. No warm-up act, no easy song—instead, she announced she’d be singing “I Will Always Love You,” the iconic ballad made legendary by Whitney Houston. The room stiffened. Simon Cowell arched an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “Are you sure you wanna do that song?”
he asked. Lucie simply nodded. Then, silence. A breath. And the first note.