Teen Singer Leaves the Ladies Swooning on ‘The X Factor Australia’
Network 10 Reading Time: 2 minutes
Jai Waetford definitely holds the record for the most teen girls screaming during an X Factor audition ever. In 2013, the 14-year-old auditioned for The X Factor Australia with two songs that were very well received by the audience and the judges.
Jai Waetford Wins Over the Crowd on ‘The X Factor Australia’
It was almost impossible to hear Jai’s singing over the roaring audience throughout the performance. After singing “Different Worlds” by Jes Hudak on the guitar, judge Dannii Minogue shot up out of her chair screaming with joy. Ronan Keating asked Jae to play an original song. The Justin Bieber look-alike had Redfoo wiping tears from his eyes while singing an original song called “Don’t Let Me Go.”
He was voted through to the next round without question. As the competition went on, Jai’s performances definitely got a bit more of a pop flare. He performed hits like Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel” and Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite.” In the sixth week of the competition, Jai finally performed Bieber’s song “That Should Be Me” which had his fans absolutely buzzing.
Jai got to perform “Don’t Let Me Go” again when he made it to the finale and debuted another single called “Your Eyes.” He finished the competition in third place behind Taylor Henderson and eventual winner Dami Im.
What Has Jai Been Up to Since The Show?
Since competing on The X Factor Australia, Jai signed with Sony Music Australia. He has released five EP’s after his time on the show. His song “Shy” has close to 41 million streams on Spotify. In 2016, he performed as a supporting act for Selena Gomez and Little Mix. Jai also had a recurring role in Neighbours, an Australian soap opera. In a 2019 interview with All Access Music, Jai explained what being on The X Factor Australia taught him.
“It taught me to make the most of whatever opportunities come my way and to work hard for what you want because if you’re not working the hardest you can at what you love, there will always be someone better who’s working harder,” he said.
After a brief hiatus, Jai began releasing music periodically. He released his banger “LowLow” in March. On Instagram, Jai announced that on June 18, he will be releasing a new song “Options.”
