Monica Michael echos a story that many of us can relate to. She felt out of place in her youth, and those feelings of isolation made her act out as a teen. Monica may have come from a troubled past, but she knew the future was hers to create. And nothing was going to stop her from pursuing her dreams of becoming a professional singer.

That was the attitude she had when she marched in to audition for The X Factor UK in 2014.

Not only was Monica going to chase her dream by auditioning for the show, but she came to her audition with a song she had written for her 16-year-old sister Natalie.

“She witnessed me going off the rails and that obviously affected her,” Monica told the X Factor cameras. “And if she did do the things I did or the rebellious things that I went through, it would break my heart. So, I just want to let her know that I’m there for her. If I were to get four yeses from the judges today, it would definitely inspire her to achieve, you know, what she wants to achieve in her life and also make my family proud of the fact that I changed my life around and went for my dreams.”

It’s touching how much the song means to her, but it’s also risky; not too many people who come with an originally composed song make it far in The X Factor. Monica is obviously dead-set to prove that notion wrong.

Soon after her interview, she walks over to introduce herself to the judges of The X Factor UK and mentions the song she wrote for her younger sister. Monica takes a deep breath as she prepares for her big, pivotal moment.

As soon as she starts to sing, we’re unable to take our eyes off of her. Monica has a raspy, soulful voice takes over as she belts out her emotions. You can tell that the meaning of lyrics to her makes the performance that much more honest and genuine. Then, to our surprise as well as the judges, she breaks into a rap that fits perfectly with her performance.

Suddenly, just as we’re getting really into it, Simon raises his hand and cuts the music. Monica stares at him, visibly upset; when Simon of all people cuts you off, it has to be a heart-stopping moment. It’s hard to tell what the vicious judge has on his mind with his steely gaze, but Monica is obviously preparing herself for the worst.

But when he says what he has to say, we can barely hold back tears, and neither can Monica! You have to see the beautiful moment that happens after Monica’s performance in the video below. You won’t regret it!

What do you think of this originally composed song and the meaning behind it? Share your thoughts on Monica’s performance in the comments section below.