Ashly Williams was only 24-years-old when she stepped onto the X-Factor stage, but she wasn’t alone. Her mother, who she dedicated the song she was about to sing to, was clearly by her side the entire performance.

Her mother’s birthday would have been just days away, but she had passed away. Before coming to the show, Ashly visited her mother’s grave and told her what she was about to do. She knew that her mother would have been happy and excited for her.

Ashly’s family was backstage and throughout the audience when it was finally her turn to audition. Little did they know that Ashly’s performance wasn’t going to leave a dry eye in the house. She stepped onto the stage and sang Whitney Houston’s hit song “I Will Always Love You.” While that may seem like awfully big shoes to fill, Ashly was up to the task.

As soon as she began singing, everyone knew that they were watching a blossoming star. Even though the emotion on Ashly’s face was clear, she kept her composure and nailed every note. Even tough judge Simon Cowell applauded the talented singer and admitted that he brought the show to American to find people exactly like her. Now that is a compliment!

Check out Ashly’s beautiful performance in the video below and be sure to share it with your family and friends. This girl has some seriously amazing talent.

https://youtu.be/z4_vFAZgL4E