When Courtney Hadwin stepped up to the mic to cover “Sign of the Times,” no one expected a 14-year-old to channel the raw desperation of Harry Styles’ apocalyptic ballad. But from the first raspy “Just stop your crying,” she didn’t just sing the song; she rewrote it. Her voice, equal parts gravel, and gospel, twisted the lyrics into something darker and more urgent as if she wasn’t just warning us about the end times but dragging us through them.
The performance is a masterclass, in contrast. One moment, Courtney is coiled tight, whispering the verses like a secret and the next, she was exploding into the chorus, her body convulsing with each “We gotta get away from here.” The climax isn’t in the high notes. It’s in the way her voice breaks on “bullets,” a cracked plea that lingers long after the music stops. This isn’t a cover. It’s an exorcism.
Courtney Hadwin – Sign of the Times (Live Cover)
Fans called it “the performance that ruined all other performances.” Comments overflow with stories of listeners playing it on a loop during breakups, protests, or sleepless 3 a.m. spirals. “She didn’t just sing my pain; she screamed it,” one writes. That’s Courtney’s gift: she doesn’t perform emotions. She survives them onstage.
If “Sign of the Times” was Courtney’s cry of despair, her original AGT: The Champions performance was her battle cry. Gone is the girl who once hid behind her hair; here, she stalks the stage like a rebel queen howling lyrics about “pretty little things” with a grin that borders on feral.
Courtney Hadwin – Original Song | America’s Got Talent | The Champions Two 2019
This isn’t just a song; it’s a manifesto. Her voice swings between Janis Joplin snarls and Prince-esque yelps while her body moves like it’s fighting invisible chains. When Simon gasps, “Something has changed in you,” it’s not just about confidence; it’s the moment Courtney stops asking for approval and starts demanding surrender. The standing ovation isn’t for a contestant. It’s for a force of nature.
Courtney Hadwin stays with us because she doesn’t just sing; she burns. Whether she’s tearing apart a cover or igniting an original, she makes rebellion feel like the only sane choice. Follow her fire on YouTube and Instagram—because some artists don’t just make music. They start revolutions.