Why We Still Talk About Courtney’s “Sign of the Times”

Rob Sheffield

Some performances never fade, no matter how much time passes. “Just stop your crying, it is a sign of the times,” Harry Styles once sang and years ago, a fifteen-year-old girl named Courtney Hadwin took those same words and turned them into something unforgettable. When she sang, the room went still. That night, her live cover of “Sign of the Times” became a memory fans still talk about.

Back then, Courtney was the teenager from Hartlepool, England who had just stunned the world on America’s Got Talent. Her audition spread like wildfire, hitting 130 million views in only a week. People compared her to Janis Joplin not because she imitated her but because she burned with the same untamed soul. In “Sign of the Times,” that wild energy turned into something raw and timeless, the kind of performance that stays with you long after the last note.

Courtney Hadwin – Sign of the Times (Live Cover)

Listeners could not help but react. One fan wrote, “She sings like she has lived three lifetimes.” Another said, “That voice could wake the dead.” People described goosebumps, tears, and silence, the kind that follows something honest. It was not about age anymore. It was about the connection she built in that space, between fear and hope, between heartbreak and healing.

That performance showed a deep, aching side of Courtney. But not long after, she reminded everyone that her story was not all about pain. She had another gear, playful, wild, unstoppable. That shift came when she grabbed the mic again and turned a cowboy anthem into a rock jam. It was a different kind of fire, one that burned brighter and freer than before.

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Courtney Hadwin – Old Town Road (Live Cover)

Her cover of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” broke every boundary. The country-rap hit turned into a rock-and-roll ride, with Courtney leading the charge. She stomped across the stage, her gritty vocals twisting the melody into something bold and rebellious. The crowd cheered louder with every note. It was not imitation, it was transformation.

Courtney Hadwin is proof that talent has no rulebook. From the aching honesty of “Sign of the Times” to the electric joy of “Old Town Road,” she shows what it means to be fearless. Her voice bridges decades, her heart bridges generations. Follow Courtney Hadwin on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Sometimes the old soul in the room is only fifteen years old.

Courtney Hadwin: ALL Performances On America’s Got Talent And AGT Champions