Nine-year-old Immi Davis walked onto the Britain’s Got Talent stage in a bright tie-dye top, spoke with the careful seriousness of a child facing the biggest room of her life, and then chose a song most adults would hesitate to touch. Her version of “I Put a Spell on You” did not rely on a complicated set or a dramatic introduction. The surprise came from the contrast between the small singer at the microphone and the unusually mature sound that followed.
The short video captures the essential turn in the audition: the judges begin with warm smiles, but their expressions change as soon as Immi settles into the song. What first looks like a charming children’s audition becomes a serious vocal performance.
A difficult song was a revealing choice
“I Put a Spell on You” is closely associated with the theatrical intensity of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and with many later singers who treated it as a showcase for power and personality. It requires more than hitting notes. A convincing performance needs control over the long phrases, a sense of rhythm, and enough character to make the lyric feel deliberate rather than rehearsed.
Immi’s strongest decision was not to imitate one famous recording. She used a clear tone at the start, allowed the melody to build, and saved the biggest sound for later phrases. That pacing gave the performance shape. Instead of beginning at maximum volume, she left somewhere to go.
The reaction was about control, not only volume
Young singers on television are often described as powerful, but volume alone does not explain why an audition lands. Immi kept the melody recognizable while adding small bends and changes in emphasis. She also stayed composed as the room reacted around her. The judges’ surprise was visible because the voice sounded far more settled than her age and nervous entrance suggested.
That contrast is what makes the clip so shareable. The opening invites viewers to expect a sweet moment; the vocal then asks them to reassess the performer. Simon Cowell’s expression, the audience response, and the standing ovation function as confirmation, but the real turning point happens before any verdict: Immi establishes that she can hold the room on her own.
What the short viral edit leaves out
Social clips compress an audition into reaction shots and a few decisive notes. The full performance shows something more useful: Immi’s patience. She does not rush every phrase or fill every pause. Her breathing is not invisible—no nine-year-old singer’s technique is finished—but she repeatedly returns to the center of the melody and keeps the story moving.
The official ITV account described her as casting a spell on the judges, and all four judges sent her forward. She later reached the 2022 live semi-finals. ITV’s published voting breakdown shows that she finished fourth in her semifinal with 17 percent of the vote. That result did not take her to the final, but it confirmed that the audition was more than a one-night viral moment.
Why the audition still works years later
The performance is memorable because it does not ask viewers to ignore Immi’s age. Her youth is part of the surprise, but it is not the entire achievement. The song has a beginning, a build, and a confident finish. She responds to the size of the stage instead of shrinking from it, while still looking like a child who has just realized the room is on her side.
It is also a good reminder that a talent-show audition does not need a manufactured twist. A strong song choice, a clear point of view, and a performer capable of delivering under pressure can create the twist naturally.
Watch the full audition
The complete BGT performance gives the vocal more room than the short edit and includes the judges’ full response.
Sources
- ITV: Immi Davis casts a spell on the judges
- ITV: Britain’s Got Talent 2022 voting percentages
- Immi Davis official website
Analysis based on the supplied video excerpt and the full performance and reporting linked above.
