Reigan Derry, a 25-year-old singer from Perth, took a massive professional and emotional leap by stepping back into the spotlight for her audition on The X Factor Australia 2014. Reigan was not a stranger to the music industry; she had previously experienced a taste of global stardom as a member of the highly successful girl group Scarlet Bell. Signed to Def Jam by Jay-Z, the group collaborated with legends like Snoop Dogg and Ne-Yo while living the fast life in America. However, the record deal eventually fell through, effectively ending her career at the time. Reigan confessed that she felt trapped and uncomfortable in an overly sexualized image that did not represent her true identity, leading her to step away from music entirely for three quiet years to find herself.
Stepping onto the stage as a solo artist for the first time, Reigan sought a second chance to share what she called her “hidden voice”—the raw, authentic talent that had been buried underneath heavy marketing and production. To do this, she chose an acoustic, deeply emotional performance of Adele’s iconic hit “Someone Like You.” The moment she began to sing, the room fell into absolute silence. Reigan delivered an intensely pure, delicate, yet immensely powerful vocal arrangement that immediately proved her incredible vocal control and depth, washing away the hyper-sexualized ghost of her past.
The reaction from the judging panel was a mixture of profound respect and sheer awe. The judges praised her massive vocal range and commended the immense courage it took to rebuild her career from scratch as a solo artist after experiencing top-tier industry success. They were equally captivated by how grounded and incredibly humble she remained despite her past accolades. Sweeping four enthusiastic, landslide “yes” votes from the panel, Reigan reclaimed her future and secured a triumphant path forward into Boot Camp.
