Awkward Teen Stuns The Judges With Her Voice, But Then They Ask Her To Take Her Hat Off

It’s hard to not like Danielle “Danie” Geimer.

A self-proclaimed bookworm (and proud of it), Danie auditioned for the U.S. version of The X Factor back in 2013.

Before doing so, she revealed that she is not good at talking to people. So how would she be able to sing in front of thousands?

The 15-year-old said she had been singing since 7, though her first love was always reading.

“When most girls are going off to hang out with their friends or go to mall, I’m usually in my room reading,” she said. “I read about [topics] like neuroscience.”

Simon Cowell wasn’t there as a judge, so Danie would need at least two yeses from Kelly Rowland, Paulina Rubio, and Demi Lovato.

Her chosen song? The classic “House of the Rising Sun,” which surprised the judges.

And then she started singing.

Kelly couldn’t hold back her impressed shock, and neither could the audience, which instantly exploded into cheers.

“Miss thing, you are it!” Kelly exclaimed.

But then, to the surprise of many, Demi asked Danie to take off her hat. With just a moment’s hesitation, Danie removed it, and the crowd cheered.

“You are gorgeous!”

In the end, Danie got a yes from all three judges, and she went on to place in the top 16 in the show. She still has a loyal fan base to this day.