X Factor hopeful Ella Henderson wowed the judges on Saturday night’s first show when she belted out a song she wrote in memory of her late grandfather.

The 16 year old is now down to the boot-camp stage of the competition with many calling her the new Adele. She is now looking like an early favourite in the competition with many backing her to win the singing competition.

Original material

Speaking on This Morning, she explained why she didn’t want to sing a copy.

"It was a tough choice to do my own song, but I thought you know what, the rules have changed this year and for that reason I will put it out there especially with Gary Barlow there, I really wanted to see what his opinion was on it because he's a songwriter himself and I really look up to him."

Looks like the risk paid off Ella.

Nerves, nerves and more nerves

Facing the judges wasn’t the most appealing thing going – as we can imagine – and the young singer admitted that it was difficult to steady her nerves although she pulled it off in the end.

"The whole day is a waiting game to give that two minute performance - fifty percent of me was so exciting, and the other side of me was really shaky and stuff, but once I was up there and I realised that these four judges are human beings and they are just going to give me honest feedback I was kind of relieved about that.”

The Lincolnshire schoolgirl had no reason to panic though as she received glowing feedback from the whole panel – although she did admit that she wasn’t overly keen about facing no nonsense guest judge, Mel B.

“I heard loads of contestants coming off with all different emotions and reactions from her and there were people crying and stuff but I kind of tried to keep myself to myself and put myself in my own zone and my own bubble, but yeah, I was quite nervous about what she was going to come back to me with!"

The former Spice Girl was criticised over the weekend for her harsh comments to some of the acts.

No divas please

Ella, from Lincolnshire, has vowed to not allow the show to turn her into a diva however and wants to stay as grounded as possible during the series. No demands of Soy lattes from her dressing room then. Despite having praise heaped on her left right and centre, singing for Olly Murs and meeting last year’s winner’s Little Mix – she’s not letting it go to her head, explain that she’s “still trying to find a way of accepting it all, all the compliments that I've been given."

You’ll get there Ella, best start practicing your autograph though.