When Courtney Hadwin first walked onto the America’s Got Talent stage at just 13 years old, no one could forget that moment. The shy British teenager transformed into a rock powerhouse the instant the music started, channeling the raw soul of Janis Joplin as she belted Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle.”
It was lightning in a bottle — the kind of audition that catapulted her into viral fame overnight.
Now 21, Hadwin is no longer that timid girl in a checked dress — and she’s making sure the world knows it. But with transformation comes controversy. Recently, the singer has sparked debate over her “unusual” and daring new image.
Known for performing in crop tops, fishnet tights, and sporty bikini-style outfits that flaunt her legs and midriff, Hadwin’s fearless stage presence has divided fans.
Some praise her confidence and artistic freedom, while others struggle to reconcile her grown-up look with the teenage prodigy they first met eight years ago.
“It’s been hard, I’m not gonna lie,” Hadwin told Best Fit in a recent interview. “I’m always grateful for what that show gave me. But it’s one of those things where I constantly feel like I have to prove I’m not just the girl from that TV show.”
For Hadwin, who has spent nearly half her life in the public eye, the challenge has been balancing growth with expectation. Following AGT, she signed a record deal and found herself in glossy pop songwriting sessions that didn’t reflect her bluesy, soulful roots.
“It was pure Ariana Grande pop,” she said. “That just wasn’t me at all.”
Everything changed when she began working with producer Kevin Bowe (Etta James, Joe Cocker), who encouraged her to dig deeper — to write and sing from her own truth. Together, they crafted her debut album, Little Miss Jagged, released on September 15, which she describes as her “personal diary set to music.”
“Jagged — rough around the edges, not perfect. That’s me,” Hadwin said. “I’m not scared to be different; everyone should embrace their individuality.”
Tracks like “You Only Love Me When I Lie” and “Sixteen” tackle the pain of being misunderstood, growing up in the spotlight, and fighting to control her own image. The record blends vintage soul with modern grit — a sound that’s as unpredictable as the artist herself.
Her new style, too, feels like an extension of that message. Onstage and online, Hadwin embraces a rebellious, rock-inspired look — short shorts, sheer tops, fishnet stockings, and bold, skin-baring outfits that signal a confident young woman stepping into her power. It’s a visual rebellion against the “innocent little girl” narrative fans have clung to since AGT.
But not everyone is convinced. Some fans have voiced concern that her new image feels “too far from the raw, authentic Courtney” they once fell in love with. A few even question whether the edgy visuals overshadow her real gift — that powerhouse voice.
“She’s amazing, but I wish she’d let the music speak for itself,” one fan commented under a recent performance clip.
“I miss the soulful girl with the crazy vocals — not sure about all this sexy stuff,” another added.
“She’s just expressing herself. People need to let her grow up,” countered a third.
Still, some critics argue that Hadwin’s shift into bold fashion and highly stylized performances might alienate the very audience that supported her from the start. Yet others see her evolution as a natural — and necessary — part of growing up under the spotlight.
“Even now, I’ll post something online, and people still think I’m that 13-year-old girl,” she explained. “They don’t want me to change. But I’m more than that.”
And she’s right. Beneath the glitter and controversy is an artist who refuses to be boxed in. With Little Miss Jagged, Courtney Hadwin isn’t chasing the approval of anyone — she’s claiming her voice, her body, and her story on her own terms.
Love it or hate it, the world is finally seeing the real Courtney Hadwin — unfiltered, unafraid, and unapologetically jagged.
