Who is Rai-Elle Williams? X Factor 2017 contestant who made it through to live shows

THE X Factor has rarely seen such a precociously talented and confident teenager as 2017 contestant Rai-Elle Williams.

Here 's the lowdown on the talented youngster, who is just 16 but has been performing in contests since she was 12...

Who is Rai-Elle Williams, how old is she and what is her background?

Rai-Elle Williams is a 2017 X Factor hopeful who stunned the judges right from her first audition, despite being just 16.

The Croydon native sang Awolnation’s Sail and completely owned it, before impressing again and again - getting through the brutal Six Chair Challenge too.

Previously she's worked as a child model, actor and dancer - as well as making it to the final of CBBC singing contest Got What It Takes? two years ago.

Her talent has blown the judges away repeatedly and Simon Cowell even told the youngster during the challenge: “If Sharon doesn’t give you a chair, you can take mine."

Last year's winner Matt Terry has backed Rai-Elle to win the series, saying: "I’ve been watching this year’s X Factor and Rai-Elle has really stood out for me, she’s only 16 and her acapella performance of Bridge Over Troubled Water was amazing."

Some controversy has surrounded Rai-Elle's time on the show, however, seeing as she has her own professional agency profile online.

It reveals she has been competing in talent shows since the age of 12, and that she's taken acting and singing classes.