X Factor star Rachel looks completely unrecognisable 19 years after iconic audition

The X Factor's Rachel Lester looks completely different almost 20 years after her viral audition.

Videos of the then-25 year old singing to judges regularly do the rounds on social media, showing the hopeful star performing for Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Dannii Minogue, and Sharon Osbourne.

However, her vocal ability failed to impress them, as she was handed four 'no's' for her raspy rendition of 'Sugar Walls'.

Memorably, she declared she wasn't working, describing herself as 'lazy at the moment', and then rating her singing ability at an impressive ten.

She also famously quipped that she was 'better than Madonna' and that you 'couldn't get more versatile' than her.

"I've been singing all my life, all around the towns and everything," she told Sharon Osbourne during the audition room clip.

"Whatever song you want me to sing, I'll do it. Gwen Stefani, I can sing. Prince, I can sing. Kylie, I probably could do Dannii as well."

The judges however were left visibly horrified by the audition, as head judge Simon Cowell told her she had a 'really bad attitude'.

Sadly, Rachel didn't make it any further in the competition after her Sheena Easton cover failed to wow the panel.

18 years later after the audition, and Rachel was spotted fish and chip shop.

She went on to pose in a smiley selfie with a fan. It is not known where the image was taken.

Rachel Lester in 2025 (Facebook)

She looks unrecognisable sporting a green coat with fluffy hood and slicked back hair.

Some fans however immediately recognised her, as one person quipped: "Nice to see she's still all around the towns and everything."

Another posted beneath the image: "She certainly made her mark…you won’t forget her!" as a third joked: "The real winner of X factor, she was robbed."

But Rachel has also since appeared in other social media videos, more recently belting out new rendition of her audition song on a FaceTime call with Bradley Hunt, from the X Factor duo Ottavio and Bradley.