Simon Cowell is known for being harsh on contestants, but in these “X Factor” auditions, he exhibited a soft side. We had no idea he could smile so genuinely.

Simon Cowell may be the most terrifying judge and the judge best known to terrify candidates, yet in these “X Factor” auditions, he was very polite to those participating.

With each of the clips showed Simon warmed up to the vocalists, revealing that not everything is as terrible as they first feared. He lets one child express her sincere affection for her grandparents while telling another that he does his job for “moments like this.” What a sweetheart.