Nineteen-year-old Michael Collings, an IT engineer from Plymouth, introduced himself with a charmingly humble story, explaining that he lived with his parents on a caravan site—a “posh” one, he clarified—and that the only singing competition he had ever entered was at his local pub. The stakes were high for Michael: he was engaged to his fiancée, Sarah (whom he awkwardly proposed to in a Chinese buffet), and they were expecting a baby. With his slightly dishevelled appearance,
he looked like he was about to board a “long haul flight,” lowering the judges’ expectations and setting the stage for a spectacular surprise.
Armed only with an acoustic guitar and a mic, Michael began his rendition of Tracy Chapman’s soulful anthem, “Fast Car.” The moment he started, the entire atmosphere of the theatre shifted. The voice that emerged was rich, husky, and full of raw, mature emotion that instantly connected with the audience. He didn’t just sing the song; he delivered a stripped-down, deeply personal narrative with palpable heart, making the classic track his own. The performance was an instant, genuine moment of musical sincerity, prompting the audience to rise to their feet in a massive standing ovation.
The judges, completely wrong-footed by their initial assumptions, were full of praise. Amanda Holden, visibly moved, declared it the “best reaction we’ve got all day” and praised his emotional delivery. One of the judges, admitting he hadn’t expected much, confessed that Michael had a “really interesting quality to your voice” and that he “instantly connected with the audience.” Michael Collings proved that talent can emerge from the most unexpected places and successfully moved forward with a unanimous three “yeses,” ready to trade his caravan site life for the world stage.
