With pride, five young men introduced their group, Collabro, to the audience as they took the stage for Britain’s Got Talent. Simon Cowell plainly thought, “Here we go again, another boy band tryout,” as he rolled his eyes at the judges upon learning that the group had barely been together for a month. “What makes you think you can win Britain’s Got Talent after just a month together?” Judge Alesha Dixon posed the question. The head of the group quickly said, “I believe it’s natural chemistry.” Judge Amanda Holden bowed her head to conceal her smile in response to this.
Alesha commented, “That’s lovely. Take it away.” That’s exactly what Collabro did. They opened with “Stars” from Les Misérables, a powerful and lovely solo introduction. The crowd was instantly silent. As the performance went on, one more member gave a strong solo, and then the chorus astounded everyone with their performance. Snarky smiles gave way to looks of wonder. A thrilling performance that gave rise to a standing ovation before they had finished their song was what happened next.
After a single performance, judges have never eaten so much humble pie. The group’s original snickerer, Amanda Holden, summarised the performance best when she said, “That was bloody brilliant.” The one-month-old group’s “natural chemistry” carried them all the way to the finals, where they emerged victorious on Britain’s Got Talent 2014, much like in a fairytale.
Collabro’s performance of “Stars” became viral and has received over 51 million views on YouTube. Their tale demonstrates the value of skill, perseverance, and innate chemistry and shows that sometimes the most amazing moments arise from the most unlikely places.
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