Jill O'Rourke
Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
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| November 12, 2021 SIGN IN TO SAVE POST
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Sarah Ikumu had one of the most memorable auditions in Britain’s Got Talent history, earning her the Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell in 2017. Ikumu was only 15 at the time, and she blew the judges away with her voice.
The singer didn’t win the season, but she hasn’t stopped pursuing music in the years since her show-stopping audition. She’s now 20 years old, and she just released a new single earlier this year.
Sarah Ikumu Wowed Everyone on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’
When Ikumu told the BGT judges that she was planning to sing “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” Cowell reminded her that it’s “one of the biggest songs in the world.” It’s not an easy song to sing by any means, but Ikumu pulled it off and then some.
Ikumu’s performance lasted nearly five minutes, as she belted out the entire iconic song with a voice beyond her years. The judges gave her a standing ovation, and Cowell hit the Golden Buzzer immediately. He told the young singer that she made the song her own.
In later performances on the show, Ikumu sang “Purple Rain” by Prince and “Rise Up” by Andra Day. She was eliminated in the Semifinals, but the judges chose to bring her back as a Wild Card in the Final. However, she didn’t end up winning. That honor went to pianist Tokio Myers.
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Has Ikumu Released Music Since Her Time on the Show?
Two years after appearing on Britain’s Got Talent, Ikumu released her debut single “Save You.” Before that, she appeared on Showtime at the Apollo, delivering powerhouse performances of “Glory” by Common and John Legend, as well as “Here and Now” by Luther Vandross.
Earlier this year, Ikumu released her soulful second single, called “Waiting.” She shared a “Behind the Lyrics” video for the song on her YouTube channel, in which she shared that the track started as a freestyle in the studio and ended up relating to her current romantic situation.
If you want to hear even more from Ikumu, check out some of her performances from before she even appeared on BGT. In 2015, when she was just 14, she covered “Listen” by Beyoncé. The video has over a million views. Another cover of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” has over three million.
The singer also frequently posts cover performances on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. She recently sang “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys and “Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman. At just 20 years old, Ikumu’s musical career is just beginning, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.
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