Now there are some artists that most singers won’t try covering because you just can’t measure up to the original. Beyoncé is definitely one of those artists, but Australian-Filipino singer Mary Ann Van Der Horst was not about to be intimidated by trying her hand at Queen Bey’s iconic vocals. When Mary Ann auditioned on The X Factor Australia, she sang a stunning version of “Halo” that had the crowd squealing with delight.
The 28-year-old singer opened her audition by charming the judges with a few jokes. When she revealed she was going to sing Beyoncé’s “Halo”, the judges were visibly taken aback by her ambitious choice of song. However, when Mary Ann sang the opening verse, she displayed a beautiful and sonorous low range just like Queen Bey. As she moved into the chorus, she rose through her vocal range and sang with such passion that it was clear that she was the real deal.
Mary Ann’s audition gained 25 million views on YouTube, making her the eighth most popular performer ever on The X Factor Global channel. Fans at home turned out big time for Mary Ann, adding comments such as, “I’ve watched a lot of covers for ‘Halo’ and I have to say that this one right here is by far my most favourite cover. She did absolutely amazing!” and “I love her. Her accent, her mannerisms when singing, her sense of humour, style, look. She has it all.”
Mary Ann gave off a chilled, unassuming vibe during her opening interview, so the judges weren’t quite ready when she turned on the taps and revealed such a powerhouse vocal. After hearing her sing the chorus, Ronan Keating exclaimed to his fellow judges, “I was not expecting this at all.” Another popular performance from Mary Ann is her cover of The Greatest Showman tune “Never Enough” during a live studio session.
The crowd gave Mary Ann a big applause after her performance, and it was clear she’d knocked her audition out of the park. Judge Redfoo commented first, saying, “That was spectacular.” Dannii Minogue echoed a similar sentiment, saying, “It was brilliant. I loved it.”
Keating admitted that Mary Ann had won him over with her take on “Halo”. The Irish star said, “When you came out I thought, she’s not serious. She’s not going to be able to sing. I was so wrong.” Keating then lavished praise, saying, “Everything about you, Mary Ann – the way that you moved, the way that you were singing that song like it was your own. It was incredible to watch.” The 28-year-old singer then received four big yes votes from the judges.
If you’re captivated by the vocal prowess of Mary Ann Van Der Horst, make sure to follow the Australian-Filipino singer on her YouTube Channel for more stunning performances. Also, to keep up with her day-to-day life, you can follow her Instagram Page.