During Series 6 of Britain’s Got Talent, 18-year-old Sam Kelly took to the stage and quickly became a fan favorite. With a natural flair for music and a dedication to succeed, he made a strong impression when he covered an Bob Dylan classic in front of Simon Cowell and the rest of the judges. With a performance that left David Walliams “blown away”, and a fair few hearts melted in the crowd, he essentially guaranteed himself a professional career from the moment he walked on stage.
Before his performance, he explains that he grew up in rural Norfolk with his family deeply rooted in the farming industry. He jokingly mentions that he is useless at everything except music which, while we’re sure is not true, explains why he took a chance on becoming the next winner of Britain’s Got Talent! Armed with an acoustic guitar and a loving smile that warmed the crowd, he delivered a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” that is sure to leave a smile on your face.
Although Sam joked that his mum would kill Simon Cowell if he didn’t let him through to the next stage of the competition, it was quickly apparent that nothing of the sort would be necessary. The judges and the nation were so impressed by Sam Kelly’s musicianship that he paraded through the audition and made it to the final before he was sadly eliminated.
That was far from the end for Sam Kelly, however. After his time on Britain’s Got Talent, he released two EPs – Your Way Home (2013) and Spokes (2015) – but they both failed commercially. Despite this, he soldiered on and created a band called Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys, which has experienced much more success. After the release of their 2017 album Pretty Peggy, Sam Kelly signed both publishing and record deals, which also led to his music being played on both TV shows and in various venues.
Alongside his success as both a solo artist and with his band, he has been awarded and nominated several times for his work. In 2016, he received the Horizon Award for Emerging Artists at the 2016 Radio 2 Folk Awards, and Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys were nominated for Best Group at the 2018 Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Enjoy more of Sam Kelly’s passionate and soulful performances by visiting his website. This talented musician’s journey didn’t stop at Britain’s Got Talent, and you can continue to follow his musical exploits there.