Aside from being talented, one of the keys to success in a talent show is the ability to stand out.
For some people, that might mean picking an unexpected song to sing or using an unusual delivery.
For a dancer, it might mean mixing up styles that don’t usually get combined or trying out a bunch of daring moves. In some cases, it might just mean not taking yourself so seriously.
As it turns out, that last strategy is what one contest on Britain’s Got Talent decided to try out.
The performance we’re taking about came from the show’s 2016 season.
Like any other audition, it began with 24-year-old contestant Craig Ball walking out onstage and introducing himself to the judges. After some introductory comments and a little bit of banter, they cleared the way for him to perform.
From the very beginning, it seemed that something unusual was going to happen—after all, it’s not every day that a young man decides to sing “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus as his talent.
Still, this singing performance had a definite twist to it.
Right from the beginning, Ball’s singing voice seems a little gruff and unusual… and not very melodic.
Though the judges are confused for a second, it becomes clear what’s happening after a big picture of Morgan Freeman comes up on the screen behind Ball—he’s doing an impression!
After that comes a big picture of Mickey Mouse and by now, Ball’s voice is immediately recognizable and the crowd is on his side once again.
Still, the best is yet to come in this performance.
The third picture that comes up is Christopher Walken—and Ball does the impression perfectly!
But the impressions don’t stop there. For the big chorus, he transitions into an impression of Elmo, then of Stewie from Family Guy, then of Peter Griffin! After that, it’s Gollum from Lord of the Rings and Miss Piggy from The Muppet Show!
By this point in the performance, Ball is changing impressions after virtually every line of the song. On the tail of that is Kermit the Frog and Scooby Doo before he finally finishes up.
When it’s all over, the crowd can’t help but give him a standing ovation.
Ultimately, shows like Britain’s Got Talent (and all the other franchises) are about being fun, positive and entertaining.
While some people on these shows demonstrate prodigious talents or one-of-a-kind abilities, Ball’s performance shows that sometimes all of that isn’t necessary. In his case, a willingness to be silly and to commit to his performance allowed the crowd to loosen up, have a little fun and open themselves up to his sense of humor.
Though it was definitely not the most technical or the most impressive audition we’ve ever seen on these shows, it was definitely funny and remained a breath of fresh air. And after all, it’s hard to argue with the overwhelming audience reaction that he managed to get!
Congratulations to Craig Ball on sticking to his guns and giving the crowd a great show! Watch the full clip below:
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