It’s not an easy thing to take an Elvis classic and make it your own.
The King of Rock isn’t regarded as one of the greatest entertainers of all time for nothing, but rather because he had an exceptional talent when it came to his voice and charisma.
Which is why when any budding hopeful steps out onto a talent show stage and says they’re going to sing an Elvis song, what comes next is usually a significant portion of the audience casting doubts. If that affected 38-year-old Barry Darcy, of Cork, Ireland though, he didn’t let it on once.
Not only did he confidently state he would be performing a cover of Elvis’ “The Wonder of You”, but he also told a tale of personal perseverance and strife, one that made his ensuing rendition all the more special …
It was judge Louis Walsh who initiated the conversation when Darcy stepped out on the Ireland’s Got Talent stage. After asking the usual questions, it became clear that Darcy had faced more diversity than most.
“I had a herniated disc in my back and it crushed the nerves into my legs. I just went to get out of bed one day and fell out on to the floor,” he said. “They gave me a fifty-fifty chance of ever walking again, and I took it.”
Just imagine it: one day you wake up and you can’t walk anymore. The strength and resilience Darcy showed to win his fight proves he’s got a certain type of grit … and that would be further exampled when he belted out his chosen song.
For Darcy, “The Wonder of You” perfectly depicted how he felt about his wife and their children, who stuck by him during his darkest hours.
Needless to say, he absolutely nailed his performance. His pitch was on point, his voice was eerily reminiscent of the King himself, and his stage presence was enough to have the judges and the audience clapping away.
What’s more, Louis Walsh was left so impressed by Darcy that he slammed his golden buzzer. Darcy was left in tears and his family ran onto the stage to embrace him.
Watch the incredible video below:
We know, what an incredible performance!
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