Watch: While Britain’s Got Talent, Innocent Masuku may have even more

Gobsmacked is the only way to describe Britain’s Got Talent’s Simon Cowell’s reaction when South African opera singer Innocent Masuku recently wowed the audience with his performance on the show.

In a video of his performance, posted by Britain’s Got Talent on Sunday, all four judges – Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, Bruno Tonioli and Cowell – were amazed by Masuku, who was wearing a top his mother made for him.

While his charming nature drew smiles from the judges before he even opened his mouth, the audience and judges were left in awe when he started singing.

Tonioli was seen launching into the air with his arms open in appreciation, while by the end of his performance, the audience and judges were on their feet.

“I found that overwhelming, actually. By the end of that song, I felt like I was just hit in the chest with this force… Like it felt divine almost. This is your calling,” said Dixon.

“It was very, very special. You are special,” added Tonioli.

“Simon says that every year you’ve got to keep raising the bar. When we’re looking for talent, we can’t look back. We have to have people who go beyond our expectations, and that’s exactly what you did today. Hands down, in the 17 years we’ve been doing Britain’s Got Talent, you are by far the best opera singer we’ve ever had,” said Holden.

“That was wonderful. I mean seriously wonderful. And so heartfelt. And so powerful. You deserve this break. You really, really do,” said Cowell.

Masuku not only received four resounding ‘yeses’ from the judges, but ‘about 4 000’ from the enthralled audience.

Born in Secunda in Mpumalanga in 1990 and now living in London, Masuku has received various accolades for his amazing talent, including a merit award in the 2019 Southern African Music Rights Organisation competition, a Drake Calleja trust award, sponsorship by The Tillett Trust fund, The Oppenheimer International Scholarship, and The Countess of Munster Musical Trust Study Award.

Masuku is a former studio member of the Cape Town Opera, where he made his first public performance as Crabman in a production of Porgy and Bess. Other recent roles include Borsa in Rigoletto, and Tamino in The Magic Flute.

He has performed in master classes led by Maestro Kamal Khan and Willard White. He has also performed alongside Eric Owens and other top-billed artists in a production of Porgy and Bess presented by the English National Opera (ENO) and the Dutch National Opera. He also took part in the 2022 Glyndebourne Festival as a chorus member.

Watch his interview on ENO’s website: