A Britain’s Got Talent contestant has said his unexpected audition has given him the confidence to return to music after 11 years of not performing.
Nick Edwards, 36, had a shock as his daughters Savannah and Cali, three and four, were brought on stage by his mother Tracey in a bid to convince him to audition during Saturday’s show.
The singer, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, said he had “never been so scared” in his life before the performance, but that his dream of showcasing his own songs in public has now been reignited.
Edwards told the PA news agency he was completely in the dark about the set-up, as he believed he was going for a day out with his wife without the children, after his sister-in-law surprised them with free tickets to Britain’s Got Talent.
He said that when he first saw his mother and daughters come on stage, he thought they were going to audition, but immediately felt “petrified” when they revealed they were there to surprise him.
Before his performance, he told the judges he had “lost a lot of confidence” in himself over the years and tends to only sing in the shower.
After he was given a moment to compose himself, Edwards returned to sing and play the guitar to Daddy’s Little Girl by Ernie Halter, which he dedicated to his daughters, as the song had become part of the “soundtrack of their life”.
His rendition pulled on the heartstrings of the crowd as judge Amanda Holden and host Declan Donnelly were brought to tears.
Music mogul Simon Cowell added: “It was so sweet, you have a lovely voice,” before David Walliams confirmed he had “4004 yeses”, including the audience.
Edwards admitted the whole experience had been an “emotional overload” but “amazing”, saying the experience with his daughters is a memory they will “have forever”.
He added: “I feel this opportunity on Britain’s Got Talent has definitely given me the confidence that I’d lost and that’s why it was also so emotional, because I previously lacked the acceptance that I needed to move forward.
“So whatever happens, I’ve got my confidence back.”
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He said he had been performing since he was six in church choirs, and by 15 he started writing songs and performing in bands with friends and as a solo artist at local venues and pubs.
However, after he became a father to his first son Jack, at the age of 25, about 11 years ago, he said he “lost touch with music” as his priorities had to change.
He told PA: “Twenty years ago I would have done anything to be in music. It’s all I wanted to do growing up, it was literally the only thing that mattered.
“And then when I became a parent your life changes and your focus changes. My kids are so important to me.”
Edwards added that Britain’s Got Talent had been a big part of his life growing up as an aspiring musician, and he had often wondered what would Cowell say if he ever auditioned for him.
He hopes to demonstrate his song writing ability in future stages of the talent show, saying he has a “few albums worth of material” at hand.
Reflecting on the chance to show off his talents on stage, he added: “It was a dream of mine as a kid and it’s still a dream now and this has reignited that want to do it.”
Britain’s Got Talent continues on Sunday April 17 at 7.35pm on ITV.