Aaron Marshall, a contestant on Britain’s Got Talent, said that he will be performing a well-known classic, “Let It Go,” by Disney. Judge Amanda Holden, a well-known lover of the Frozen megahit, was first ecstatic and showed signs of excitement when the well-known music started. However, as soon as Marshall opened his mouth, her joy was abruptly replaced by a look of pure “shock and disgust.” The audience was treated to a harsh, black-metal version of the song, sung only with guttural screams, rather than a lyrical ballad.
Holden was instantly overwhelmed by the startling conversion of the song into a metal anthem and tried to end the performance by hitting her red button. Marshall persisted in his distinctive and potent screamo delivery in spite of the judge’s immediate and obvious disfavor. Initially smiling and amused, the audience unexpectedly began to sway their arms and sing along to the original melody as the song went on, creating a melodious counterpoint to the artist’s roars. The judge was clearly battling with her displeasure as the spectacle culminated in a tense, perplexing blend of Disney whimsy and heavy metal anger.
After the contentious audition, Amanda Holden, who was obviously not pleased, expressed her disapproval by saying, “I found that offensive,” and expressing a furious wish that Marshall would “lose your voice this afternoon.” The performance was “every little princess’s nightmare,” she later bemoaned. The other judges did not share her indignation, even though she voted “No.” Holden was the only defeated voice of opposition as Marshall advanced to the next round with a three-to-one triumph after receiving “Yes” responses from Simon Cowell, David Walliams, and Alesha Dixon.
