11-year-old guitarist Olly Pearson stunned both the judges and the audience on Britain’s Got Talent with his incredible performance, leaving everyone in awe. In just 48 hours since his unforgettable stage debut, Pearson has likely received numerous invitations from bands worldwide looking for a new shredder.
However, it’s worth noting that Pearson, despite his remarkable talent, is only 11 years old.
Before his performance, Pearson admitted to feeling nervous as he walked onto the stage with a Patrick James Eggle guitar. The young guitarist, who started playing the electric guitar at the age of seven, revealed that his idol is AC/DC’s Angus Young. This prompted judge Simon Cowell to respond, “Okay. Now you’re talking.”
Pearson then shared his dream with the judges: “My dream for the future is to become the best guitarist in the world.”
With the crowd already cheering for him, and his proud grandfather, Lee, watching from the audience, Pearson honored his idol Angus by opening with a powerful rendition of “Highway to Hell.” In no time, he transitioned into a flawless performance of Van Halen’s “Jump,” nailing some of Eddie Van Halen’s iconic licks. The performance didn’t stop there; Pearson capped off his stunning display with a perfect interpretation of Brian May’s solo from Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.”
The audience, along with the judges, were left on their feet, applauding the young prodigy.
“Oh, my god, Olly. Literally, a star is born. I have never, ever seen anything like that in my life,” said an astonished Amanda Holden, before hitting the “Golden Buzzer” for Pearson.
Judge Simon Cowell, equally impressed, added, “You already have your own distinct sound, which normally people take decades to develop. You’re that good! That was brilliant.”
Following his performance, Pearson appeared on This Morning alongside his grandfather Lee, who shared the story of how Olly first became passionate about guitar.
“Olly said to me, ‘I saw a guy playing in the street, and I wanna do that,’” Lee recalled.
Guitar quickly became a special bond between them, as Lee, who had played guitar in his youth, began relearning the instrument while Olly rapidly outpaced him.
“I didn’t so much teach him,” Lee explained. “I just opened the door and out it came.”
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