Entertainment

America’s Got Talent’s British sensation: It felt like a dream

Courtney Hadwin wowed Simon Cowell and his fellow judges on the show.
Courtney Hadwin wowed Simon Cowell and his fellow judges on the show. Courtney Hadwin wowed Simon Cowell and his fellow judges on the show.

A British teenager who has been sent straight through to the live shows on America’s Got Talent said the experience “felt like a dream”.

Courtney Hadwin, 13, from Peterlee in County Durham, wowed judges on the show and became a social media sensation.

She told Good Morning Britain: “It felt like a dream. It didn’t feel real. It felt like I was watching TV.”

The teenager added: “I just feel like when I do my singing I turn into a different person. I can let everything out… I go on stage and kind of explode.”

She told the ITV show: “I used to stand still and just do ballads. I got into James Brown and Janis Joplin and started moving.”

Her father Paul said of the shy teenager’s performance: “I just don’t know where it came from.”

Hadwin won a standing ovation on the show following her energetic version of Otis Redding’s Hard To Handle.

She impressed judge Howie Mandel enough for him to press his golden buzzer – putting her straight through to the live shows.

She is now in contention for the one million dollar (£750,000) prize money.

Simon Cowell described her as a “lion” and exclaimed: “Bloody hell, Courtney!” following her performance.

Mandel then compared her to the late US singer Joplin, adding: “Oh my gosh. You are not from this era.

“The only thing I can do for you, young lady, is give you… my golden buzzer!”

This is not Hadwin’s first taste of a talent competition and last year she competed in The Voice Kids UK, but did not win.