Simon Cowell brands opera “snobby” as the straight-talking music mogul hit out at posh music types for snubbing a Britain’s Got Talent act. Judge Simon, 65, welcomes Jasmine Rice to the stage in tomorrow’s episode – a classical singing drag star.
Opening up about the lack of acceptance she’s faced in the music industry, she tells the Blackpool crowd: “I was getting a lot of rejection because of how I presented myself? Especially in the opera world. Being feminine and fierce was not really taken with embrace.” Calling her “special”, Simon reassures her: “I have to tell you the opera world can be really snobby. You have found your home (here).”
Best-known for his management of pop acts like One Direction and Little Mix, Simon has long been a supporter of classical acts on his shows. He created operatic pop group Il Divo, inspired by the Three Tenors.
Jasmine, a drag queen from New York, left Bruno Tonioli in tears with her show stopping performance of the iconic Nessun Dorma.
Explaining his rush of emotions, Bruno, 69, said: “She is fantastic, I know how hard it is to sing opera. And when it’s done properly, to that level of beauty, it unleashes such an emotional response. You have to be so emotionally connected to deliver that sound and it just touches me.
“When I hear it, it just brings me to tears because I know how hard it is to do. The depth of their voice, the clarity, they got the meaning of the song, it just got me in the guts and I couldn’t help but cry!”
It wasn’t just her voice that bowled over the crowds, Jasmine’s huge Cinderella-style ball gown was the talk of the show. Alesha Dixon, 46, exclaimed: “What an entrance.” Amanda Holden, 54, added: “You look incredible. I need to know who made the frock.” Jasmine replied: “I did.”
ITV hit Britain’s Got Talent returned earlier this year with Simon, Alesha, Bruno and Amanda on the judging panel. KSI is a new addition to this series of BGT, standing in as a guest judge.
It’s been golden buzzer galore this series, with more awarded than ever before. Simon Cowell left producers fuming after he threw the rulebook out of the window and hit his golden buzzer for a second time. Normally judges are allowed just one golden buzzer – but Simon took no notice, landing him in hot water.
Simon, 65, gave his first golden buzzer to singer Vinnie McKee earlier in the series. He blew the judges away His Cover of I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers. And the second one was for inspirational learning disabilities group Electric Umbrella.
Britain’s Got Talent continues tomorrow night on ITV and 7pm.
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