It’s not a trivial task to take an Elvis classic and make it sound amazing.
Elvis isn’t regarded as one of the most prolific entertainers of all time for nothing, but rather because he had an amazing talent when it came to his voice and charisma.
Which is why when any aspiring artist steps out onto a talent show stage and says they’re going to sing an Elvis song, what comes next is usually a significant portion of the crowd casting doubts. If that impacted 38-year-old Barry Darcy, of Cork, Ireland though, he didn’t let it on once.
Not only did he bluntly state he would be performing a cover of Elvis’ “The Wonder of You”, but he also told a story of personal perseverance and strife, one that made his ensuing rendition all the more special.
It was judge Louis Walsh who started the conversation when Darcy stepped out on the Ireland’s Got Talent stage. After asking the usual questions, it became clear that Darcy had faced more diversity than most.
“I had a herniated disc in my back and it crushed the nerves into my legs. I just went to get out of bed one day and fell out on to the floor,” he said. “They gave me a fifty-fifty chance of ever walking again, and I took it.”
Just imagine it: one morning you wake up and you can’t walk anymore. The strength and courage Darcy displayed to win his fight proves he’s got a certain type of grit … and that would be further exampled when he belted out his chosen tune.
For Darcy, “The Wonder of You” perfectly displayed how he felt about his wife and their children, who stuck by him during his darkest hours.
Needless to say, he absolutely rocked his performance. His pitch was on point, his voice was very reminiscent of the King himself, and his stage IQ was enough to have the judges and the audience clapping away.
What’s more, Louis Walsh was left so impressed by Darcy that he slammed his golden buzzer. Darcy was left in tears and his family ran onto the stage to embrace him.
