Check out this audition on The X Factor where Simon admits that he’s wrong after trying to break up an opera trio!
The group calls themselves Tre Amici and they perform Giacomo Puccini’s ‘Nessun dorma’ for their audition. When they all start singing, their wonderful voices get a big cheer from the audience. Their sound is so grand, and they all sound amazing together!
Then Simon interrupts them mid-song. “I don’t want to be rude,” he says. “I’ll tell you what I think, because I have worked with groups like this before…I think you’re the one with the big voice,” Simon says as he points to Leroy, the singer in the middle of the group.
“Can I hear you sing it on your own?” Simon asks.
“Oh, don’t do that!” shouts one of the judges who went to go sit amongst the audience. The other two men on stage look very disheartened by Simon’s comment.
“We audition as Tre Amici,” says Leroy. “We’re three friends, and that’s what ‘Tri Amici’ means.”
Simon keeps pushing him to sing by himself, and Leroy eventually gives in. But after singing a few notes, he stops.
“Nah, I can’t. I just can’t do it,” he says. And the audience responds by giving him a standing ovation to show that they are in agreement with his choice to not audition without his friends by his side.
The group comes back together and finishes their audition singing as a trio. And what a victorious moment this must have felt like for the singing group. The audience cheers them on while standing on their feet. And to everyone’s surprise, Simon stands to his feet as well to give them a round of applause.
“You know what, I have to admit something. Maybe I was wrong,” says Simon. And the crowd cheers in agreement. “You really are friends, aren’t you?” he says.
The trio gets four yeses from the judges, and all three men celebrate with a close embrace on stage. What a beautiful display of talent and friendship!