Some auditions start with a bang. Others start with a stumble. Robbie Kennedy’s started with Simon Cowell cutting him off—and somehow, that turned out to be the best thing that could have happened.
It was 2013, and Kennedy was 22 years old, working as a bricklayer in Cwmbran, South Wales. He wasn’t a polished performer or a seasoned recording artist. He was just a regular guy with an acoustic guitar and a dream he wasn’t quite ready to give up on. So he walked onto the Britain’s Got Talent stage, hoping for a shot.
What he got was a second chance he never saw coming.
The First Song That Didn’t Land
Standing in front of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and David Walliams, Kennedy started his first song. It didn’t go well. Simon interrupted him and asked if he had anything else prepared.
Now, that’s a moment that could break a contestant. One minute you’re trying to prove yourself, the next you’re standing there with your confidence knocked sideways in front of a huge audience. It would have been easy to freeze, apologize, and walk off.
But Kennedy didn’t do that.
When asked what else he could sing, he suggested “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. He picked up his guitar again, took a breath, and prepared to show the judges something different.
This time, he had to make it count.
The Moment Everything Shifted
The second Kennedy started singing “Iris,” something changed in the room. His voice had a depth and warmth that hadn’t come through in the first performance. The nervous bricklayer who’d just been interrupted was suddenly delivering something heartfelt and genuinely moving.
No flashy staging. No elaborate choreography. Just a voice, a guitar, and a song that let him show what he could actually do.
The judges noticed. So did the audience. By the time he finished, all four judges were on their feet, applauding.
It was a remarkable turnaround—not because Kennedy had become a different person, but because he’d finally found the right song to showcase what he’d been carrying all along.
What the Judges Said
Each judge saw something a little different in that performance, and their reactions made the moment even more memorable.
Simon Cowell admitted he hadn’t expected what he heard. He even suggested Kennedy could have a number-one hit if he released that version of the song. Coming from a judge known for his blunt honesty, that’s a serious endorsement.
Alesha Dixon praised his likability and the emotional power of his singing. She told him her heart was pounding and said he’d been blessed with a genuine gift.
Amanda Holden described his voice as outstanding and wondered aloud where he’d been hiding his talent.
David Walliams highlighted how well the vocals and acoustic guitar worked together, noting that the combination made the performance so effective.
Their responses showed that Kennedy had done more than recover from a shaky start. He’d given them something they would genuinely remember.
One Surprising Detail: “Iris” Climbed Back Into the Charts
Here’s a detail that makes this audition even more impressive. “Iris” was originally released by the Goo Goo Dolls back in 1998, and it had already been one of the band’s biggest hits. But after Kennedy performed it on Britain’s Got Talent, the song climbed back into the UK charts and reached number 12 in May 2013, according to contemporary chart reports.
That’s a pretty remarkable result for a song that was 15 years old at the time. It also says something about the influence of a memorable television performance—sometimes it gives a familiar song a whole new emotional meaning for a new audience.
What Happened Next
Kennedy’s journey didn’t end with that audition. He became one of the contestants selected to perform in the live semi-finals.
During the semi-finals in May 2013, he returned to the stage with another well-known ballad: Bryan Adams’s “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You.”
Reaching the semi-finals was a real achievement. But Kennedy didn’t make it through to the grand final. His time on the show ended there.
As for what he’s doing today, publicly available information is limited. Historical reports identify him as a bricklayer from Cwmbran who pursued singing, but there isn’t enough reliable, up-to-date evidence to confirm whether he still works in construction, performs professionally, or has released further music.
And that’s worth remembering—appearing on a talent show doesn’t automatically mean someone becomes a full-time celebrity. Many contestants continue with ordinary jobs while keeping music as a genuine passion.
Why This Audition Is Still Worth Watching
Kennedy’s story is a reminder that first impressions don’t always tell the whole story.
His first song didn’t win Simon over. The audition could have ended right there, leaving everyone with the impression of another nervous contestant who hadn’t quite found his feet.
Instead, he accepted the chance to try again.
His choice of “Iris” let the judges hear the strength and emotion in his voice, and the response was immediate. The standing ovation, the judges’ praise, and the song’s renewed chart success all helped make his audition one people still talk about.
What makes it relatable is that Kennedy wasn’t presented as some polished superstar with a perfect performance. He was a young man with a regular job who took a chance, faced an uncomfortable moment, and found a way to turn things around.
And although he didn’t win Britain’s Got Talent, his audition showed how much can change when someone gets the opportunity to show their real strengths.
Watch the Full Performance
You really have to see this audition to appreciate the difference between Kennedy’s first song and his performance of “Iris.” Watch the moment Simon stops him, listen as he starts again, and see how the judges’ expressions change when they discover the voice he’s been hiding.
Sit back, turn up the volume, and enjoy Robbie Kennedy’s unforgettable rendition of “Iris” on Britain’s Got Talent. You might understand why Simon Cowell went from interrupting the audition to predicting that Kennedy could have a number-one hit.
Don’t miss Robbie’s incredible audition—join millions of viewers watching on YouTube!