Lee Collinson was so nervous backstage that he could barely stand still. The 21 year old had flown in from England on his very first trip to America, and he told the judges his dream was to quit his day job and make music full time.
That day job got a laugh. Lee builds fences for homes and gardens, and he joked that everyone thinks he means sword fighting. He chose Better Days by Dermot Kennedy, a song that felt very personal because he lost a friend during lockdown. Back home it was around half past five in the morning, and his mum had set an alarm to wait for his call 📞.
Lee’s warm, raspy voice filled the theater, and the crowd was soon clapping along and cheering him on.
The judges praised his voice, his stage presence and his humble, likable personality. One judge said it was worth the 14 hour flight, and another told him he probably did not even know how good he was. It was a dream start for the young fence builder 💛.
