Aaron Marshall, a contestant on Britain’s Got Talent, stated that he would be performing the iconic Disney song “Let It Go.” At first, Judge Amanda Holden, a well-known admirer of the Frozen mega-hit, was ecstatic and could be seen getting enthusiastic as the well-known music started. But as soon as Marshall spoke, her joy vanished and was replaced by a look of pure “shock and disgust.” The audience was treated to a brutal, black-metal performance of the song, delivered solely in guttural screams, rather than a lyrical ballad.
Holden was instantly overwhelmed by the startling conversion of the song into a metal anthem and tried to end the performance by hitting her red button. Marshall continued his distinctive, potent screamo delivery in spite of the judge’s immediate and obvious disfavor. As the song went on, the originally amused and laughing audience unexpectedly began to shake their arms and sing along to the original melody, creating an inadvertent melodic counterpoint to the artist’s roars. The judge was clearly battling with her disappointment after the event, which was a tense, perplexing blend of Disney whimsy and heavy metal ferocity.
After the contentious audition, Amanda Holden expressed her displeasure, saying, “I found that offensive,” and harshly hoping that Marshall would “lose your voice this afternoon.” The performance was “every little princess’s nightmare,” she later bemoaned. The other judges did not share her indignation, even though she voted “No.” Holden was the only defeated voice of opposition as Marshall advanced to the next round with a three-to-one triumph after receiving “Yes” responses from Simon Cowell, David Walliams, and Alesha Dixon.
