Malakai Bayoh, a contestant on Britain’s Got Talent 2023, is a winner today, as his first album Golden premieres at the top of the Official Classical Artist Albums Chart.
The 14-year-old chorister captivated the hearts of both Britain’s Got Talent judges as well as viewers, bringing them to tears with his stunning voice.
Since his debut on the primetime television show, international interest and demands have poured in, including a personal note of gratitude from Sierra Leone’s President.
He has also captured the attention of Hollywood, singing on the soundtrack of the upcoming film Maestro, a historical drama about the life of Leonard Bernstein directed and starring by Bradley Cooper and produced by Hollywood legends Martin Scorsese as well as Steven Spielberg.
Andrew Lloyd Webber, the composer of some of the world’s most famous musical soundtracks, met Malakai and exclaimed, “I love your voice, it’s absolutely fantastic!” Sir Karl Jenkins, one of Britain’s most known and performed living composers (he: “I thought he was really cool!”), offered to re-arrange Benedictus from his Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, which just reached 1000 weeks on the UK Official Classical Albums Chart. This is the first time a treble has recorded Sir Karl’s immortal ‘Benedictus’.
Director of Music at his school, Scott Price, says: “Malakai has a unique, wonderfully expressive, and flexible voice. He possesses intense musicianship and a real gift for storytelling – it is always a joy to hear him sing and it has been a real pleasure to help him prepare for this recording”.
Malakai won the hearts of the judges as well as viewers on the ITV talent show and also gained the support of Andrew Lloyd Webber, However, earlier this year Malakai’s 14-year-old boy composed a deal with Universal Music.
Martin Talbot, Chief Executive, Official Charts, adds: “What a year it has been for Malakai – first he became a superstar on Britain’s Got Talent and now he’s topping the Official Classical Artist Albums Chart. This huge new star for the classical world has truly arrived. Congratulations Malakai!”
On his success, Malakai says: “I can’t believe I’ve got a Number 1 album! It was so much fun to make as well. Thank you everyone for buying it. And now it’s the school holidays too!”
Malakai got attendance from all over the world with his pure video, talent, and warmth and now he has nearly half a million followers on Instagram, Tiktok and Facebook. But he is very down to earth, saving enough time for his other passions and hobbies including football, swimming also for table tennis, badminton, computer games, and most importantly for his family.