21-Year-Old Lee Collinson Sings “Better Days” — Then Simon Calls His Mom
Sometimes an America’s Got Talent audition becomes memorable because of an incredible voice. Other times, it is the personal moment that happens after the singing that makes viewers remember it.
For Lee Collinson, it was both.
The 21-year-old singer from Southampton, England, traveled to the United States for the first time to audition for America’s Got Talent Season 17. He arrived with a simple dream: to make music professionally and eventually leave his day job behind. At the time, Lee worked putting up garden fencing — a job that he humorously clarified had nothing to do with sword fighting.
Lee Collinson Came to AGT With a Dream
Before taking the stage, Lee explained that he wanted to make music, whether that meant recording in a studio, touring or simply being able to make a living as a singer.
His trip to America was already a major step toward that goal.
But Lee was also visibly nervous. This wasn’t just another performance at a local venue. He was standing in front of Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara on one of the world’s biggest talent-show stages.
For his audition, he chose “Better Days” by Dermot Kennedy.
The song had a personal connection for Lee. He explained that the difficult years surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic had affected him deeply, including the loss of a friend during lockdown.
Then Lee Started Singing
Once Lee began performing, the nervous young singer who had walked onto the stage seemed to disappear.
His voice immediately became the focus.
The performance earned a strong response from the audience and judges. Contemporary coverage described his vocals as powerful, while the judges praised his voice, personality and stage presence.
Howie Mandel highlighted the pressure Lee had handled, particularly because it was his first time in America.
Heidi Klum also praised his singing and stage presence, while Sofia Vergara complimented his personality and voice.
Then Simon Cowell delivered one of the biggest compliments of the audition.
Simon told Lee that there was something charming, humble and likable about him and suggested that Lee probably didn’t even realize how good he was.
Simon Cowell Wanted to Call His Mom
But the most memorable part of the audition came after the singing was over.
Lee’s mother was back home in the United Kingdom, waiting to hear how her son’s first major American audition had gone.
Simon asked to call Lee’s mom.
The judges then brought Lee’s mother into the moment through a phone/FaceTime call so she could hear the result herself.
For Lee, it transformed the audition from a simple competition result into a family moment.
His mother was thousands of miles away, but she was suddenly part of the AGT stage.
And the news was good.
Four Yes Votes
Lee received four yes votes from Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara, sending him through to the next stage of the competition.
The moment was especially meaningful because Lee had traveled from England with the hope of turning music into his career.
Instead of returning home after one audition, he had earned the opportunity to continue his AGT journey.
For his mother, it meant hearing four judges tell her that her son had what it took to move forward.
Lee’s AGT Journey Continued
Lee’s audition was only the beginning.
He eventually advanced through America’s Got Talent Season 17 and reached the semifinals. During the semifinals, he performed Lauren Spencer-Smith’s “Flowers,” dedicating the performance to his mother. He ultimately did not receive enough votes to advance to the finale.
But his first audition remained one of the defining moments of his AGT experience.
The combination of his powerful voice, his journey from England and the surprise phone call to his mother gave the audition an emotional quality that went beyond the competition itself.
Final Thoughts
Lee Collinson came to America’s Got Talent hoping to prove that his voice could help him pursue music professionally.
He left his audition with four yes votes, praise from Simon Cowell and the other judges, and a special moment shared with his mother back home in England.
His performance of “Better Days” showed why talent-show auditions can be about more than simply winning a competition.
Sometimes they are about taking a chance, traveling thousands of miles for an opportunity and giving the people who believed in you a reason to celebrate.
For Lee, that 21-year-old dreamer from Southampton, the AGT stage became the place where his voice finally reached a much bigger audience.
