Canadian Singer Alex Sampson’s Smooth Love Song Will Take You Back in Time
Alex Sampson has gone from singing in a car wash to AGT.
It's easy to fall fast for a vocalist when the elements align.That’s what happened during Alex Sampson’s audition on America’s Got Talent. You could sense the audience swooning.
In the time it took to croon “pretty baby, is it crazy?” the 20-year-old singer-songwriter from a tiny town in Ontario, Canada revealed himself as possessing a big talent, a smooth voice and a tender heart.
Pre-audition he’d explained that when he was starting out he spent hours singing in his hometown car wash. “The acoustics were nice,” he said. “This will be my biggest performance in my entire life.”
After confirming to Judge Heidi Klum that yeah, he was “a little bit nervous” and sharing a laugh with Simon Cowell about wearing lookalike black t-shirts, he considered Sofia Vergara’s query about what he’d do if he won the $1 million prize.
“I’m just trying to get through this audition, to be honest,” he said. TBH, Alex aced it.
What song did Alex Sampson sing?
“I’m going to be singing an original song that I wrote … called ‘Pretty Baby,’” Alex explained. Then, after a deep exhale, he let the music speak for itself.
There was no mistaking that the sweet ballad was in the key of love. It began like this:
“Oh, maybe I’ve been a fool
Maybe I tend to lose
My balance when it comes to you
Oh, lately I’ve found a new
Girl to call mon amour
My habits, I’d break for you.”
That led to questions:
“Is this too soon
Do you want me too?”
By the first chorus, it was obvious that the cheering audience was rooting for this charmer to get the girl:
“Pretty baby (Pretty baby)
Is it crazy? (Is it crazy?)
Think I’ve known for a while
Kiss me now, drive me wild
Pretty baby (Pretty baby)
Someday maybe (Hope someday maybe)
We’ll look up at the stars
Holding you in my arms
Pretty baby.”
On X, formerly called Twitter, Alex posted that he’d co-written “Pretty Baby” in October.
“It has to be one of my favorite songs I’ve ever been a part of creating," he wrote.
What did the Judges say?
From their reactions to Alex’s performance, the Judges were clearly impressed with the total package he presented.
“There’s something about you and your presence,” said Sofia Vergara. “You said you were nervous, but no, it didn't feel like you were nervous when you started singing. I think it was a great audition.”
Heidi Klum acknowledged that she sensed Alex’s jitters but looked beyond them. “It made you more real in a way,” she said. “I also love the vibe, and I’m here for it.”
For Howie Mandell, Alex inspired a flashback to the 1960s and the voice of Herman’s Hermits lead singer. “Have you ever heard him?,” he asked Alex, who hadn’t.
“I love that,” Howie added. “And that’s kind of retro and nobody’s doing that now. So not only do I think it is good, but I think you’re creating something that doesn't exist.”
Simon Cowell concurred about the vintage sound and the originality. “For me, this song could have been written in the 50s or the 60s, which I thought was really smart. It’s the kind of song you would hear in, like, a Martin Scorsese movie, you know, in that era. It was very authentic. I really, really, really liked this audition.”
What came next were four really, really, really enthusiastic yes votes. Pretty impressive!
Check out new episodes of America's Got Talent Tuesdays on NBC. Catch up on past episodes on Peacock.
