Lifford Shillingford is no stranger to the spotlight.
After making a name for himself during a 2000 collaboration with the British duo Artful Dodger on the smash hit “Please Don’t Turn Me On,”Lifford disappeared from the music scene. He was at the height of his music career, but things quickly became too much.
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Lifford has suffered from lifelong bouts of anxiety and depression, and those conditions peaked while he was touring with the band. In order to deal with his issues, he took a hiatus from the music industry… but his recovery, unfortunately, took much longer than anyone could have expected.
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But “it’s something I’ve finally learned to deal with over the past few years,”he says.
Recently, Lifford got back on the horse and auditioned for “Britain’s Got Talent.” To say that he owned the stage would be an understatement. After his appearance, he said that he hopes his ability to rise above his challenges inspires others: “You can get through it.â€
In true Comeback Kid fashion, the 42-year-old singer-songwriter took the stage by storm with a soulful cover of Sam Cooke’s 1964 hit, “A Change Is Gonna Come.â€
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His gospel-like voice is strong and powerful and his body becomes so animated that he can barely stand still. It doesn’t take long before he grabs the mic off its stand and starts strolling around the stage – every single word obviously embedded deeply into his soul.
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By the end of the song, the audience and judges are on their feet clapping and cheering, a sound that increases tenfold when Alesha reaches down and slams the golden buzzer with gusto!
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Lifford’s talent is a gift to the world, and we’re so thankful he was able to fight his way through and let his voice shine on an international stage.
Check out Lifford’s golden-buzzer-winning audition in the clip below, and share to spread congratulations and good luck in the future!
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