50-year-old Mary Byrne worked at a Tesco grocery store in Dublin, Ireland. Despite being a cashier for the company, she never let her true passion stay hidden.
That’s because even while standing at the register Mary would sing her heart out.
Some of us are destined to do certain things in life. For Mary, she was destined to be a singer.
Fortunately, the staff was very supportive of their coworker’s hobby (although she admits she’s been told to hush before too). It was Mary’s dream to be a legendary musician like Tom Jones.
She explained:
“Everybody at work really supports me. They tell me I have something very special that makes the hairs on the back of their necks stand up when I hit high notes.”
Not everyone has the opportunity to chase their dreams. However, Mary received her chance after being accepted as a contestant on the seventh season of The X Factor UK.
It’s an audition that’s been watched more than 7 million times…
Reality television shows like The X Factor have seen some pretty incredible talent on their stages. But every once in a while, a contestant just seems to stand out from the rest.
Mary walked in front of the judges ready to perform. She started by telling them about herself, also admitting:
“I’d love to be a singer. It’s only in the last five years I’ve got the courage back into me to go out and do it.”
For her song, Mary announced she’d be covering Tom Jones’ version of “I Who Have Nothing.” But would she be able to do it justice?
Everyone watched curiously waiting to hear what the Tesco cashier sounded like. When she began to sing – it was a little slow at first.
But with each moment Mary’s voice got more powerful and her talent became brighter. Each high note sent the audience into a frenzy of excitement.
At one point you can even see the impressed reactions on the judges’ faces. Boy, if this is how Mary sang at Tesco – she really had some lucky customers.
In the end, her rendition of “I Who Have Nothing” earned a standing ovation, leaving a huge smile on her face.
Not everyone would have picked Mary out of a crowd as being “the next big star” – but she certainly proved you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Her audition even left the judges blown away.
While all of them gave positive feedback, Simon Cowell can at times be a wildcard… Yet, with Mary, he said:
“I think you have the best voice out of everyone who’s auditioned today.”
The crowd, judges, and The X Factor UK viewers at home fell in love with Mary that day. She’s an inspiration that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.
Since making it to the semi-finals of the show, Mary’s had different musical successes. Right after the series, she was signed by Sony Music Ireland for a record deal.
Her site also states:
“Mary has performed for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on her historic State visit to Ireland, and shared the stage with Neil Diamond to perform for over 55,000 fans at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.”
She’s even set to play the Fairy Godmother in an upcoming production of Cinderella.
Not bad for a former cashier with a golden voice! Watch the video below to see Mary Byrne spread goosebumps across the room.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
