'Britain's Got Talent' 2017: Winner Tokio Myers on His Music and His Past
"Britain's Got Talent" witnessed a lot of astounding individuals this year. Crowned as the talent show's champion, Tokio Myers talked about his past and what music means to him in an interview.
Myers' audition clip on the official "Britain's Got Talent" YouTube account is only a little over three minutes. The video offers no background on the pianist other than he believes that getting four yesses from the judges would be life changing. As a result, many asked who this man is. With his dreadlocks and tough look, many probably did not expect him to start of his performance with a piece from Debussy. Adding the fact that he mashed it up perfectly with Ed Sheeran's "Bloodstream," Myers piqued the interest of many.
In an interview, Myers shared that he has a tough background. At 11, the "Britain's Got Talent" winner witnessed how his headmaster died from a stab wound while a teacher struggled to carry him out of the school grounds. Throughout his musical career, he developed strength with the support of his friends, family, and his music teacher, Mr. Morgan.
"I've grown up in rough backgrounds and estates and schools, so you do grow a thick skin, but it's the support of people like Mr. Morgan and a good family around you," said Myers. "Music and having that thing kept me out of a lot of trouble. I could have probably ended up in gangs, or been dead or in jail or whatever."
During his time in "Britain's Got Talent" 2017, Myers performed with nothing but a piano and mixing equipment. He mashed up unlikely songs together and made it his own. In the grand finals, Myers stood with "Britain's Got Talent" runner-up, magician Issy Simpson, who continued to flabbergast the judges until the deciding moment.
