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00:00We're travelling across the country to hear the people of Britain
00:03sing the songs that tell their incredible stories.
00:08Our mentors, Sam Ryder and Paloma Faith
00:12will choose one singer from each city
00:14to perform at a once-in-a-lifetime concert
00:17at the legendary Hackney Empire.
00:20This week, we've brought the Your Song stage to Edinburgh.
00:24We're inviting you to listen, not just to music,
00:26but to memory, hope and courage.
00:30Welcome to Your Song!
00:40Isn't it gorgeous? It's amazing. It feels magical.
00:43Unbelievable, the architecture.
00:45Beyoncé left the wind machine for us.
00:46Yeah, we look like pop stars.
00:48Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's not quite working as well as it does for her on me.
00:52Who are your favourite Scottish musicians?
00:54Um, Biffy Clyro.
00:56I remember meeting those guys at the Brit Awards
00:58and I was a bit starstruck.
00:59I'm so glad you get starstruck as well
01:02because I absolutely love Paolo Natini.
01:06I did meet him once and I told him that I loved him so much
01:10that I'd been sitting in the tree in his garden for ages
01:13without him noticing.
01:14How did he take that?
01:15I think that he, funnily enough, it didn't go down well.
01:20Paloma and Sam will be able to watch all of our Edinburgh singers
01:24whilst hidden away inside the city's nearby National Gallery.
01:28This is the first one.
01:28My name's Sarah.
01:30I'm an admin assistant.
01:32This song, I've never sung it in front of anybody before.
01:37Hi Sarah.
01:38Lovely to meet you. You look beautiful.
01:39We've got elegance. Enter in the chat.
01:41We've got elegance, we've got actually star quality.
01:44Tell me a little bit about your song.
01:46So the song I'm going to be singing today is At Last by Etta James.
01:50It tells a story of how things come along in your life
01:54which can be completely unexpected.
01:56I love this song so much.
01:58It's that first bend note into this song.
02:01You just know if it's there or not.
02:02At last, my love has come along.
02:17My lonely days are over.
02:26And life is like a song.
02:34I'm singing it for my husband David when I was 18.
02:38He was the bus driver that used to drive my bus home.
02:42It already sounds like a rom-com.
02:44From the moment that I saw him, I just thought he was adorable.
02:47My heart was wrapped up in glow.
02:53I used to sit on a bus trying to catch his eye in the rear view mirror.
02:57The night I looked at you.
03:01Yeah.
03:03Wondering how on earth I could get this guy to know that I really, really liked him.
03:08And then I stopped seeing him for a couple of years.
03:21One night when I was going home from work,
03:24a bus drove past and this horn just started blaring.
03:28And it was him.
03:29It was this guy I hadn't seen in two years.
03:31And he's waving like a mad person.
03:33And comes running around the corner.
03:35Takes my hand and pushes a bit of paper into it and says,
03:38I can't stop.
03:39I'm holding up the traffic.
03:42This is amazing.
03:43He abandoned the bus of people.
03:44This is amazing.
03:44And he disappears around the corner.
03:46And I look down and it's a letter.
03:48I've still got the letter.
03:50Saying maybe we should go out sometime.
03:53That was May 1999.
03:55And we've been together ever since.
03:57That's so romantic.
04:00God, I hate dating apps.
04:02Oh my God.
04:03I hate this story.
04:04Come on.
04:06And then the spells can.
04:12She is cooking here.
04:14It's a classy voice, isn't it?
04:16It's like a smoky jazz lounge.
04:18You don't often hear people singing in that placement.
04:21Like this real deep open vowel.
04:23For you are mine.
04:31Holding that note for that long.
04:36There's so much power.
04:38It feels like it means so much.
04:43Oh.
04:44Oh look at David.
04:46Look.
04:47He's so proud to be out of the reserve.
05:00It's the first person's been right for me it has everything she's got me
05:06I love you too you know that comes without saying
05:14And I just asked one more question did you ever get a free bus ticket
05:18Yes, I got I got free travel for the entire time he worked on the bus
05:22Next to sing the song that means the most to them will be 26 year old law graduate Spencer
05:28I'll be singing she's always a woman by Billy Joel because I'm a hopeless romantic
05:32I love love and that's why the breakup has had so hard
05:36it's my first relationship where it's lasted two years and
05:40My advice for anyone that's going for a breakup is to take the time to heal pursue any hobbies
05:47Whenever I'm doing music it's my happy place
05:50But this is the biggest thing I've ever done singing wise and the song it resonates with the breakup
05:55How recent was it?
05:58About a month ago so yeah not pretty recent
06:01I'm still pretty sad about it but we're powering through it
06:03I'm still pretty sad about it but I'm still pretty sad about it
06:06She can kill with her smile she can go on with her eyes
06:10She can ruin your faith with her casual eyes
06:17And she only reveals what she wants you to see
06:22She hides like a child but she's always a woman
06:27Oh beautiful sound
06:30She can lead you to love she can take you or leave you
06:35Just pure
06:36She can ask for the truth but she'll never believe you
06:40And she'll take what you'll give her as long as it's free
06:46And she steals like a thief but she's always a woman by me
06:52There's a lazy diction and lazy in the best possible sense
06:56Like a lulling almost
06:58Oh she takes care of herself
07:04She can wait if she wants
07:08She's ahead of our time
07:15And oh
07:16And she never gives in
07:26She just changes her mind
07:31And she'll promise you more than the garden of Eden
07:36And she'll carelessly cut you in love by your bleeding
07:43She'll bring out the best and the worst you can be
07:48Blame it all in yourself
07:50Because she's always a woman by me
07:53Going through a breakup I would describe it as losing a part of yourself
07:58We talked a lot about the future moving in together
08:01Marriage, everything like that
08:03And it feels like that part of yourself is permanently lost
08:09Oh she takes care of herself
08:14She can wait if she wants
08:17Just reflecting on how it could have been better but
08:20Just have to deal with it so yeah
08:36Oh she's moved
08:41Man I'm going to go and see this guy if that's alright
08:46He's honest I feel nothing but truth
08:49He's ticking all my boxes
08:51And I'm just I'm buzzing
08:52Go go
08:53Oh she's ready
08:53She's on victory
08:54She's under the creek
08:57And the more she will do is throw shadows at you
09:01But she's always a woman by me
09:07La da da da da da
09:09La da da da da
09:11La da da da la da
09:16La da da da
09:17La da da da da
09:28I don't sound nice to see you, don't you?
09:31Oh look, he's emotional.
09:33Dude, you're inspiring me because when I'm like watching you getting emotional and nervous
09:37and the way you carried out, teach me how to do that.
09:40When I lose it, I'm off the rails, I'm gone, and you found a way to stay around on track.
09:44Nice and nice.
09:46Thank you very much.
09:53That was incredible.
09:55You guys have a lovely rest of your day, yeah?
09:57When I saw him in the front, I was like, I didn't expect this.
10:00It's right there.
10:01It was amazing.
10:02You've got to get a picture.
10:04Just, that really got me.
10:06Just really nice.
10:07Just a nice moment.
10:09That's a real man, Ned.
10:10It's so common for men to find it difficult to talk about feelings, and sometimes music
10:17gives you permission and access to how you're feeling.
10:23Nice to meet you guys.
10:25Well done.
10:25Thank you very much.
10:26Well done.
10:27He's a model of what should be done about, like, men.
10:32Are you in?
10:33Yeah, yeah, yeah.
10:34I know what you mean.
10:40I am Gabby.
10:42I'm 20 years old, and I'm from Glasgow.
10:44Hi, Gabby.
10:45Hello, how you doing?
10:46You all right?
10:46I'm going to go in for a bit.
10:48Is that all right?
10:48Yeah.
10:49Lovely to meet you.
10:49I've seen your family out there.
10:51They're all waiting.
10:52So, what are you singing and why?
10:54So, today I'm singing Just a Man by Alex Clare.
10:57I'm dedicating it to my dad.
10:59He's my total inspiration for music.
11:00What's your earliest memory of you and your dad?
11:03Singing in the car.
11:07Me and my dad are really close.
11:08Grew up going fishing together a lot.
11:10That was kind of our thing, singing in the car.
11:13We would drive all about the place with my sisters.
11:16He would give me all these Aretha Franklin songs and Tina Turner songs
11:20and I'd be belting them out.
11:22Sometimes your two sisters were louder than you.
11:25But maybe not.
11:25Maybe not quite as good, though.
11:27In the car, my sister always used to bring a big sock filled with snacks.
11:31We called it a sock snack.
11:33Why sock?
11:34I don't know.
11:34Gabs, how are you feeling when you're singing?
11:36Are you nervous?
11:37A bit.
11:38I feel like you don't get nervous before you sing.
11:40We all get more nervous than we get.
11:42They're really cool, my sisters.
11:44What's nice is we're all in caring careers.
11:46One's a nurse, one's a dental nurse.
11:48And I look after kids with additional needs.
11:51It's pretty much the job I've been waiting to do my whole life.
11:54But it's funny because school for me was terrible.
11:56I hated school.
11:58I would hear the stories.
11:59I couldn't believe that young people would treat each other like that.
12:03I got bullied a lot just for being different and being gay.
12:08But so proud of Gabby.
12:09She is resilient and she pushes through.
12:11It usually ends up now doing something creative.
12:15Singing definitely got me out of that dark place.
12:18And this song's so important to me because of my dad.
12:22I can just picture him in the front of the car when I'm in the back,
12:26listening to him sing Just a Man.
12:28It gives me a funny feeling inside.
12:31She knows that song hits a spot for me.
12:39See, I'm just a man.
12:41I got these troubles.
12:42I'm making plans.
12:43No, there's really nothing but you.
12:46Really great voice.
12:47Yes.
12:47I don't think before I speak.
12:50My mind is strong but my heart is weak.
12:52I'm not the only one who's been made this way.
12:57I haven't slept for days.
13:01Wow.
13:01I love that man.
13:12Digging in.
13:13No, there's really nothing if I know I can hide you.
13:23Yeah.
13:29Bending into a note with that grip.
13:31Add some more themes.
13:32You see, I'm just a man.
13:34Trying to understand what I love.
13:40She's got quite a lot of swag on the stage.
13:42Yeah.
13:42She ain't got to do anything.
13:43I love it when singers can just stand there with their hands like this on the mic and that's
13:48them.
13:49You haven't got to be extra.
13:50And I love the accent not being toned down.
13:53Truly authentic.
13:55No, there's really nothing if I know I can hide you.
14:00She definitely knows how to connect to a song, doesn't she?
14:04Oh, could I be giving it for the things I've broken through?
14:09You can imagine it bouncing around the walls at the Hankley Empire Club.
14:13You see, I'm just a man.
14:15Trying to understand what I love.
14:20What I better do, yeah, yeah, yeah.
14:27Good job, Debbie.
14:32That was amazing.
14:33Thank you very much.
14:35I'm really proud.
14:36I mean, it's going to be hard to choose a finalist.
14:40Making our job difficult straight away.
14:48We're in Edinburgh to hear ordinary people sing the songs that mean the most to them.
14:53Welcome to your song.
14:54Oh, thank you so much.
14:55I'm so excited to be here.
14:56You're amazing.
14:57How old are you?
14:5813.
14:59What?
15:00I want to be...
15:01I wish 40.
15:02Don't wish your life away, too, today.
15:04Yeah.
15:0440.
15:06So you want to be born in the 80s.
15:08Oh, I love the 80s.
15:09The music, the fashion.
15:12There's so many things about the 80s that I just love.
15:14When are you going to come down?
15:18When are you going to land?
15:22I should have stayed on the farm.
15:25Should have listened to my old man.
15:29I love Elton John.
15:31I love Elton John.
15:31He's from the 80s.
15:33And this song has a real connection with me.
15:37Sing in the blue.
15:40I love his high register.
15:43Pure.
15:43There's so much softness in this time.
15:46Yeah.
15:51Some people can just take a song and sing it.
15:55But that's not how a song should be sang.
15:57I've got struggles with autism, but I can feel the colours of the song.
16:03So you should think about the colours of music and what the song is about.
16:09You should take those emotions and you can feel those colours of their emotions and feel the song.
16:15So goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
16:20Where the dogs of society howls.
16:24You can't plant me in your penthouse.
16:28I'm going back to my plough.
16:32He's brilliant, isn't he?
16:34He's brilliant.
16:34But for me, he's at the beginning of his journey.
16:38Yeah.
16:38And I feel like he's got so much potential.
16:40But for what we're looking for, I probably don't see him as a finalist.
16:44But I really want him to carry on.
16:47Beyond the Yellow Brick Road
16:58If I'd have done any of these shows at 13 people, it would have been like she's useless.
17:03I remember actually at school once I did a show and someone's mum said,
17:07She's very confident.
17:10Which means rubbish.
17:11Could do better.
17:12Yeah.
17:12I don't want a lover.
17:15I want these t-shirts.
17:17Bad choices.
17:18Make good stories.
17:19Yeah.
17:20Are you making some stories?
17:21Yeah, yeah, yeah.
17:21I hope I'm not going to be involved in that situation.
17:24Where are you from?
17:25Dallas, Texas.
17:27Dallas, Texas?
17:28Yes.
17:28Y'all okay?
17:30Yeah, yeah.
17:31Y'all okay.
17:31How are you fine in Edinburgh?
17:32Isn't it beautiful?
17:33It's beautiful.
17:33Good evening, you.
17:36Are you going to be singing for us today?
17:39That would be a bad choice.
17:42It's rock and roll.
17:44Is this like an acoustic?
17:46Yeah, it's an acoustic.
17:46Next to perform for us is 22-year-old Binley, who's only ever sung in public once before.
17:52Okay.
17:55I just hope he's okay.
17:56I hope nothing goes wrong.
17:58No.
17:59Don't speak it into existence.
18:01Oh my God, he's walking.
18:04I feel like Finley has done pretty well in the genetic lottery here.
18:07Yeah.
18:08You know what I mean?
18:09Oh, good to meet you.
18:10I'm Alison.
18:11Lovely to meet you.
18:12Sit yourself down.
18:13You've got your guitar with you then?
18:15I do, indeed.
18:16So, when did you get into singing then, Finley?
18:18Do you know what?
18:18This has only really kicked off in the last year or so.
18:21My mum had me practising my guitar and she'd said, come through and play me something.
18:25And I felt really nervous, you know, to do that.
18:27So I sat down and I told her, I'm going to have my back to you because I can't look
18:30at you because I'm so nervous.
18:31You turned your back on your mind.
18:32I did.
18:32So I sat there and I played the song that I'll be playing today.
18:35I turned around and she was in floods of tears.
18:38Aww.
18:39So, that's a special song.
18:43Air's a nice seaside town.
18:44When the weather's good, great place to live.
18:47I'm a trainee quantity surveyor.
18:49And for the last 17 years, I've played for Air Rugby Club.
18:55That's been a huge part of my life.
18:57My dad loved rugby.
18:59Every game that I had, he was always there supporting.
19:02So generous, so loving.
19:04Aww, your dad.
19:06Unfortunately, in 2018, we found out that my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer.
19:13And we lost him in June of 2020.
19:16And the week before he died, that's when we found out the really shocking news that my mum's had come
19:23back.
19:26My parents loved music.
19:30My dad was a huge Elvis fan.
19:32My mum's favourite song is Candy by Paolo Natini.
19:36I'm biased, but she was just amazing.
19:39She'd sit and listen to you.
19:40And she just had so much love to give.
19:43So, when the breast cancer came back, we were all devastated.
19:49Oh, that's a nice one.
19:50New man.
19:52One day, she asked me to play Candy at her funeral, which was obviously a question you don't think you're
19:59ever going to be asked.
20:01It was one of the toughest days of my life.
20:03It was really the first time I'd ever sang for quite a lot of people.
20:07How you doing?
20:09I don't play it very often anymore.
20:12If I ever play it, it's alone.
20:14Please give it off to Finlay!
20:19I do feel very close to my mum when I play it.
20:22I feel her presence.
20:24She'll be by my side, no doubt, singing along.
20:29What a strong young bloke.
20:32Come on, Finlay.
20:43I was perched outside in the pouring rain.
20:48Trying to make myself a sail.
20:50Oh my goodness, this is one of my favourites.
20:54I'm praying now.
20:55He's the heathen on my tail.
20:58Oh, not the most honest means of travel.
21:03It gets me there nonetheless.
21:05His note perfect.
21:08I'm the honest man at worst, baby.
21:11I'm the endless one at best.
21:13Darling, I'll bathe your skin.
21:17And I'll leave and wash your clothes.
21:21Just give me some candy.
21:23And his tone of voice.
21:25Everything's gorgeous.
21:28Oh darling, I'll kiss your eyes.
21:33And lay you down on your own.
21:36I'll just think of him singing it to his mum.
21:40Before I go on.
21:43Just knowing that he was not going to see her for much longer.
21:48The lyrics take on such a new movie.
22:03It's been difficult adjusting to this new life that we've found ourselves in.
22:08We've all had to grow up very quickly.
22:10It's really important not to let your grief define you.
22:16That was a message from my mum.
22:18No matter how hard life gets, pick yourself back up again and keep going.
22:37You're smashing it all in his stride.
22:41Things that would crush most of us.
22:43And still carry the song flawlessly.
22:46And just untransported.
22:48Makes you a bit speechless, doesn't it?
22:49Just give me some candy.
22:53After my home.
22:56Oh ho ho ho ho.
23:00Yes!
23:12Nailed that.
23:14Absolutely.
23:14He's an absolute legend.
23:19Thank you guys. Thank you so much.
23:35Look! What an amazing family.
23:38Thank you, Finlay.
23:39Cheers.
23:39CHEERING
23:44He's definitely in the running for me for the final.
23:47Oh, my God!
23:50Oh, goodness!
23:53Oh, mate!
23:54That was very special.
23:59Oh, she's got the Scottish tartan on!
24:06I can't believe I've been out now with that one!
24:07Aw!
24:08This is class. I love this.
24:09I love it. They bonded.
24:11I'm excited. I'm nervous.
24:12I'm shitting myself. Sorry.
24:13I'm...
24:14I'm so sorry.
24:16I am scared.
24:17Why are you scared today?
24:18Is it the audience?
24:19It's actually more Grace and my mum are here.
24:22Grace is my daughter.
24:23She's amazing.
24:24She's amazing.
24:25She's 15.
24:26So you had her quite young then?
24:2716 when I fell pregnant.
24:2817 when I had her.
24:29Imagine that at 17.
24:31That pressure.
24:33My mum told me to take a pregnancy test.
24:35She knew me so well that she was like,
24:37you're pregnant.
24:39My family are Catholic.
24:40I was just so worried about telling people.
24:42There was a lot of shame around things like that.
24:44But my dad, he just said,
24:46there's worse things that can happen than a wee baby.
24:48And I was like, oh, my God.
24:49You're right. Thanks.
24:52School was hard.
24:53I wasn't allowed in the school yearbook because they were like,
24:56oh, there'll be no mention of handing the baby in the yearbook.
24:58So I had to leave school instantly to get a job.
25:01I just had to become an adult.
25:03I literally just went into mum mode.
25:05And that was me for my whole life.
25:06I never really done anything else.
25:08And I think it just...
25:10Oh, don't cry. Sorry.
25:12I'm not going to cry.
25:14I think because it was such a shock to my system.
25:16I did not mean to fall pregnant that young,
25:19but it's been the best thing that's ever happened to me
25:21and I don't regret a thing.
25:22Oh, man.
25:23I wonder when she'll be on.
25:25So the song is about Grace.
25:26So it's called It Is You.
25:28It's an original song.
25:29Has she wrote it?
25:30Yeah.
25:30Have you ever performed your song at all?
25:33I've done it for my very close family and friends.
25:35It's just a very scary thing to share,
25:37such a personal song.
25:39You lift me higher
25:40than the sun and the moon
25:44You make me feel lighter
25:46on a balloon
25:49You are my lemon tea
25:51on a cold winter morning
25:54You are the hardness
25:56that keeps me from falling
25:59That is a measured vocal there.
26:02It's just so solid.
26:04It is you that makes me complete
26:10It is you that knocks me off my feet
26:15Where she's placing her vibrato as well is so nice.
26:18This is a gorgeous song, you know.
26:21There's a natural talent when it comes to writing.
26:23I'm sat here just listening as if this song's existed for years.
26:26It is you
26:31When I wrote it, it was during lockdown.
26:33She went to her dad's for a few weeks.
26:35We couldn't mix households.
26:36You make me feel alive
26:40In that time that she was away I was completely lost
26:43because me and Grace have grew up together.
26:46So I didn't really know who I was out with being a mum
26:48and I started writing
26:51which is bizarre
26:52because I don't know how a song came to my head.
26:55I don't play an instrument.
26:56So it's the weirdest thing.
26:58It is you that makes me complete
27:00It's about her.
27:01She's kind, she's so smart
27:03and there's a line and it's
27:05You are the harness that keeps me from falling
27:07because she is
27:08and she's the reason that I strive to be a better person
27:10every single day.
27:11You are the harness that keeps me from falling
27:15Oh look at her, look at her
27:18She's the harness that keeps me from falling
27:22Sorry
27:23Sorry, rewind
27:24Everything she does
27:25like getting a job at 17
27:27all of it is just to like
27:28give her daughter a chance
27:31I need to go and give her a mum hug
27:34You got it
27:34It is you
27:39It is you
27:41It is you
27:43Simple words but all of us are feeling
27:44If it is you
27:46If it is you
27:48I want you
27:49It is you
27:52I want you
27:53Come here
27:58I want you
28:03Come here
28:05Come here
28:07You've done so well
28:09It is so hard
28:11I've felt that so much
28:14I love you people
28:14No, but like that's the best love song ever.
28:19Like people talk about love songs all the time,
28:22but the loves of our lives, of our kids.
28:24That's so true.
28:25Do you know what? It's a brilliant song.
28:27It's brilliant songwriting.
28:28Thanks so much.
28:29She's got another style.
28:31There's going to have to be some kind of metric
28:32that you use, like, who gets to do the Hackney Empire
28:35that isn't just that.
28:39I'm so afraid of you.
28:45I can't do this show any more.
28:47It's too much.
28:48It's too emotional.
28:50Guys, have you got a t-shirt?
28:51I'm in bits here.
28:57So far, nearly all of our singers in Scotland's capital
29:00have given Sam and Paloma a headache.
29:03I've just looked through my notes
29:05and I've put a star next to six of them.
29:08And we can only take one person to the final.
29:11This is going to be impossible, by the way.
29:13But Edinburgh isn't done with us yet.
29:16My name's Mikey.
29:17The song I'm singing today is by a guy called Zach Bryan.
29:19He's a country singer, and it's called Something in the Orange.
29:21It reminds me of the times I was away.
29:23Obviously missing loved ones, like my wife and my kids.
29:26Daddy's coming up.
29:27Yeah, he's coming on to see you, Doc.
29:28Lovely to meet you.
29:30Hi.
29:30Yeah, how are you?
29:31I'm very nervous.
29:32He's shaking.
29:33Oh.
29:34He's like, what have I done?
29:38So, what brings you to your song?
29:40So, I started singing about six months ago.
29:42Only six months ago?
29:43Yeah, in front of my wife and friends.
29:45So, who was the first person to hear Mikey sing?
29:48There was a guy in the showers when I was in Afghanistan and he heard me sing.
29:51And then he said to me, he says, you're a really good singer.
29:53And I just laughed it off.
29:54Do you miss the army?
29:55Very much so, yeah, I wish I was still in.
29:57What do you miss?
29:57Just a crack with the lads.
29:59You know, you live together, you work together, you did everything together.
30:01What made me a...
30:03Oh, my gosh, you are a soldier.
30:06You're so amazing.
30:09So strong.
30:11I was the eldest of six boys.
30:13We used to argue over food and outfits and girls.
30:17But where I'm from, it wasn't the best place.
30:19It was quite rough.
30:19So, I thought I'd set an example for my younger brothers and join the army and hopefully they'd
30:23follow.
30:23So, I left home at 22.
30:25So, I did 13 years.
30:28I was a troop sergeant in the Royal Answers.
30:32I loved the army.
30:33We got to deploy all over the world and see things that not everyone else gets to see.
30:37But, obviously, you've got the downside of it where you're in conflicts and war zones.
30:42I did deploy to Afghanistan.
30:46That was a bit of a cheeky tour, but, yeah.
30:51I'd just come back on leave for a month.
30:54You're surrounded by alpha males in the army.
30:56You know, you don't expect it to happen to you.
30:59But my mental health just spiralled out of control.
31:02It was in a year, actually, and we got really upset and stuff.
31:05And I says, this isn't right.
31:08Like, something's going wrong.
31:12So, I'd phone the army med centre and he was in the next morning.
31:16I was diagnosed with PTSD and I was medically discharged into 2022.
31:22I found it very hard transitioning onto Silly Street, went through some dark times.
31:28It got to a point in my life where I didn't want to live anymore.
31:31I was surrounded by love and people that cared for me.
31:34I just didn't want to be near any of them.
31:36I was pushing them all away.
31:41My wife, I don't know anyone else that would have stuck by anyone that was struggling like I was, but
31:46she did.
31:49Oh, my name's Mikey.
31:52This song, along with my lovely wife and kids, saved my life.
31:58It'll be fine by a dust cloud, I'm telling you, baby.
32:05These things eat at your bones and drive your young man crazy.
32:10Oh, I do love his voice.
32:12It's smoky.
32:13But when you place your head between my collar and jaw.
32:20I don't know much, but there's no way to dawn.
32:24He has got a persona because he's put on the American accent.
32:28Yeah, singing that genre, it would be hard to dismantle that from the accent.
32:35Because if I say I miss you, I know that you won't.
32:38Country music is like always got a sense of longing and reflection.
32:43When I see the sun.
32:46It's full of story.
32:48A lot of people that sing country music have either served or are close with people that have served.
32:53And I know that Zac Bryan was in the armed forces.
32:56Something in the orange tells me you're never coming home.
33:01The song says, we're not sure if you're coming home,
33:04which kind of reminds me of being back in Afghanistan.
33:07I wasn't sure if I was going to make it home.
33:12I need to hear you saying you ain't no night.
33:16Life now is really good.
33:19I get to come home every night.
33:20I get to wake up next to my wife and see my children every day.
33:23But there are still struggles.
33:25Your voice only trembles when you try to speak.
33:29Singing is very important to me because it helps me massively with my mental health.
33:33Back to us dancing this wood used to creak.
33:35Within five minutes I'm back to being happy again.
33:39To you I'm just a man.
33:42To you're all I am.
33:44Where the hell am I supposed to go?
33:47I'm pausing myself again.
33:50Something in the orange tells me you're never coming home.
33:55This is a gorgeous performance and he's got the experience in his life
33:59to carry the message and the emotion behind it.
34:02Please turn those headlights around.
34:12CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
34:21I think he would be able to carry an audience in a final.
34:26What I'm finding with everyone so far is technique is gorgeous
34:31and in some ways better than professionals.
34:34And I think the reason is where these guys are singing from
34:37and the intention with which they're singing with
34:40is coming from a totally different place.
34:42I feel completely like how are we going to whittle it down?
34:46This is going to be incredibly tough.
34:49Do you know what the best thing about it was?
34:51Watching you two watch me.
34:56I'm very short.
34:58You all right, Pat?
34:59I'm fine.
35:00All right, good.
35:01Well, that's still too tall, isn't it?
35:03Do you want me to smile? Yeah, you all right?
35:03No, no, I'm not.
35:07I love Pat.
35:08I'm Pat.
35:09I volunteer in Garton Evo Hospital in Glasgow.
35:13And I got along there on a Tuesday morning and we sing together.
35:16Oh, that's so sweet.
35:18One of the patients who was there was a bit special.
35:20That was Jimmy.
35:22He was a D-Day veteran and he was a lovely man.
35:24He had his 100th birthday
35:25and he requested A Fond Kiss by Robert Burns.
35:29It's a traditional Scottish song.
35:32So I sang it for him and he had a tear in his eye.
35:35And when I asked him why,
35:36he said it was because his mother used to sing it for him.
35:39If you all think about a song that brings a memory to you,
35:42you'll know what I'm talking about.
35:43That's what songs do.
35:45So this song is A Fond Kiss.
35:46And as far as I'm concerned, it's Jimmy's song.
35:50Oh, I love it.
35:52It's Jimmy's song.
35:55It's Jimmy's song.
35:55A Fond Kiss and then we sever
36:03A farewell and lasts forever
36:08Oh, I love it too, eh?
36:10Yeah, really.
36:10Weeping her drunk tears I'll pledge thee
36:16Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee
36:26Nothing could resist mine and sea
36:32Her voice is so pure.
36:35You can't fail to sort of imagine yourself as Jimmy.
36:38I feel like I'm being sung to.
36:40And that someone that cares for me is singing to me.
36:43He's caring.
36:45Jimmy was a bit special
36:46and that made me really pleased that I could sing it for him
36:50because although there was a tear,
36:52there was a memory there for his mother.
36:54That's what songs should do.
36:55There should be memories in songs of places and people and occasions.
36:59Peace and enjoyment
37:01Mothers sing to their babies, there's lullabies.
37:04Two people who are getting married choose a song
37:06that means something to them.
37:07You go to a concert, you sing, you give it lullabies, you shout it out there.
37:11Everybody has a song.
37:12It's your life.
37:13It's your soundtrack.
37:16A Fond Kiss and then we sever
37:23A farewell will last forever
37:28It's a Burns song.
37:30But to me, Jimmy will always be there for me in that song.
37:33It will always be Jimmy's song.
37:37I'll always leave
37:59I'll always leave
38:03I'll always have a good life, a fond life.
38:05You wish them well.
38:06It doesn't matter, you can't be with me
38:07but I still wish you well.
38:09Because you love them so much.
38:10Yeah.
38:13And my name is Sahila.
38:14I'm 28 and I'm from Dundee.
38:16I'm actually a teaching assistant just now.
38:19Wow, you look incredible.
38:20Thank you so much.
38:22Hi.
38:23Hello.
38:23Have you ever tried a beret?
38:25Oh, I've got several, many colours.
38:27I can't, I can't pull it off.
38:29Who's supporting you today?
38:30Who's there?
38:31My big brother Marcellus.
38:32I'm very excited to hear what is your song?
38:35Fast Car by Tracy Chapman.
38:36Chew.
38:37Do, do, do, do.
38:39Oh, yeah.
38:40Do, do.
38:42I can connect to Tracy Chapman and what she's wrote about in that song
38:45because I've had similar experiences.
38:48Both my parents went through some difficult times struggling with poverty
38:52and me and my two brothers experienced what the foster care system was like.
38:56Obviously, there's a huge stigma with children that have gone through the foster care system.
39:00People just categorize them as troubled.
39:02It's just an emotional turbulent time.
39:07When I was 16, I needed to just get as far away as I could
39:10and I wanted to just break free.
39:13I had a friend that lived in New Zealand,
39:15so that was a perfect opportunity.
39:17Going to New Zealand and living there was my fast car moment.
39:21That's so young to leave, 16 years old and went to New Zealand.
39:27You've got a fast car.
39:29I want a ticket to anywhere.
39:32People won't make a deal.
39:34Maybe together we can get somewhere.
39:37Any place is better.
39:39Starting from zero, got nothing to lose.
39:41Maybe we'll make something.
39:43Me and myself, I got nothing to prove.
39:47He's not safe, I got nothing to prove.
39:49Nice.
39:53She's making it her own.
39:54Yeah.
39:55I remember you were driving, driving in your car.
39:59Speed so fast, felt like I was drunk.
40:01City lights lay out before.
40:04You all felt nice right by my shoulder.
40:06And I had a feeling that I belong.
40:11I had a feeling that I can be someone, be someone, be someone.
40:19What I want to share the message of is it does shine after the rain.
40:24You can take your fast car and have the courage to start a new life for yourself.
40:28I know things will get better.
40:31Do fine working now.
40:33Get promoted and we'll move out of the shelter.
40:36Buy a bigger house and live in the suburbs.
40:39She's got a musical knowledge.
40:41She knows where the path's laid out.
40:42But she also knows where she can take these little scenic routes.
40:45Ad-libbing and doing her own thing.
40:47Like she did when she was a kid.
40:49Going to a whole other country.
40:50And I feel emotional about it because she took herself as a child across the other side.
40:56Yeah.
40:57I'm sorry.
40:58I want to go and give her a hug.
41:00Go see her.
41:00Go see her.
41:01See, I remember we were driving, driving in your car.
41:05Speed so fast, felt like I was wrong with.
41:08City lights lay out before.
41:10And you all felt nice right by my shoulder.
41:12And I, I, I.
41:14And the feeling that I belong.
41:17I, I, I.
41:20And the feeling that I can be someone, be someone, be someone.
41:33You're so brave.
41:34Oh, damn it.
41:35I can't believe you're with that.
41:37You've got such a beautiful voice.
41:40It takes so much to be strong and brave.
41:43Even at 16, just go to the other side of the world.
41:46And you took a song that was by somebody else.
41:49And it was like, it was your song.
41:51I really appreciate that.
41:52It means a lot.
41:53You're really brave.
41:59Everyone who sang for us in Edinburgh is back on the Your Song stage to hear who Paloma and Sam
42:04will
42:04choose to perform in their final concert at the iconic Hackney Empire.
42:08I'm so glad I'm not mentors because you've got to make a massive decision now.
42:13I just, I also think it's important to know that we think everyone's amazing and that's a big problem for
42:19us.
42:20Yeah, yeah, yeah.
42:20Darling, I'll breathe your skin.
42:24Finley was so special.
42:26The way he delivered the song, the lyrics take on new meaning.
42:30The tone of his voice was incredible.
42:32And Spencer, I just want to give him praise as well.
42:38Singing one of the best love songs written of all time.
42:41But Hannah writing her own song, I thought was amazing as well.
42:49When you look at Hannah and another favourite of ours, Sahela.
42:55Sahela's was actually the closest to another original song because it felt like this was about
43:02Sahela and it wasn't someone doing somebody else's song.
43:05Yeah, so true.
43:07Well, listen, you have got the toughest job.
43:09So, do you know what? I'm going to leave you to it.
43:11You can deliver out a little bit more.
43:12I don't like you very much, Alison.
43:18It's all relaxed.
43:19It's all relaxed.
43:20Not to interrupt.
43:21No, no, no.
43:22Yay!
43:26Team Edinburgh, I just want to thank you for giving your hearts and souls, telling your stories
43:31and singing for us.
43:33As you know, you wasn't just singing for the Edinburgh crowds.
43:36You were singing for the phenomenal Paloma Faith and Sam Ryder.
43:47Thank you, everybody.
43:49You've all really blown us away.
43:51We've had tears.
43:53Me particularly probably need therapy after this weekend.
43:57But no, we are going to be putting on a special grand final concert and we are so happy to
44:03say
44:03that you're all invited and we can't wait to see all of you again.
44:09There can only be one singer at this amazing event, which is a real shame because this was impossible.
44:15Every single one of you blew my mind.
44:17But the singer that we've chosen to come and sing in London at the grand final is...
44:31Finlay.
44:42It's completely just gobsmacked.
44:46I don't know what the right thing does to say.
44:50I'm just...
44:50Yeah, I'm just delighted.
44:52Absolutely delighted.
44:56The reason we chose Finlay, the voice, phenomenal.
44:59Stopped me in my tracks.
45:00The care and sincerity of just his command of the stage.
45:05The guitar, the instrument in his hands, the love you can feel from him.
45:08I recognised you singing on that stage was your moment for you and your sisters.
45:12He's been through hell.
45:14He's here now stepping up to the plate that no 22-year-old should have to step up to.
45:18Amazing man.
45:19Roman.
45:21Oh, my gosh, thank you so, so much.
45:23He floored us with his story and his performance combined,
45:27and those two things felt very connected.
45:29There's no separating him from the song and the story.
45:33I've not been able to stop thinking about my parents and things like that at all.
45:36They loved to brag and boast about their kids,
45:39and I feel like this is something that, you know,
45:41they'd be marching around the whole town talking about.
45:55I don't know how to say this other than the fact that I've won.
46:01Yeah, yeah, I know.
46:09This is you.
46:10This is your time.
46:10You've done this, and you deserve this.
46:13And honestly, like, your mum and dad would be proud of you, mate.
46:16Oh, I hope so.
46:23Thank you, Eddie, for us.
46:26You've been amazing.
46:35I feel like I might need to lift you up.
46:40To hear songs that celebrate college.
46:46Love.
46:47You didn't break my heart.
46:51And hope.
46:52That voice should never be trapped.
46:56But who will be chosen for the final concert?
47:00I want that song.
47:01Yeah.
47:14Yo.
47:19OK.
47:26Bye….
47:29Bye…
47:30Bye.
47:30Bye.