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Malakai Bayoh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Malakai Bayoh is a British singer. He is best known for his operatic performances and his 2023 Universal album Golden.

Education

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Malakai now attends The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School.[1] While the school is a state school, its location in London’s wealthy Holland Park area has led to the school being criticised as elitist.[2]

Career

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Performances

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Malakai Bayoh began his operatic career with a role in The Magic Flute by Mozart.[3] In 2022, he played the role of Oberto in the Handel opera Alcina at the Royal Opera House in London.[4]

Recordings

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In December 2022, Classic FM released a recording of a Bayoh duet with former child prodigy singer Aled Jones, singing the Christmas song O Holy Night together.[5] In 2023, Bayoh's debut album Golden was released through Universal and reached the number one spot on the UK Classical Music Charts.[6] The album also reached number one on Billboard's Traditional Classical Albums chart.[7] He also sang on the soundtrack for the motion picture Maestro.[8]

Britain's Got Talent

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In 2023, Malakai Bayoh managed to advance to the final of the sixteenth season of Britain's Got Talent, though he missed out on a spot in the final three.[6]

Malakai’s appearance on Britain's Got Talent led to some criticism. The show has been criticised for presenting already famous acts as if they were amateurs.[9] In Malakai’s case, he was presented as an unknown talent whose talent was discovered by his mother at home. It has since been revealed that Malakai was a well established chorister in the renowned choir of St. George’s Cathedral, Southwark in London.[1] The choir at St. George’s have performed the BBC’s flagship Christmas Eve midnight mass in the past.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Who is Malakai Bayoh? Get to know classical music's new star treble". Classic FM. Retrieved 2025-02-03.
  2. ^ Butt, Riazat; correspondent, religious affairs (2011-02-02). "Catholic archbishop steps into Cardinal Vaughan school row". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-02-03. {{cite news}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  3. ^ "BGT star Malakai Bayoh on the successful start to his career". Great British Life.
  4. ^ Paul Glynn (November 9, 2022). "Royal Opera House bans audience member for heckling child actor". BBC.
  5. ^ Noah A. McGee (December 28, 2022). "Young Black Opera Singer, Who Shocked the Internet With His High Note, Was Once Heckled - Malakai M. Bayoh had everyone on social media talking about his performance of "O'Holy Night."". The Root.
  6. ^ a b Emma Loffehagen (August 1, 2023). "Britain's Got Talent teen star Malakai Bayoh reaches number one with debut album". Evening Standard.
  7. ^ Xander Zellner (August 3, 2023). "10 First-Timers on Billboard's Charts This Week: Cut Worms, Malakai, Parannoul, Bandmanrill & More". Billboard.
  8. ^ Herbie Russell (July 10, 2023). "Kennington's fourteen-year-old opera sensation who reduced Britain's Got Talent judges to tears". Southwark News.
  9. ^ "Britain's Got Talent: Acts judged 'on merit' after viewer backlash". BBC News. 2022-04-19. Retrieved 2025-02-03.
  10. ^ "BBC One - Midnight Mass, 2015 - Midnight Mass from St George's Cathedral, Southwark". BBC. Retrieved 2025-02-03.
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