76-year-old Scottish grandmother Bette Reynolds made history on The Voice UK by becoming the oldest competitor ever, leaving both the judges and viewers stunned with her rendition of Rapper’s Delight by The Sugarhill Gang.
Originally from Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Bette now resides in Ontario, Canada. No one expected a grandmother to take on such a bold choice of rap song, especially a fast-paced classic. However, her flawless performance and energetic delivery quickly captivated the audience, who cheered her on, while the judges smiled with delight.
Her performance earned her a spot on Team Tom and Dan after two of the judges, Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones of McFly, eagerly turned their chairs for her.
When asked why she chose to perform rap, Bette explained, “My grandchildren are into rap, and I thought I’d give it a shot. To see how I would react, they picked a few of their favorite rappers for me to try.”
Bette’s journey to The Voice is just as inspiring as her performance. Despite receiving classical vocal training at the age of five, she had not performed since 1966. Her focus shifted to raising her family and supporting her husband. Later, she cared for her husband Stewart, who had dementia, until he passed away in January. After his passing, she decided to honor his memory by returning to music and auditioning for The Voice UK.
Reflecting on her experience, Bette said, “It’s been a tough year. My husband passed away, and I took care of him for a long time. But I knew we had to keep going because he was such a happy person. It’s just amazing—a true blessing.”
The judges were charmed by her vibrant energy. Sir Tom Jones remarked on how young her voice sounded, while LeAnn Rimes praised the audience’s enthusiastic response. Will.i.am, deeply moved by her performance, rushed to the stage to give her a hug before joining her for a spontaneous duet of I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas, further energizing the crowd.
Before her appearance on The Voice, Bette had already built a sizable social media following with over 60,000 fans who enjoyed her funny music videos, including “I’m Your Granny” and “I’m on the Bus Y’all.” These videos caught the attention of the show’s producers, who invited her to audition.
After Bette’s performance, many viewers expressed their joy on social media. One YouTube user shared, “I was having a really sad day UNTIL I heard Bette! She made me incredibly happy!” Another said, “This is the best audition EVER!”
Bette now moves on to the next round of the competition, where she will face off against other contestants. Fans are eagerly anticipating her next performance, supported by her family and the cherished memories of her late husband.