‘HipHoppera’ on Britain’s Got Talent: How Baba Tunde Won Over the Judges With a Bold New Sound

Rarely does a Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) audition leave both the judges and the audience genuinely stunned—but that’s exactly what happened when Baba Tunde strutted onto the stage looking, as host Ant put it, “very dapper.” Dressed in an eye-catching suit, Baba Tunde, a 40-year-old singer from Los Angeles, beamed with confidence and a hint of mystery. No one could have expected just what this “opera singer” was about to unleash on the world’s biggest stage.

Breaking Expectations

The introduction was classic BGT: A warm exchange between Baba Tunde and the judges, a few friendly questions (“What’s your name?”, “Where are you from?”), and a brief moment to settle the nerves. But there was a sense of anticipation hanging in the air as everyone awaited something special.

“I’m a singer,” Baba said simply, “And this is the biggest stage in the world, so why not?” It was a statement brimming with ambition.

When the music started, the crowd and judges braced themselves for opera—but Baba Tunde had other plans.

A Genre-Bending Masquerade

A deep, resonant note filled the air, hinting at a classical performance. But suddenly, the opera ceded to a pulsing hip-hop beat. Baba’s voice slid effortlessly between powerful, operatic vocals and rhythmic, lyrical rapping. The audience, initially bobbing along in polite anticipation, erupted in cheers and applause as he flipped from aria to rap verse, proving you don’t need to pick just one side of the musical spectrum.

As Baba Tunde worked the stage, the joy was infectious. “Let me talk for a sec, I see I got y’all bobbing your heads…” he said, launching into a swaggering rap with operatic flourishes. “If you want the quality, you gotta call me!”

In less than three minutes, he’d turned an intimidating audition into a celebration—and a classroom on what it means to reinterpret tradition.

Judges React: ‘HipHoppera’ Is Born

“This—wow. I was not expecting that, no way, Baba!” said one of the judges, shaking his head in disbelief. “I thought you were going to come through with just opera, but you turned that on its head and added a little bit of hip-hop to it, and…you got me excited. I loved it, bro.”

Another chimed in, musing on genre: “I haven’t thought of this before, but is this now…hip hop…hiphopera?”

The panel buzzed with excitement and curiosity—delighting in a performance that broke the mold, literally inventing a new genre before their eyes.

Perhaps the most telling comment came from the third judge, who said, “To make classical music accessible to people that don’t think it’s for them is everything. And you’ve made it cool—and brilliant. Well done.”

Harmonizing Risk and Reward

Not all feedback was uncritical. One judge found parts of the performance “a little disjointed.” “I’m not an expert in hiphopera, but I feel you could have played into the hip-hop aspect a little more…It has huge potential, but it didn’t quite set my world on fire as I would have loved.”

This honest critique was met with graciousness from Baba Tunde, who nodded and thanked the judges—an experienced artist, perhaps, knowing that pursuing something new often means a bit of friction before acceptance.

Simon Cowell, ever the tough customer, agreed the song choice didn’t quite do it for him—but ended with a comment that hinted at big possibilities: “However, it could get a lot better than this. So I’m going to say yes.”

Four Yeses and a Dream

All that mattered, though, was the final result—a unanimous four yeses. “In a world where everyone is doing the same thing over and over, I love that you were different,” said another judge. “It speaks volumes. There’s so much potential here, and I loved it—it’s a massive yes from me.”

“You’re a breath of fresh air,” concluded the last judge. “Something unique, something we’ve never seen.”

Four yeses later, the house was on its feet, and Baba Tunde had not only earned a shot at the next round—he’d thrust a new word into the pop culture lexicon: hiphopera.

Why Did Baba Tunde’s Performance Matter?

Britain’s Got Talent, like its international counterparts, is often a parade of aspiring singers and variety acts. What set Baba Tunde apart wasn’t just his vocal power—it was his fearless blend of genres and open challenge to the old gatekeeping boundaries that keep “opera” or “hip-hop” confined to separate audiences.

His performance acknowledged the past’s majesty but didn’t hesitate to disrupt it. By fusing opera’s grandeur with hip-hop’s rhythm and swagger, he reminded everyone that art’s vitality lies in reinvention, not mere repetition.

A performance like this isn’t just about talent. It’s about risk, vision, and the courage to surprise people who think they’ve seen it all.

The Future of Hiphopera

If Simon Cowell and the judges’ comments are anything to go by, Baba Tunde’s BGT run is only just beginning. There’s room to sharpen the blend—to lean deeper into the heartbeat of hip-hop or unfurl the drama of opera even further.

But even in its current, “disjointed” form, hiphopera is a breath of fresh air. And on a stage that’s seen more than its share of cover songs and cookie-cutter acts, Baba Tunde’s willingness to be different might just be the thing that takes him all the way.

In an industry that thrives on the next new thing, Baba Tunde has already shown us the power, and the promise, of daring to remix what came before. And as the audience’s cheers proved, sometimes, the most powerful act is simply to surprise.