VIDEO: Simon Cowell Says X-Factor Hopeful Danyl "Best First Audition I Have Ever Seen!"

Posted on Aug 25, 2009 @ 07:13AM

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Danyl Johnson won't need a little help from anyone if he can keep this up.

The 27-year-old teacher from from Reading, England, performed such a stirring rendition of The Beatles classic With A Little Help From My Friends on the British talent show, The X Factor, he immediately became the program's first talent to be offered an spot on American television; the praise he drew from one of the show's judges, music impresario Simon Cowell, speaks for itself.

"I have been doing this for eight or nine years," Cowell, who has judged vocalists ranging from Kelly Clarkson to Jennifer Hudson to Adam Lambert, said. "Danyl, that was single-handedly the best first audition I have ever heard."

Johnson walked out in an unassuming get-up of cargo shorts and sneakers, before belting out a rendition of the The Wonder Years theme song with vivid vocals and excellent stage presence, even dropping to his knees at one point.

Johnson was extended an invitation to appear on NBC's Today Show immediately after his breakout performance.

Watch the video over at YouTube (embedding disabled).