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Britain's Got Talent 2014: James Smith and The Addict Initiative through to final

The acts will join finalists Darcy Oake and Collabro

Tim Moynihan
Wednesday 28 May 2014 08:53 BST
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The Addict Initiative perform on Britain's Got Talent
The Addict Initiative perform on Britain's Got Talent (ITV)

A teenage singer and a 26-strong street dance crew were the latest acts to win through to the final of Britain's Got Talent.

James Smith, 15, and The Addict Initiative beat seven other acts in the second semi-final to join singing group Collabro and illusionist Darcy Oake, who were winners on Monday.

Just 45 acts have made it through to the live semi-finals from the thousands who applied and the hundreds who auditioned, and they are battling it out on the ITV1 show for the prize of £250,000 and a spot at the Royal Variety Performance.

Smith, from Essex, delighted the judges with his performance of the Gnarls Barkley hit Crazy, to win the public vote.

Show supremo Simon Cowell told him: “James, you came out here last, and you absolutely nailed it. That was on the money. It was a brilliant choice of song.”

Another judge, David Walliams, said: “It was incredible to hold people's attention with just your voice and guitar,” and Alesha Dixon said: “I loved the raspiness in your voice, you've just got it.”

Amanda Holden said: “It was such a confident performance. I can't believe you are only 15 and you delivered the goods so perfectly.”

The Addict Initiative, who are aged 17 to 31 and from Leicester, also won strong praise, with Cowell telling them: “This is the best dance group we've had on Britain's Got Talent since Diversity.”

Holden told them: “You are like the Grimm's Fairy Tales of dance. I would pay to come and see you.”

Another teenage singer, Jodi Bird, 16, came third, after performing Let It Go from Disney film Frozen.

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Holden told her: “I'm so proud of you Jodi, I wake up every morning singing that, because my children love Frozen.”

Cowell said: “You are fearless, you are made of titanium, you know who you want to be as an artist.”

Cowell later tweeted: “A very good winner tonight on britains got talent- James. Already shaping up to be a really good final next week.”

The third semi-final is tonight at 7.30pm. The final is on June 7.

PA

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