From Glasgow to Golden Buzzer!
His appearance on what is widely considered Britain’s biggest talent show was nothing short of life changing. In fact, when Vinnie McKee became the first Scottish recipient of the coveted Golden Buzzer on Britain’s Got Talent in 2025, it saw him emerge from the competition as one of Scotland’s most exciting new singer-songwriters.
“I’ve always sang from a young age,” Vinnie tells me when I ask about his musical background. “I’ve always written my own music, just never put it out into the world.”
So how did the BGT audition come about?
“My brother used to tell me to go on Britain’s Got Talent all the time, but I just kept putting it off. He passed away in the May and they actually contacted me four weeks after he died asking if I’d be up for auditioning.”
Apparently, one of the producers of the show had seen a video which Vinnie had uploaded on TikTok.
“It was so strange that it happened right after he passed away. It was like he gave me an opportunity.”
That opportunity resulted in Vinnie being sent to Glasgow for the TV auditions and that memorable performance of ‘500 Miles’. But why that song?
“Everybody knew it as a party tune and it’s obviously an iconic tune in Scotland, but when you slow it down you can really understand the lyrics. I think it has more meaning to it than just being a party tune. When I slowed it down, my mum was like ‘I don’t like it’ and I was so mad because I’d already sent it in for the audition!”
His back-up song was ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ but his moving version of ‘500 miles’ won over the audience as well as Simon Cowell. Vinnie went on to reach the final, eventually finishing 8th in the competition but winning plenty of new fans along the way.
The whole BGT experience felt surreal to Vinnie who had previously only sang to small holiday park audiences. And keeping the lid on his audition success proved tricky.
“I had to keep quiet for six months, but my mum’s like Isa from Still Game. She was probably telling her pals at the bingo that I’d got the Golden Buzzer! Even the ice-cream van that comes round our area… the guy said, ‘Well done on your Golden Buzzer!’”
When the show did eventually air on TV, Vinnie literally saw his dream come true.
“My dream was always to sing to hundreds of people and to make people feel what I feel when I sing. That was all I ever really wanted and that’s what I get to do now. I perform on great stages in lovely places. I feel really lucky and I’m so grateful.”
One of those great stages was at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall where he performed to sell-out crowds on two separate occasions.
“I remember walking on stage and the place was rammed. It was unreal. Being at home in Glasgow and performing on an iconic stage was really nice. All of those people were behind me and supporting me.”
Other highlights include singing at the Apollo Theatre in London and making his debut on Irish TV.
“That was quite exciting,” he tells me. “I got to go and meet all the people on The Six O’Clock Show!”
And there’s more to come, because Vinnie is heading to St Luke’s in Glasgow on November 15th for a special Home for Christmas concert.
“There’ll be a live band,” he divulges. “There’ll be dancers. There’ll be some classic Christmas numbers, but also some crowd favourites that I’ve never sang before. I’ve also got a couple of special guests.
Lorraine Kelly said she’d love to attend the show, so I think she’s going to be there.”
It’s certainly the ideal venue for an intimate festive show which promises to be as magical as it does memorable. And prior to that, Vinnie is launching his brand-new album, Vincent.
“People know me as Vinnie, they don’t know Vincent, so that’s what the songs are about. There are ten brand-new original songs that I’ve written myself, plus a couple of duets.”
Vincent by Vinnie McKee. It sounds very grown up and is a reflection, perhaps, of how far he has come since that fabulous life-changing audition.
Someone else who knows that feeling all too well is Ayrshire’s very own Jai McDowall who just so happens to be touring with Vinnie next year.
“I’m going on tour with Jai,” Vinnie confirms. “We’re doing an Epic Movie Musicals theatre show all through February around the whole of the UK.”
The tour includes a date at Ayr’s Gaiety Theatre on 12th February,
tickets for which are available from www.ehptheatre.co.uk/tickets
For tickets to Vinnie’s Home for Christmas gig at St Lukes, visit
www.stlukesglasgow/com/events
It really has been a pleasure chatting to Vinnie who deserves every bit of success he has achieved so far and is still yet to enjoy.
“I feel like I’ve worked my whole life to achieve what I’m doing now, which is really nice.”
