Rudy MacLean, who goes by RuMac, introduced himself as being from Ullapool, a small fishing village in the North of Inverness. He admitted that his act was a “hobby that got out of hand,” which set a fun and quirky tone for his audition. RuMac chose the accordion, an instrument notoriously disliked by judges like Simon Cowell and Amanda Holden, creating immediate tension on the panel. The judges’ clear aversion to the instrument hinted that RuMac would have to deliver something truly extraordinary to win them over.
RuMac’s performance was a highly unique and unexpected rendition of the Baccara hit, “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie.” He didn’t just play the song; he presented a whole, eccentric, and entertaining performance that combined his accordion skills with vocal elements. The act was weird, funky, and entertaining, prompting the audience to rise to their feet and dance along. The success of the song choice and RuMac’s committed, quirky delivery was undeniable, proving that even a controversial instrument could deliver a viral, feel-good moment.
The judges were clearly caught off guard. Bruno Tonioli called the performance “fantastically mad,” while Alesha Dixon was stunned that the accordion-hating judges, Simon and Amanda, did not press their buzzers, calling that a “positive.” Simon Cowell, the biggest accordion skeptic, ultimately had to concede that the performance was fun and made everyone feel good. RuMac successfully overcame the initial prejudice against his instrument, winning over the judges with his infectious energy and bizarre yet brilliant talent, securing a unanimous set of “yeses” to advance in the competition.
