At just 10 years old, Olly Pearson stunned a street crowd with his first-ever live rendition of AC/DC’s Thunderstruck — a notoriously difficult track that demands lightning-fast fingerwork.
In just three minutes, the young guitarist not only nailed the riffs but also made onlookers of all ages feel the raw power of rock, with one 70-year-old fan declaring he felt young again.
The Wrexham-born schoolboy, now 11, has become a rising star thanks to moments like this. In the viral video, Olly’s long hair and headband gave him the rock star look, but it was his skill that stopped people in their tracks. Passersby couldn’t believe their ears, with one fan writing: “Olly is my hero! Awesome talent!” Another added: “I don’t even like AC/DC but I would listen to this kid play anything.”
Olly’s passion for the guitar began during lockdown, when his grandad Lee started teaching him chords over Zoom. What started as a fun family project quickly revealed a natural gift, and in just a few years Olly has gone from strumming at home to rocking street corners and stages.
Earlier this year, Olly made national headlines after wowing the Britain’s Got Talent judges with epic guitar solos from AC/DC, Van Halen, and Queen. His high-energy audition earned Amanda Holden’s Golden Buzzer, sending him straight through to the live shows.
Looking back on that moment, Olly admitted he was nervous at first but quickly felt on top of the world: “It was just those rows and rows of people — it was amazing. Every time I perform in front of lots of people, I just want to perform for even more.”
Now, the schoolboy has even bigger dreams. Inspired by seeing AC/DC at Wembley, Olly says his goal is to one day headline the 90,000-seater stadium himself. “I’ve heard the King likes rock music,” he told the Mirror. “I’d love to perform for him at the Royal Variety Show. I could get him to rock out.”
For now, Olly keeps practicing daily, often with his collection of more than 20 guitars. His idols include Slash, Jimi Hendrix, and Eddie Van Halen — legends he hopes to emulate with his own career. And if he ever wins Britain’s Got Talent, Olly has promised to thank the man who first believed in him: “I’d buy my grandad his dream guitar, a Fender Starcaster.”
From a Chester street corner to the nation’s biggest talent stage, Olly Pearson is proving that rock ’n’ roll is alive and well and it’s being carried into the future by a 10-year-old with unstoppable energy and a guitar that sings.
The Meaning Behind “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC
Inspiration can come from anywhere. That fact is proven by “Thunderstruck.” What is now one of the most iconic guitar riffs in rock history, started as little more than a warm-up for guitarist Angus Young.
“It started off from a little trick that I had on guitar,” Young once explained. “I played it to Malcolm [Young] and he said, ‘Oh I’ve got a good rhythm idea that will sit well in the back.’ We built the song up from that.”
From there, the band added the sensuality required of all great rock songs. The term “Thunderstruck” is interpreted a couple of different ways throughout the song, but the overarching idea is the conflation between being struck by lightning and the electrifying sensation of 𝑠e𝑥.
Rode down the highway
Broke the limit, we hit the town
Went through to Texas, yeah, Texas, and we had some fun
We met some girls
Some dancers who gave a good time
Broke all the rules
Played all the fools
The second verse holds the meat of the song. The lyrics describe a wild night out in Texas—during which many rules were broken. They met some girls and some dancers and immediately got off to the races. Yeah, them ladies were too kind /You’ve been / Thunderstruck, the crux of the verse reads.
Despite being “Thunderstruck,” the band ensures the listener knows they enjoyed their time: It’s alright, we’re doin’ fine.