Allow me to lapse into nitwit entertainment reporter speak for a moment:
Move over Susan Boyle! That's right, there's a new kid on Britain's Got Talent. And when I say kid – I really mean it. Shaheen Jafargholi is only 12 years old. But his performance of Michael Jackson's "Who's Loving You" knocked Simon's socks off.
"This is how one song can change your life," the typically cantankerous Cowell told the little Welsh boy. "And this may be the start of something special for you, young man."
OK, I'm back now. Wasn't that fun? If I looked like that guy from Sugar Ray, I could've been an on-camera entertainment nudnik. Ah well.
For those who don't know (or care), Susan Boyle was the woman who sang the heck out of a song from "Les Miserables" on Britain's Got Talent, which is basically American Idol but they call elevators "lifts" and stuff like that. The show features talents other than singing, but its the singing that seems to capture the most attention. (Personally I prefer Darth Jackson, a guy who moonwalks like Michael Jackson while dressed as Darth Vader. A somewhat limiting act, I suppose.)
So Shaheen is the latest to get the Brits all hopped up. Unlike Susan Boyle, he's had stage experience; according to WalesOnline, the boy "has been singing since the age of five and played a young Michael Jackson in stage musical Thriller Live. Appeared alongside Gary Lineker in a Walkers advert and had bit parts in Casualty and Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood." (For the record, the song that Shaheen sang was written by Smokey Robinson and was performed by the Jackson 5. It's hard to be specific when using nitwit entertainment reporter speak.)
Susan Boyle's youtube video has been viewed over 30 million times, whereas Shaheen's is still under 500,000. But that could change quickly.
Simon Cowell doesn''t like the embedding of these videos for some reason, so click here to watch Shaheen sing. There is one good moment of semi-drama where Simon stops the kid from singing his first number, something by Amy Winehouse. Then he moves on "Who's Loving You", getting a positive reaction. It does look somewhat staged, although I don't care enough to try and figure out if it is.
My one problem with all of this is that every time a kid has success like this, it inspires hundreds of parents to think that they can do the same with their children. Which they can't. Shaheen can really sing. If your kid can sing too, go for it. If not, don't put them on TV.
Then again, maybe they don't need to be on TV at all, no matter how well they sing.
There's a question: if you had a kid who could sing like this, would you push them to be in show business?
Image/Souce: CNN
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