Monday, 30 March 2009

THE HARD MAN AND THE ANGEL - SIMON COWELL MEETS FARYL SMITH

OK so Simon Cowell’s Britain’s Got Talent can be corny and designed to push all our emotional buttons but it does provide some magical feelgood moments in what can sometimes be a shallow, cynical world….remember that 2007 youtube clip of Paul Potts that went viral? Well people are still checking it out, maybe at a time of their life when they need an optimism buzz….and Paul is now making a fairly steady living with his music.

Well there is another Paul Potts who has sprung from comparative obscurity to fame from BGT 2008 – and it wasn’t the winner. It was Faryl Smith a 12 year old girl who eventually came 4th and this was her audition.

Yes – I know it’s got all the schmaltzy ingredients – shy young girl, proud dad, Amanda Holden with goosebumps – nevertheless, when all is said and done, that voice is pure gold and although Cowell is a very shrewd businessman he also know his music…watch his face while she is singing.

Cowell wanted to sign her but she signed instead for Universal’s Classical division because she wants to be a classical singer, not a pop singer. In early March 2009 her first album was released and became an intant best seller - you can sample the album here...

She appears to be just a typical 13 year old, play football, sings with her local choir. Her accent is Birmingham, very unfashionable in dinner party circles (like Sarah Palin’s accent in the USA) but when she starts singing you can picture the angels smiling…

Here she sings a version of The Blue Danube...and later gives some tips about singing....She seems sensible and normal - let's hope she stays that way. I think her album will be released soon in the USA - it will certainly be worth a listen...

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