A 14-year-old visually-impaired British-Pakistani girl won hearts at Britain’s Got Talent after wowing the crowd and the judges with her soulful vocals.
Sirine Jahangir’s rendition of Gabrielle Aplin’s “My Salvation” not only received a standing ovation from the audience, but also a yes from all four judges, taking her to the next round.
At the start of the performance, a visibly nervous Sirine told the judges that she was visually impaired. “So, it’s pretty obvious that I can’t see. There was a time when I could and now I can’t […] but I guess music is my vision and that’s what I live by. It’s like it’s my thing.”
During the performance, her younger brother and mother were visibly emotional as she played the piano and sang her heart out.
When it came time for the judges’ comments, David Williams said, “Well done Sirine. What you couldn’t see was the whole of the Palladium on their feet applauding you because they loved that.”
British singer Alesha Dixon congratulated the young singer on her performance. “What a sweet, sweet girl you are, my heart is just melting. You are so nervous but it’s completely understandable because it’s such a massive deal and you sang beautifully,” she said.
Meanwhile, Amanda Holden simply said, “I just found the entire audition so poignant, so beautiful and you just exude lightness, it was just brilliant.”
Simon Cowell started his feedback by asking the teenager the reason behind her nerves. “I only do school performances so this is something completely new and being able to sing right now is such a big opportunity and I don’t want to waste it.”
“Good for you,” Cowell said before adding, “I think I should be the first person to say yes.”
According to The Mirror, Sirine lost her eyesight at age nine. Her parents realised their daughter might have a serious eyesight problem was when she was five. Four years later, despite agonising medical procedures, she also lost all vision in her right eye, the publication said.
“When I lost my sight, I like to think I got new gifts. I used to like dancing, but when I became blind, I spent more time singing and playing piano,” the publication quoted her as saying.
Sirine is reported to be the granddaughter of Sahibzada Jahangir, one of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s oldest friends and his spokesperson on trade and investment in UK and Europe.
