The history books feature a few examples of childhood musical prodigies. There’re Mozart and Beethoven, who were both accomplished composers and natural instrumentalists before adolescence.
Mozart, specifically, wrote his first piece of music at age 5 and was considered a skilled pianist and violinist by age 6, according to Classics for Kids. There are also some more modern examples of musical ingeniousness. Every now and then, someone comes along capable of almost everything from the start, adding to an art form while almost still in diapers.
On Harry Connick, Jr.’s show Harry, a 5-year-old by the name of Caleb Serrano performs a stunning rendition of “This Little Light of Mine.” Dressed in a small suit, tie, and khakis, he takes the mic with the help of Harry’s magnificent backing band in front of a live audience.
The performance starts out modestly, with Caleb flexing his smooth vibrato and his backing ensemble stepping upping the ante. Then, things kick into gear with the 5-year-old belting notes atop the accompaniment.
Caleb’s last name is coincidentally similar to “soprano,” which is an Italian word generally signifying a vocalist with the highest vocal range in all of music and opera, according to Lumen Learning. Some of the greatest singers of all time have been acclaimed sopranos.
The guitarist gets really into it as the band kicks into full force, providing the backing harmonies and rhythm to Caleb’s lead. He takes his orange guitar and joins the young singer on the lower platform, bobbing his body to the music.
Caleb continues his serenade to the surprise and extreme enjoyment of the audience members, who although not usually featured on the screen, can easily be heard during the programming.
“This Little Light of Mine” is an American classic. Most people have heard the song countless times throughout their lives. The gospel opus was written in the 1920s by Harry Dixon Loes. Although similar in style to Southern spirituals of the time, Loes was actually from Michigan, penning over 3000 songs in his career. It became a staple piece of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, where it was further solidified in the American popular cannon, according to Live About.
Caleb’s performance is spirited and powerful, necessitating Harry Connick, Jr. himself to start clapping and joining in on the fun.
Caleb’s vibrato is absolutely on point, wavering and tapering his smooth voice at will throughout the duration of “I’m Gonna Let it Shine.” He has the skills of a trained vocalist well beyond his age.
Fortunately, “This Little Light of Mine” isn’t Caleb’s only performance. He even sings a stripped down version of “Amazing Grace” on Harry, too, coupled with an acoustic guitar.
Everything seems to come naturally to the child. His voice is silky smooth and he looks dapper and suave in the swag of his mini-suit and tie. It’s easy to forget that Caleb is only 5 years old. I wonder what the future holds for him and his golden voice. The kid’s got some pipes.
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