When a singer has true soul, you just canโt look away. You also begin to wonder what their life has been like up to this point because all of that emotion has to come from somewhere. There is far too much passion and soul that comes out when they perform that you know there has to be a deep story in there.
Shanaya Atkinson-Jones is one of those soulful singers. And when you watch this performance โ youโll know why.
At just the tender age of 19, sheโs already lived quite the life.
As a very young girl, she was adopted by the most loving parents. But the life she lived before still constantly lingers in her memory and causes her pain. Sheโs incredibly grateful for her parents and the love and support that they give her, but there are some things that will stay with a person forever, no matter how much love they get. But, thankfully โ lots of love was at least something her adoptive mom had always given her.
Besides her parentโs support, the one thing in Shanayaโs life that brings her joy is music. When she sings, she feels true happiness, she feels fulfilled. Her neighbors may not appreciate it all the time, but they should be so lucky to hear the voice of an angel on a regular basis! But, letโs get real โ who wouldnโt want to listen to this voice throughout all hours of the day?
A ball of nerves before stepping in front of the judges on The X Factor UK, Shanaya gets one last boost of confidence from her mom and dad who love her so very much. Thatโs exactly what she needed to go forth and knock the darn socks off of all four of the judges.
While she sings โSay Somethingโ by A Great Big World, no one in the room can believe what theyโre hearing.
She starts the song off subtly, not holding back necessarily, but showing off the softer side of her voice. Still very powerful despite the lower strength and volume.
As the song progresses, though, she shows off every little thing sheโs made of, pouring her heart and soul into every last note. You can just feel the emotion cascading from her soul.
The response from the judges is one that you donโt often see, especially from Simon! I donโt think Iโve ever seen him have such a truly honest and positive reaction to a singer on any of the shows he sits on the panel for. I honestly donโt think Iโve seen such a genuine smile from him.
Shanaya leaves the judges in tears with her emotional performance, but theyโre not the only ones who are crying.
Her mother is a mess of happy tears as she watches from backstage, so proud of her daughter and the strides sheโs made so far in her life. You can see that this family has so much love to give, along with all of the support in the world. The look in her motherโs eyes is just priceless.
Shanayaโs shy and delicate response to the panelโs resounding approval is a testament to her humble personality. It seems as if sheโs in shock, that she canโt believe that this moment is actually true. Although, of course, she deserved every last word of praise she received.
Can you imagine what itโs like to get this kind of reaction and love after having such a rough start to life? Such an incredible moment for her.
I can honestly say that I could listen to her sing day in and day out. Sheโs got the talent that matches so many of the pop stars that top the charts these days, no doubt about it.
What did you think of the soulful performance? Did it deserve the massive response it got? Watch the touching moment in the video below.
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