We can often underestimate children, tending to think that because they’re small and young, that they couldn’t possibly be capable of the same sorts of things as a grown-up. But time and time again, kids prove us all wrong with their amazing talents and abilities, and 9-year-old Olivier is one of the most surprising little men of them all.
As part of a scheme entitled ‘Platform 88’, Transport for London and Yamaha have installed public pianos in various train and subway stations around the English capital, encouraging anyone to sit down and play throughout the day.
When little Olivier sat down, dressed smartly with a tie and shirt, passers-by simply couldn’t have expected what was about to happen.
The youngster eyed up the keys confidently, before starting to play, showing astonishing talent and dexterity as he launched into a ‘boogie woogie’ jam for all to enjoy.
Boogie woogie is a type of music that was very popular in dance halls around the United States back in the 1920s, originating among African-American communities and becoming popular for its easy listening and cheerful nature. It’s the sort of music that makes people happy and inspires them to dance, and as Olivier kept playing, more and more heads started to turn his way.
In the background of the video, we can see people walking past and looking over at the young boy, with many of them doing a double take as they see just how small and young he was.
And as time went by and Olivier just got better and better, a small crowd started to form, with some people pulling out their phones to snap photos and record videos of the talented little guy.
This isn’t the first time Olivier has blown the general public away with his boogie-woogie stylings. He has a whole YouTube channel filled with videos of him performing at public places around London.
One of those videos shows Olivier playing alongside legendary pianist, Brendan Kavanagh, at London’s St. Pancras station. In that clip, Olivier can be seen gazing at Kavanagh in amazement as the master musician teaches him the basics of boogie-woogie and tells him the importance of understanding the beat and rhythm.
Clearly, Olivier learned a lot from his mini-lesson with Kavanagh.
Less than a year after that video was filmed, he’s already shown a lot of progress, and he really seems to be feeling the music, tossing his head back and moving around on the piano in time with his performance.
What a talented young man! By the end of Olivier’s performance, a huge audience had gathered to enjoy him, applauding at the end as the 9-year-old signed off in style.
See it all happen in the inspiring clip below, and be sure to check out Olivier’s channel for even more amazing videos of his super boogie-woogie performances. This kid is clearly destined for greatness, and we can’t wait to see what he does next!
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