The Voice Kids France judges were quite intrigued when a contestant began singing “I Will Always Love You” during a segment of the show. Who was behind the voice, however, has taken many people by surprise.
It’s a blind audition so moving it’s been viewed online more than 7.9 million times.
Contestants only have one shot to impress the judges on reality tv competitions like The Voice. For this reason, it’s important they stand out and shine.
Of course, making the perfect song choice is a very big part of it. The right selection can highlight a person’s talents – while the wrong one can turn an audition sour.
One tune that’s frequented the stages of The Voice, The X Factor, and the Got Talent series is “I Will Always Love You.” But that doesn’t mean it’s an easy song to perform.
An artist must be very confident in their abilities to take on The Bodyguard classic, which contains notes powerful enough to chill a room.
On the 2nd season of The Voice Kids France, all the judges had their red chairs turned away unable to see the 13-year-old contestant. This aspect of the show ensures that they make their selections based on the singer’s talent, and not their appearance.
What makes the video below unique is that the teen is blurred out during most of the performance. So, we too get to experience listening to the voice without making judgments on looks.
From the very first lyrics of “I Will Always Love You” the judges appear to perk up by what they hear. Not only does the French contestant have an incredible voice, but the fact that they sing the song beautifully in English can’t be an easy feat.
One judge, in particular, seems especially moved by what he hears. It’s written all over musician Louis Bertignac’s face, who closes his eyes and at one point even takes a gulp.
Although most people are familiar with Whitney Houston’s rendition of “I Will Always Love You,” she wasn’t the song’s creator. In fact, Dolly Parton wrote it in 1973 as a country love ballad.
According to Song Facts in regards to Whitney’s version:
“I Will Always Love You” does hold the record for the most weeks at #1 for a song that first appeared on a soundtrack.”
When the teen reaches the song’s point that covers a lot of us with goosebumps, he does not disappoint. Yep, that’s right – male singer Léo Ristorto is finally revealed as being the one behind the voice!
Léo belts out the lyrics with such passion you can almost feel the energy through the screen. However, oddly enough, not a single judge turned around.
But then there was one…
During the last moments of Léo’s blind audition, Louis Bertignac slams his button to swivel his chair. The move helped ensure that he would be moving on to the next round.
Léo’s so overcome with emotion coming face to face with Louis that he tears up on stage. He had put his heart and soul into the performance – and in the end, it paid off.
While there are countless music auditions on the internet – some are more impactful than others. Léo’s rendition of “I Will Always Love You” has been watched millions of times for a reason.
Enjoy it for yourself by pressing play below!
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