Precocious kids imitating celebrities on talent shows is nothing new. There was 16-year-old Luke Lucas, who did a spot-on impression of young Michael Jackson on the British X Factor. There was Lin Yu Chun, the Taiwanese teen who appeared on Ellen with his rousing rendition of “I Will Always Love You.”
But these dudes have nothing on 7-year-old Angelina Jordan, a mini-Amy Winehouse on Norway’s Got Talent who blew judges away with her eerily accurate yet amazing take on Billie Holiday’s “Gloomy Sunday.”
Angelina’s performance (though I’d be more inclined to call it a séance) starts around the 40-second mark:
What’s so astounding about Jordan’s performance isn’t her range nor her technical vocal ability, although both are impressive given her age. It’s her uncanny ability to capture Holiday’s style: the impeccable phrasing, the frail yet commanding presence, the raspy, whiskey-soaked delivery. She sounds less like a 7-year-old and more like a jaded, middle-aged woman at a bar, blowing smoke in your face while telling you about all the rotten men in her life.
Angelina’s ability to mimic Lady Day seems to stem from a lifelong love of old-school jazz vocalists. In an interview with Norway’s TV2, she says she’s been taking voice lessons for four years, and lists Julie London, Nancy Sinatra, and Shirley Bassey as her favorite artists. Great taste. Cute kid. Unbelievable voice.
H/T Reddit | Screengrab via Movie Clips/YouTube