When you’re a kid, the world is your oyster. You are still young and fresh, able to do anything you set your mind to. With hard work and practice, you could be a race car driver, a policeman, a teacher— or maybe even the next Shirley Temple.
Heavenly Joy Jerkins, from Calabasas, California, is a 5-year-old born to be a star.
Heavenly— or ‘Heav’ as her aunt calls her, she later explains— has been singing since she was one year old, a skill she describes as her talent. But while she’s naturally gifted vocally, putting on her tap shoes is when she really feels alive.
Hoping to display her talents to the world, Heavenly begged her parents to take her to the season 10 auditions of America’s Got Talent. She had planned a special routine that was sure to win the judges’ hearts.
Walking on stage in an adorable tuxedo suit and pigtails, the charismatic 5-year-old proceeds to charm the crowd.
Heavenly cheerfully chats with the judges, not an ounce of shyness in her bones. “I’m so excited!” she exclaims in a pre-recorded interview before bounding onto the stage. At one point, Howard asks if she comes from a musical family— to which she says she’s been singing since she was one. The answer is fairly humorous if you have any idea who she is.
You see, Heavenly comes from a prominent industry family.
Her father, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins is a successful music producer, having produced tracks for artists such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and more.
Her mother, Joy Enriquez, is also well-known in the industry, having achieved celebrity stardom during her appearance on Star Search. During the competition, she won 11 victories in a row.
The family even had their own short-lived, reality television show, called House of Joy.
For her audition, Heavenly has chosen to sing “In Summer”, originally performed by Jos Gad’s Olaf in the Disney movie Frozen.
I don’t want to give too much away— but she sweeps everyone off their feet.
When the music starts to play, Heavenly transforms into a star.
Wearing a giant smile and exaggerated expressions, her performance is almost a theatrical display. She sings the song perfectly, stunning the judges and audience with her deep, long notes.
She even shows off her tap-dancing skills— the rhythmic beats adding complexity between the song’s lines.
Her performance is carefree yet impressively technical, reminiscent of child star Shirley Temple. In fact, the similarities are so pronounced, Howard Sterm even mentions it after she performs.
But is Heavenly’s fancy footwork and singing enough to win over the judges? You’ll have to see for yourself!
Since being uploaded to YouTube, the 5-year-old’s dazzling performance has been viewed 32 million times.
People can’t get enough of her sassy personality and skillset, leaving comments such as:
“the moment you realize a 5-year-old girl has more talent than you have…”
“She has a big strong voice.”
“She is gonna be on Broadway someday.”
“That gave me chills.”
Watch the adorable audition below.
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