An artist’s life is a difficult one.
Although we are often encouraged to follow our dreams, the actual process of surviving while trying to establish ourselves can be pretty challenging. No matter how talented an artist may be, the initial process of getting recognition takes time and discipline—and it may even mean performing on street corners to get the word out. Though this day-to-day process is mostly mundane and just a means to an end, occasionally something magical happens along the way.
That was the case in this story out of Leeds in England.
It all started when Jade Helliwell was walking home from a night out and came across a street performer.
The performer’s was Dawid Osial, a singer, songwriter and guitarist who performs regularly in the Leeds city center. Although Helliwell was seemingly just a passerby to Osial, she heard him playing music and stopped to ask if she could join in. There was nothing to lose by agreeing to a nice duet and so Osial obliged.
When the two started to perform together, however, everyone watching was in awe.
The song they decided on was “Hallelujah,” originally by Leonard Cohen.
Still, the song is iconic and has been covered by many musicians since then—perhaps most famously by the late Jeff Buckley. As it turns out, Helliwell has a powerful voice that more than does justice to the original song. Still, Osial holds his own on the mic as well as on the guitar. As it turns out though, Helliwell was not just another person off the street—she is herself a musician in the local music scene in Leeds!
The video of the two performing was posted online and now has more than a million views.
Above all, the clip is a strong and impassioned performance of an iconic song by two talented local musicians. Still, it’s also a reminder that we should allow some spontaneity in our lives—and that we should avoid judging a book by its cover! By giving Helliwell a chance to join in on the performance, Osial helped the world discover a new talent while giving all the locals a great show in the process.
Perhaps above all, Osial and Helliwell show how much musical talent there is all around us.
Although an artist’s life can be a hard one, it’s made all the more fulfilling on nights like these. In addition to finding a great chemistry together, they also shared their talent with everyone who watched that night. Through the internet, they can share that moment with the world too!
If you enjoyed this story, be sure to check out Jade Helliwell and Dawid Osial other music on YouTube as well!
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