Imagine all the possibilities
View(s):Differently-abled Australian X- Factor star Emmanuel Kelly who’s here for a series of awareness concerts, shares his inspiring story where a passion for singing became a responsibility
By Shaveen Jeewandara
He touched our hearts through a life-changing X-Factor audition that reached more than 14 million viewers on YouTube and uncountable others across the world. The story of Iraqi-born Emmanuel Kelly, a victim of chemical warfare having been born sans some of his limbs and who was found along with his brother, Ahmed, in a shoe-box has been told many times over. It’s not a story one easily tires of hearing, but this time Emmanuel is aspiring to use his story to generate much needed awareness on empowering the differently-abled.
Emmanuel: Radiating humility amidst the bustling hotel lobby -Pix by Indika Handuwala
Coming down to Sri Lanka along with Australian sensations Gary Pinto and wife Natasha Pinto (Natasha, incidentally is of Sri Lankan heritage); the trio put on a performance at the Galadari together with bassist Hussain Jiffry to be followed by three more on March 31 and April 1 and 2 at Qbaa music lounge on De Fonseka Road, Colombo 5; the concerts all in the hope of raising disability awareness.
“It’s incredibly cold here isn’t it?” he comments and laughs at his own joke, saying he loves the island despite the mad heat-even insisting on finding a Sri Lankan girl to marry! “The kids here are the cutest I’ve ever seen in my life!” he exclaims, blowing kisses at a fascinated tot passing by.
We learn that life after X-Factor has proven to be wonderful for this extraordinary 19-year-old (although he’s not quite sure exactly how old he is-the brothers were found without any documents on them). Over the last year Emmanuel has released two singles; one dedicated to mothers called A Song For Edis and Dream Big which is featured in the U.S movie Crooked Arrows, to be released by Sony around the world.
“X-Factor gave me the pedestal to reach out, and now I must do my bit,” Emmanuel says. They’re here at the invitation of Maliq and Angie Deane, a Sri Lankan-born couple domiciled in Australia. The cause is raising awareness about the differently-abled individuals and it’s very close to Maliq and Angie’s heart-their son Stefan was born with cerebral palsy and given 48 hours to live. Stefan, now in his 21st year, has defied medical expectations and all odds thanks to the loving care and acceptance by his family and friends. He was the catalyst in bringing them together for this performance and cause, says Gary and Emmanuel readily seconds this. “Stefan’s story is inspirational, it really is. He moves us every day and it’s an honour to know him,” adds Natasha.
Gary, who was Emmanuel’s vocal coach during his X-Factor days, is an Australian soul legend whose music is often likened to Stevie Wonder’s. In fact, he impressed the great singer so much that Wonder even invited him to perform at his daughter’s 16th birthday celebrations. Together with wife Natasha, also a singer, he now tours the continents performing with the likes of Guy Sebastian and Anthony Callea.
Natasha
“The message that we want to spread is that ‘disability is a possibility’,” say all three in unison. Adds Emmanuel, “When I went on X-Factor I think I broke down a lot of barriers, just by making it through. Suddenly it became an unspoken responsibility for me to inspire people to believe in people like me. I don’t want people to sympathise, you know? I just want to say that people with disabilities are still able to make a change and that we’re just as capable. I get up every morning and face the day with hope, because there is a world of possibilities out there for me.”
“Me and my brother were very fortunate to have grown up in Australia, because we were treated as normal kids. Nobody bullied us and our mom made sure that we felt like everyone else.” Moira Kelly, a humanitarian worker took them back to Australia as toddlers from the orphanage in Iraq for surgery, but ended up adopting the two boys who won her heart.
“Mom’s love was a tough one,” Emmanuel laughs recalling how she would prepare breakfast for them, and keep the bowl and spoon in front of them and leave- not because she didn’t love them enough, but because she loved them so much that she wanted them to learn how to overcome their difficulties. Another instance he recalls is how, soon after getting prosthetic limbs, Moira made the boys walk six times around the house. “I was the lazy one, but I did that you know,” he smiles.
“Moira, Maliq and Angie have been great examples to parents with differently-abled children,” Gary adds. “The message is to make the child confident of coming out into society, rather than hiding in the darkness.”
“I’ve been able to connect to people with my audition going viral, but you don’t need to have any special talent to be an agent of change,” says Emmanuel adding that Stefan is the perfect example and the reason that they are here today.
Ahmed, Emmanuel’s brother is now a part of the Australian National Paralympics Swimming team, and we learn that his ambition is to aim for gold in Rio. Emmanuel gazes out into the distance as we talk about his brother . “He’s more than a brother to me, he’s my mentor.”
Emmanuel tells us how Ahmed, first started playing Australian-rules football at an early age. “Imagine doing that without arms or legs, he was amazing!” Both of them had such a lovely childhood because the atmosphere in Australia was welcoming to the differently-abled and being agents in reciprocating that change around the world is their ambition.
We ask him about breaking out into the public with that soul-rendering performance of Imagine. “To tell you the truth, I’m sick of the song ‘Imagine’ by now. I sang that the world must come together as one, but there are so many kids out there who are hidden because of their disabilities. The world cannot come together as one until we empower them to come out of hiding.”
Emmanuel took up singing because he loved it. “I just started singing, and I sounded alright,” he laughs “It become a passion.” However, singing was only a passion up until X-factor. “Now it’s my responsibility.”
Gary: Emmanuel’s vocal coach during his X-Factor days
Emmanuel has no intention of letting go of his roots. Iraq, being mired in war has plenty of children with stories as heart-rending as Emmanuel’s and he hopes to one day give back to his motherland by what he does best – inspiring the kids to be confident of their disabilities. “I’d love to go Iraq and do whatever I can, but at the end of the day it really doesn’t matter which country I do my work in as long as I get the message across to the whole world,” he says. “My ambition is to tour the world and be an ambassador of goodwill, that’s even larger than my dreams of being a superstar.”
Their shows at Qbaa Music Lounge (on De Fonseka Road, Colombo 5, tel: 0114889088) to be held today, (Sunday, March 31) Monday and Tuesday will feature some inspirational music. Emmanuel will sing the crowd favourite Imagine and other songs that he says he’ll keep to himself for now! Natasha will sing some Alicia Keys and Mariah Carey, while Gary will sing a very special song written by Maliq called ‘Till You Know My Heart’ alongside others.
As we wrap up the interview, Emmanuel comes closer and whispers, “This story shouldn’t be about me okay? But you can mention how good looking I am!” as we erupt into laughter. Smiles, courage and spirit make up this amazing individual who’s out to empower many like him.
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