It was just as they imagined!
View(s):Australian X-Factor star Emmanuel Kelly’s moving performance at Qbaa leaves the audience with a memorable message
The X-Factor clip is playing in the backdrop. “What are you going to sing for us”, Ronan Keating asks, and the lights go out. The crowd gathered at Qbaa is hushed. A silhouette appears in a distance away from the stage as a spotlight focuses on Emmanuel Kelly, seated on a bar stool – as he breaks the silence with ‘Imagine’.
Emmanuel: Won the hearts of the audience. Pix by Hasitha Kulasekera
The cheers start rolling in, while some shed a happy tear. Emmanuel walks through the crowd and delivers yet another powerful performance of the song that put him in the spotlight. This time around the words ‘The world must come together as one’ mean so much more as he’s out to rally differently-abled people of all communities in a battle to overcome their challenges.
The atmosphere at Qbaa’s music lounge was welcoming to the people who were there to witness Emmanuel break the barriers, and Sanath Jayasuriya himself joined in by backing up Emmanuel on the Coldplay favourite ‘Viva La Vida’.
Moving on to a couple of his originals, Emmanuel showed that he’s got the moves with a lively performance as he gathered support from the audience. Taking a moment off to reiterate the real purpose of the show, Emmanuel asked everyone to wake up with hope on their minds.
“It’s hope that keeps us going and it’s hope that makes me realize that I can do all the things I want to. My gift is a blessing, but each and everyone of the differently-abled have a special gift, and it’s hope that brings us all together,” he said, asking everyone present to pledge support in the empowerment of the differently-abled.
Australian soul legend Gary Pinto took over with a heart-stopping performance of ‘Vincent (Starry Starry Night)’ by Don McLean, followed by his wife Natasha who sang the modern hits. Backing the performers with his unforgettable bass riffs, Hussain Jiffry provided the soul to the music of the night, while our very own DK entertained with his guitar skills.
Natasha: Singing modern hits
Finishing off the night’s performance with ‘Annie’s Song’, Emmanuel said goodbye to Sri Lanka, mentioning that Stefan, Malique and Angie Deane’s differently-abled son, was the reason he was here, but the grander purpose was to instil a vision of goodwill towards the entire differently-abled community in Sri Lanka.
The tears will dry out soon, but the message of his cause will surely remain in the hearts of all who were present.
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