The Day a Walmart Employee Got So High, He Got an Entire The Voice Audience to Their Feet
With so many talent shows and competitions on the air these days, it’s difficult to decide which to watch. Although it has its fair share of crazy, mentally disturbed, inelegance deprived, talentless gutter snipers who become conspiracy theorists the moment they are voted out, it also has a beautifully uplifting side. This is when an extraordinary ability is discovered in unexpected places.
Climbing out of the shadows of routine everyday situations. Among those, there are those who stand head and shoulders above the others, falling into a super professional category despite never having appeared on a stage. Every program tends to have at least one of those almost every season, albeit not all of them reach the top rank.
A Walmart employee, 21-year-old Jahmene Douglas, a competitor on The X Factor UK in 2012, had one of those moments of absolute genius. This was his first time on stage. Jahmene was dressed nicely in a grey suit, ready to make a strong first impression. His anxiety began to affect him even before he entered the stage. He was rubbing his hands nervously or clenching them in obvious distress. He was standing behind the curtains, ready to walk on stage, when he noticed how clean and bright the stage was.
When responding to the judges after his introduction, Jahmene had a nervous shoulder twitch and giggle. However, it only took three words from judge Nicole Scheringer to change the young performer’s demeanor. “Take that away,” she demanded. Jahmene was well aware that she was not referring to the garbage. He began his performance of Etta James’ “At Last” with a note-perfect and clean high pitched voice that would put any prima donna to shame.
Jahmene, who reached high notes only NASA could appreciate, first completely silenced the crowd and judges, who sat in wonder for a time. Nicole displayed her goosebumps to the other judges.
Gary Barlow began cheering during the song as the Walmart man strikes those wonderful notes to perfection, and Judge Louis Walsh’s jaw dropped so far it smacked the table. For many years to come, this will be a must-hear and see.
