The room fell silent as soon as 14-year-old Sirine Jahangir, gripping her father’s arm, entered the Britain’s Got Talent stage. She gently told the judges that she had formerly been able to see but had lost her sight entirely as a child. Then she stated, “Music is my vision,” which stopped everyone cold.
Sirine took her seat at the piano and started to sing Gabrielle Aplin’s “Salvation.” At first, her voice was gentle, sincere, and passionate; as the song progressed, it became more powerful. You could see individuals wiping their eyes while the judges sat in stunned silence, totally engrossed in the performance. The audience leaned closer the longer she performed.
The entire theater stood up in a standing ovation by the last note. Amanda Holden praised the audition “brilliant” and “poignant,” while Alesha Dixon told her she had “sung beautifully” and referred to her as a “sweet, sweet girl.” Everyone in the Palladium was standing for her, even though Sirine couldn’t see it, David Walliams noted. Simon Cowell merely stated that he ought to be the first to respond “yes,” and the other judges promptly did the same.
Instead of requesting pity, Sirine requested an opportunity to talk about what motivates her. She succeeded that night, demonstrating that millions of people could actually see her through her music despite her blindness.
