Elliott Yamin: The American Tan Wei Lian?
This was the title I was all geared to write about. I had a view that Elliott Yamin is the American Tan Wei Lian.
Just in case, you have wondered into my blog from overseas, here's a short spiel on Tan Wei Lian. After years of busking at places like the Kwan Yin Tho Hood Temple at Waterloo Street in Singapore, Tan Wei Lian sang his way to win the Project Superstar singing competition. When he sings a song that talks about about sight and learning from experience, it is particularly moving. Through it all, he can't see the audience or the judges. He is the ultimate underdog - he is blind.
In that sense, Elliott isn't too different from Wei Lian. Elliott is 90% deaf in one ear and has to have an insulin pump attached permanently to manage his diabetes. He has encountered difficulties, like a school administrator telling him "he was taking up valuable space". He took the hint and dropped out of school.
He is the first final 12-er in the American Idol competition who was so moved by his reception in his hometown that he cried.
I thought I could go on about how having gone to the final 2, Elliott is on his way to claiming a Wei Lian-like victory of talent over looks, of disability stumping the odds. But no. Fate is pretty cruel, it seems.
On another note, I ask myself if they are really viewed in the same way?
Come to think of it, Elliott is not really perceived or seen as disabled, and Wei Lian is a far more experienced at delivering a perforamnce that will touch hearts.
I still like the title I came up with. I will surely find others in the virtual world to cry with.
Just in case, you have wondered into my blog from overseas, here's a short spiel on Tan Wei Lian. After years of busking at places like the Kwan Yin Tho Hood Temple at Waterloo Street in Singapore, Tan Wei Lian sang his way to win the Project Superstar singing competition. When he sings a song that talks about about sight and learning from experience, it is particularly moving. Through it all, he can't see the audience or the judges. He is the ultimate underdog - he is blind.
In that sense, Elliott isn't too different from Wei Lian. Elliott is 90% deaf in one ear and has to have an insulin pump attached permanently to manage his diabetes. He has encountered difficulties, like a school administrator telling him "he was taking up valuable space". He took the hint and dropped out of school.
He is the first final 12-er in the American Idol competition who was so moved by his reception in his hometown that he cried.
I thought I could go on about how having gone to the final 2, Elliott is on his way to claiming a Wei Lian-like victory of talent over looks, of disability stumping the odds. But no. Fate is pretty cruel, it seems.
On another note, I ask myself if they are really viewed in the same way?
Come to think of it, Elliott is not really perceived or seen as disabled, and Wei Lian is a far more experienced at delivering a perforamnce that will touch hearts.
I still like the title I came up with. I will surely find others in the virtual world to cry with.
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