This morning I invested the 3:19 it took to watch Heather Russell perform "You're Beautiful", a song she wrote two years ago, when she was eight. The performance (available on YouTube) took place beside a guitar stand within the bare walls of what could be the family home. Piano accompaniment was off-camera.

Heather has been compared to a young Michael Jackson, and after watching her performance, I can see why. Not only does she possess a great set of pipes, she has that ineffable quality known as presence. Was Michael writing songs at eight? I don't think so.

As you'll see from the last two hours of comments generated by Heather's performance (see bel[l]ow), mention is made of the singer's dynamics, which range from pianissimo to fortissimo. Recall that one of the last great pop acts to break into the mainstream employed a similar technique, Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (1991). (Hard to believe that "Smells Like Teen Spirit" came out 20 years ago, and that we are still in an era notable for its extremes.)

couldn't hear her at first, so turned up the volume. I SHOULD NEVER HAD DONE THAT! 


whyarewelaughing 16 hours

You are the best heather realy the best :) German Loves you 


LetsPlayerA 22 minutes ago 2

@JohnnyJML3
It's not really yelling, it's poor sound quality in bad acoustics in a home video. Der!


sagechild1 38 minutes ago

@JohnnyJML3 :
Not like you could yell any better.
She's 10. & amazing.
Go help yourself by not watching it.


HipHopBreaker12 1 hour ago

this is not singing .. it's yelling .. srsly .. help me ..


JohnnyJML3 1 hour ago

she has been signed up by Simon Cowell


SheldonSweetie97 2 hours ago

OMG this is so cute and so good!



diamondxK 2 hours ago

OMG this is so cute and so good!



diamondxK 2 hours ago

what's with the screaming??? screaming does NOT mean you can sing!!
at first you cant hear hear her, and then she screams so loud you actually want your ears to fall off!
dont get me wrong, i bet she is talented, but the screaming is ruining it!! :(



kaplumbag 2 hours ago