Some songs are just so good and loaded with emotion that they become timeless classics. You can’t deny a well-written, well-loved song, one that has a catchy melody and important lyrics. As history ebbs and flows, and does tend to repeat itself, a song like “Imagine” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono doesn’t lose relevancy. It’s as pertinent today as when it first came out in 1971. And it still hasn’t lost its charm, especially after this heartfelt performance.
Adam Kornowski is only in the fourth-grade, and yet when he performed his version of “Imagine” in front of friends and family, everyone was floored.
For the Lakeside Elementary School talent show in Minnesota, USA, Adam went on stage to perform the mega-hit. He and his family had no idea that the video his proud mom took would burst into a viral sensation reaching millions of people. At the tender age of 10, the boy has been playing the piano since he was 5. His dad is his teacher and says, “To have a little kid out there singing lyrics like this, so poignantly and connected, it’s been great. We’re so proud of Adam. I think his song resonated with so many people.” His dad goes on to talk about how Adam is so diligent, and comes running in after school, drops his bags and starts plunking away at the piano.
So, it’s no surprise that Adam wanted to sing and play the piano for his school’s talent show. They just had no idea how much of an effect it would have on people. Even before it went viral, Adam’s mom Michelle says, “There wasn’t a parent in the room with a dry eye by the end. He got a standing ovation and the applause lasted forever. A woman stopped to tell me that she would buy it on iTunes if I put it out there! I love his bow at the end… so polite!”
It is a moving performance. It’s just a boy with a big heart and his voice and a piano singing a really big song with so much meaning. His deep understanding of the human spirit is well beyond his years, and the years of many people on this planet – it’s all pretty deep stuff for a tween. Adam says, “Everyone does better when everyone does better, and there’s still hope.” He’s got a bright future ahead.
Click below to watch the performance that made the room stand still.
