Give a listen and prepare to be surprised as this talented father-daughter duo, Adrian and Emma-Jean Gilliard, sing the classic “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”
The sounds that these two create are even more beautiful than the beautiful faces they have been blessed with!
Emma-Jean sings first, and her voice is truly that of an angel—otherworldly and completely beyond what you’d expect of a 12-year-old girl! Dad, 47, is likewise gifted and was mistakenly thought to be related to Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli! That is not the case, though. Adian and Emma-Jean are South African. The two began making videos during downtime when the pandemic struck.
Throughout Adrian and Emma-Jean’s performance, they exude an almost tangible tranquility. With dimpled cheeks, they smile at one another and the viewers. They’re dressed in soft grey hues and moving gently as they sing solo and together. It’s just as you would expect while listening to Simon and Garfunkel’s 1970 mega-hit. And, yet, it feels exceptional.
In a time that often seems sad and chaotic, the song and their delivery of it act as a salve to a wound. The lines of the song provide calm and reassurance:
When you’re down and out
When you’re on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I hope that Adrian and Emma-Jean have been able to get out and about in their part of the world. It looks like they enjoy musical theatre, judging from the framed posters in the background! And, when they bring the song to a close with such power and precision, it seems clear that either would be right at home on a Broadway stage!
While the pandemic has been devastating, there are continuously these little stories of the good that has come from hard times. Adrian and Emma-Jean sharing their musical gifts with the world definitely fall in that category! Stay