Brilio.net/en - Most 12 year old are busy playing with computer games or poking their crushes. But Joey Alexander isnt most 11-year olds.
The Indonesian child performed at the Grammys as a jazz pianist, melting the hearts of millions of viewers with his sheer talent.
He is the youngest ever to be nominated for a Grammy, and while he didnt win the prestigious award he did get a standing ovation for his performance.
Josiah Alexander Sila was born in Bali's Denpasar city to Christian parents Denny Sila and Farah Leonora Urbach, who ran a tourism business. After his talents couldnt be fostered any further in Bali, which doesnt have formal jazz classes, the family moved to Jakarta in light of what they say is a talent gifted from God. In 2014, the family moved to New York City after he was discovered on YouTube by Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.
Praising the young pianist on Facebook, he then invited him to play at the Jazz at Lincoln Center's gala, making him an "overnight sensation". In just a few short years since he learned to play the piano at 6, the self-taught prodigy has swooned many internationally, especially in his native Indonesia. You were definitely the star of the show," tweeted Indonesian music composer Sherina Sinna. Movie-maker Joko Anwar also described him as a "hope".
He is a shining light for Indonesian artists abroad, as he became the first Indonesian to break the Billboard Charts in May of 2015 after releasing his first album My Favourite Things, which placed 174th and peaked at 59th in January 2016.
Watch his moving performance at the 58th annual Grammys earlier this week and see what the news is all about.