2016-Dec-9 & 10, Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, Australia
Dec 11, 2016 16:47:57 GMT
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Post by LdySpace on Dec 11, 2016 16:47:57 GMT
X Factor star Emmanuel Kelly performs John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ with Coldplay for humanitarian mum
JOHN POWER, Herald Sun
December 10, 2016 3:39am
FORMER X Factor contestant Emmanuel Kelly has described the “dream come true” of singing live onstage with Coldplay in front of 55,000 fans after the band dedicated an award to his humanitarian mum.
The 22-year-old, who is the adopted son of women and children’s advocate Moira Kelly, performed John Lennon’s classic “Imagine” before a packed crowd at the Etihad Stadium on Friday night.
“Mate, it’s a dream come true,” Mr. Kelly, who was born with underdeveloped limbs due to the effects of chemical warfare in his` birthplace Iraq, told The Herald Sun. “I learnt their first song when I was 13 years old.”
But while it was a night he while never forget, the singer said it was really about honouring his mum, who adopted him and his brother as children. The British rock band presented Ms Kelly with the first-ever “Imagine” award from the U.S.-based Love Button Global Movement, which was inspired by her work helping children in challenging circumstances around the world.
Frontman Chris Martin, an unofficial ambassador of the charity, and his band mates presented the Order of Australia winner with the award backstage after inviting her to the show. The band later left her stunned by giving tribute to her life’s work during the concert — and then inviting her son onstage, after fooling her into thinking he was in the U.S. on music-related business.
“I did a lot of firsts last night. I surprised mum without getting in trouble!” joked Mr Kelly.
The former talent show hopeful, who recently signed with a music label in the U.S., admitted to nerves during his big moment, but said he was blown away by the positive response of the crowd.
“For the first verse, I was just killing with nerves and after that I just got into my zone and just went on a journey, and they followed me.”
The founder of The Moira Kelly Creating Hope Foundation said she was completely overwhelmed by the emotional tribute.
“I said, ‘wow these things don’t happen,’” she said. “This is something he will never ever forget. So I just knew the incredible joy it was going to give Emmanuel.”
Ms Kelly, who has brought hundreds of sick and disabled kids to Australia for surgery, said she was impressed by how down to the earth the rock stars were, even if she didn’t know all their names.
“They’re real gentle souls,” she said. “They’re very humane people.”
Adding to the emotional rollercoaster of a night, a love-struck fan was invited onstage to propose to his girlfriend of three years. “In front of all my new friends in Melbourne, I just want to say I love you,” he said.
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