Young Girl Sings One Of Hardest Songs And Has Judges Jumping To Their Feet Only 2 Notes Into Her Performance

Jan 20, 2021 by apost team

It’s incredible when the life of a talented young artist leads up to one defining moment. After that moment, you realize that the star’s career is only just beginning. That’s what happened to Italian singer Serena Rigacci in 2014. The young woman got her chance to impress in front of a full house on the Romanian show "Next Star,” where she sang Dolly Parton and Whitney Houston’s timeless ballad “I Will Always Love You.”

To say that Rigacci's rendition of “I Will Always Love You” on "Next Star" was well-received would be a massive understatement. Ready to perform for several judges and a large audience, Rigacci took center stage with gently choreographed, flickering lights, meant to give the impression of falling rain.

The young star-to-be was clad in nothing splashy or attention-grabbing; rather, she wore a simple and understated pale-pink dress, clearly complimenting her mature skill and composure.

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Only two words into the hit song, the young girl’s first impression on judges and the audience was likely a positive one. Everyone in the room was simply blown away, and this was just the beginning. The judges jumped to their feet as soon as she began belting out the lyrics with such practiced talent, and members of the audience continually shouted “bravo” to Rigacci's youthful yet masterful skill.

The combination of raw talent and skilled experience, along with a true dedication to capturing the emotion of the song, was all caught on camera by the crew of "Next Star." The audience was shown rising to their feet, even before the very difficult key change Houston had incorporated into “I Will Always Love You.” Committing to the key change flawlessly was just another testament to her skill, along with her composure and self-possession as judges and audience members alike vigorously applauded, some of them even in tears.

See for yourself how this young and talented star in the making captured the hearts of her judges and audience with just one song, and we can imagine what the future may hold for Rigacci.

Besides her age, what is perhaps most impressive about Rigacci’s performance is the song she chooses to sing. Not only is “I Will Always Love You” a technically difficult track to sing, it also has a storied history.

While Houston re-popularized the track in the 1990s, covering it for the 1992 film “The Bodyguards,” country legend Dolly Parton actually wrote the song in 1973. The sentimental track, which Parton wrote as a tribute to country singer and mentor Porter Wagoner, reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart twice — once in 1974, and then again in 1982.

It’s hard to imagine that such a popular track would still have life in it two decades later, but Houston’s 1992 version also skyrocketed to the top of the charts, topping the Billboard Hot 10 for 14 weeks. Thanks to Houston’s rendition, Parton’s track thus became one of the best-selling singles of all time. Proving yet again that the song has incredible staying power, “I Will Always Love You” again topped charts in 2012, following Houston’s death. And now, decades after Parton put pen to paper, talented singers from around the world continue the song’s legacy. Other famous versions of the record-breaking track include Kenny Rogers’ 1997 rendition, LeAnne Rimes’ 1994 cover and Sarah Washington’s dance-inspired version in 1993. That’s what makes this song so intimidating. If you cover “I Will Always Love You,” you’re going up against some of pop music’s most revered talents. That’s a heavy lift for any singer, let alone 12-year-old Rigacci. But as you’ll see in the below video, somehow Rigacci pulls it off, joining the dozens of music legends who have breathed new life into Parton’s iconic country ballad.

Most of the video’s commenters agree.

“Absolutely Amazing,” Susan Engle writes. “Never have I heard anything so perfect. A very difficult song to (achieve). Whitney is known as one of the best voices in history… move over Whitney, little momma's got this!!  BRAVO!!!”

Kelly Carrero chimed in with a similar comment, writing, “One of my favorite songs! I danced with my son to this at his wedding last Saturday!  Emotional to say the least....this girl is amazing!!!!”

Since Rigacci’s well-received appearance on “Next Star,” the Hungarian-Italian singer has grown into a young woman. After starring on “Next Star,” she appeared on Hungarian X-Faktor, nearly taking first place. During the show’s final week, Rigacci received 49.07% of the vote while winners Ricco and Claudia received 50.93%, narrowly winning the competition. But Rigacci’s loss hasn’t slowed her down.

Now, at 18, Rigacci has a prominent social media presence on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. With nearly 50,000 followers, Rigacci keeps fans abreast of new releases and life updates on her Instagram. Her most recent release, “Overseas,” came out on Nov. 27, 2020. But for fans of Rigacci’s “I Will Always Love You” cover, the new track might come as a surprise.

Unlike “I Will Always Love You,” Overseas isn’t a pop ballad — it’s a rap-inspired hip hop track. Although she’s given partial authorship over the song, Rigacci doesn’t actually rap on the track. Instead, she sings in between rapper Alkaline and Famous Dex’s bars.

Fans of the old Rigacci shouldn’t despair, however. Her YouTube channel, which features more than 20 performances, offers a thorough catalogue of the young singer’s journey. There are videos from when Rigacci was a young child — even younger than she is in the video below — and there are more recent performances of Rigacci singing top-40 hits like Nicki Minaj’s Super Bass.

Rigacci’s most popular video is an adorable 2010 performance on the Italian talent show “Ti lascio una canzone,” where she sings with a group of young Italian children, a live orchestra and a stage full of professional dancers. It’s quite the production to say the least.

But where Rigacci’s voice really shines, where viewers will really be able to focus on this young woman’s talent, is in the Houston cover below. In less than five minutes it becomes clear that at just 12 years old Rigacci was already a musical force to be reckoned with.

If you absolutely loved this performance, pass it on to your friends and family! And don’t forget to let us know what you think of Rigacci’s rendition of “I Will Always Love You.”