Although he fell short of winning the Britain's Got Talent crown, singing schoolboy Shaheen Jafargholi is poised to become the show's biggest success story. Following his captivating performance at Michael Jackson's memorial concert, watched by millions worldwide, a deluge of offers has come his way. Industry experts estimate that the 12-year-old stands to earn £10 million before turning 16. Shaheen shared the stage with top artists at the concert, including Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, and Stevie Wonder, who praised his vocal talents.
"I was introduced to him (Stevie) and he could have just said hello, but he was so nice to me. He told me I had an amazing voice. It was amazing," recalls Shaheen. "I was in his dressing room for ages playing games and messing around." Smokey Robinson, the writer of the Jackson 5 hit "Who's Loving You," was also impressed by Shaheen's performance at the memorial. "Before I went on, he said he’d never heard me sing before, but afterwards he kept saying, ‘Wow,'" the thrilled youngster shared with the Sun.
There are unconfirmed reports that Disney is interested in signing Shaheen, and the Jacksons are considering bringing him back on stage for another tribute concert at London's O2 arena on what would have been Michael's 51st birthday. "My dream is being able to make albums and do concerts and make people happy by singing, the way Michael did," says Shaheen. Now, that dream seems to be a certainty. Motown legend Berry Gordy, founder of the world-famous label, was so impressed that he told TV host Larry King: "I have no idea who that is, but I’d sign him tomorrow."
