Standing on the pathway near Trafalgar Square, Shanilee Tordilla Eleria held her guitar while a microphone stood ready in front of her. A regular performer on the streets of London, Shanilee was used to entertaining passing crowds, and, as far as she knew, this busking session would be no different from any other. She was joined by a fellow singer, who wanted to perform Madonna’s ‘Like A Prayer’ with her. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until Shanilee suddenly forgot the lyrics.
It was clear from the confused look on her face that this was not a regular occurrence for her. However, Music Man readers will be amazed at how easily she moved on from her mistake and picked the song back up. With nothing more than a laugh and a check-in with her fellow singer, Shanilee got right back into performance mode as if nothing had ever happened, and the pair gave a perfect rendition of the rest of the song, with an online viewer calling it “An absolutely beautiful rendition.”
I was blown away by how quickly Shanilee brushed off her mistake. I’m sure most people would find it nerve-wracking to stand up and sing in one of the busiest areas in London, let alone stumble over the lyrics in front of listeners. It just goes to show how comfortable Shanilee is performing and how much faith she has in herself. If I were in Shanilee’s position, I wouldn’t have pulled it off half as well, but seeing her keep her cool made me twice as impressed with her performance.
Music Man readers who already follow Shanilee’s videos will know that this hiccup was a true rarity for her, as she normally gives her performances without a hitch. Her singing is so impressive that it regularly stops people in the street and pulls in thousands of views online. Fans who want to see just how astonishing Shanilee’s performances can get should watch her most viewed online video, a duet of Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ song ‘Die With A Smile,’ which now has over 7.2M views.
It is one thing for a musician to rehearse their song until it is perfect; it is quite another to jump in headfirst with a song that you haven’t had any time to prep for. In her street collaborations, this is often what Shanilee does. With this approach, there is always the risk of mistakes and slip-ups, but that is what makes Shanilee’s performance so impressive and authentic, allowing her to touch the hearts of listeners the world over with her true, raw talent.