Even if you’ve never watched it, we must all agree that tv talent shows such as The X Factor, The Voice, and the X Got Talent shows have given unknown artists time in the spotlight. It’s great for them, and it’s great for us, as many of them are very talented. Swedish-born Chris Kläfford certainly fits this description.
He is a singer and guitarist and appeared on the fourteenth season (yes, there have been that many!) of America’s Got Talent. There have been a number of spectacular auditions over the years, but Chris’ holds its own. When Simon Cowell asked what his musical influences were, he said he listened to a lot of rock, like the band Kiss while growing up.
So, it’s interesting that he didn’t choose a rock anthem for his audition piece.
He performed Imagine by John Lennon, and it’s one of the loveliest versions you will ever have the privilege of hearing. Many members of the audience had tears in their eyes as they listened, and no one was surprised when the judges unanimously put Chris through to the next round. Chris sailed through Judges Cuts to the quarter-finals.
He sang an original song called Something Like Me and received a standing ovation from all the judges. Chris continued to perform strongly in the quarter-finals and sang another original song. Original songs can be a risk, as well-loved hits can engage the audience better because they can sing along. He only got a standing ovation from Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough, but the audience scores put him through to the semi-finals.
Unfortunately, Chris did not manage to win the contest and was eliminated in the semi-finals. That did not stop him, though! Chris grew up in a small town in Sweden, where most of the residents were his relatives. He started playing the guitar at nine years old, and music was his first love. Although he was talented, making a living as a musician was hard. He was often encouraged to keep it as a hobby. He barely scraped by, writing his own music and performing at a succession of low-paying gigs.
Sheer belief and love of music kept him going, and in 2017 he won Swedish Idol. His popularity exploded in Sweden, and he released three top-five singles in the following year. In addition, he broke a record by being the first competitor to have the number one and number seven most streamed songs in Sweden at the same time.
Let’s hope his career across the world grows at a similar place as he has a wonderful voice. Many listeners on YouTube commented that it beats the original:
“This is the best version of this song I’ve ever heard! I prefer it to the original. Well done buddy”
That is high praise indeed. Why not listen now and see if you agree? Then, if you’d like to hear a little more, check out his quarter-finals original song Cold At The Altar. Chris is definitely someone to watch. If you would like to see more from Chris Kläfford, you can subscribe to their YouTube channel or follow them on Facebook.