Tom Felton may be best known for his role as the infamous Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter film franchise. But did you know the award-winning actor has a surprising hidden talent?
We’ve unearthed a rare, low-key performance of Tom playing music in the streets of an unknown city centre and, despite being uploaded back in 2016, it’s only got 97,000 views! (Given how much of a Harry Potter icon Tom Felton was, yet it shows a brand new side to the star we all thought we knew.)
Titled, ‘Fairies and Feathers,’ Tom wanders the streets with an acoustic guitar slung around his neck, performing a spur-of-the-moment song with a delightfully folksy twist.
This isn’t your usual ‘busking’ video by a long shot: Tom asks for no donations as he walks around in public, instead playing his original song for the sheer and simple joy of making music. There’s no self-promotion involved, just the happy occurrence of a world-famous actor and child star carving a new life for himself post-Potter. And it’s about as down-to-earth as a celebrity can get.
A single cameraman follows Tom in this one-take, one-angle performance, as Tom delivers fast lyrics centered around love with a wholesomely feminist twist, focusing on self-belief and the importance of understanding your own worth and radiance, whether in a relationship or not.
Performing completely acoustically, without a microphone or amplifier, some of Tom’s lyrics sadly fade into the background noise of the high street. However, this only makes his impromptu set feel even more authentic, organic, and extraordinary, considering the height of his Harry Potter fame. He isn’t seeking attention, but purely trying to make passers-by smile and surprise them with his unlikely presence, with no bodyguards or security in sight. He serves the spirit of a man who’s already made his fortune and now spends his time uplifting others while making their days complete.
It’s astounding to see a celebrity in the wild like this. But, without any mega camera set-up, signs, or personal staff drawing attention to his guitar performance, Tom appears just like any other guitar player, with a dash of hippie energy about his aura. It’d be easy to assume this guy couldn’t walk out in public without being hounded by Potter fans from all sides. However, even while playing his guitar in the soon-pouring rain, Tom’s performance is about as low-key as it can get, revealing his true, sparkling nature.
Before long, the brewing rainstorm snaps one of Tom’s guitar strings, putting an unexpected end to Tom’s set. His spirit doesn’t dampen in the slightest, though, giving us here at The Music Man nothing but respect for his instantly uplifting performance!