There are many exceptional musicians, but what separates talent from a prodigy. Kodi Lee can answer that question. He is a savant, one of approximately 25 worldwide with similar abilities. He was born blind, but as if to make up for this loss, the universe gave him a fantastic ability. He has perfect pitch and musical photographic memory.
He only needs to hear a piece of music once and then recall it perfectly, even if it’s in another language! It’s no wonder he entered and won the 14th season of America’s Got Talent. If you’ve never seen his audition you need to check it out here.
Gabrielle Union gave Kodi a golden buzzer and put him straight through to the quarter-finals. Amazingly he was even more fantastic. He sang Simon and Garfunkel’s timeless hit Bridge Over Troubled Waters and received a standing ovation from all the judges. In fact, he received a standing ovation in every round! In the final, he dueted with Leona Lewis and won the contest.
Kodi’s full name is Kodi Taehyun Lee, and he was born on the 7th of July 1996. His parents’ names are Tina and Eric Lee, and he has a younger brother and sister named Kayla and Derek. He was born in Southern California. His blindness was caused by a condition called optic nerve hypoplasia, and he required emergency surgery when he was just 5 days old.
As well as the loss of his sight, Kodi was diagnosed as autistic and later with Addison’s disease. This condition can cause a wide range of symptoms, including muscle weakness, nausea, vomiting, balance problems and abdominal pain. It’s incredible that he manages to perform so beautifully while dealing with so many challenges.
Kodi’s love for music started early. He started singing when he was three years old and can now play six instruments too. However, he seemed to feel he needed yet another skill and has recently learned to tap dance too!
Needless to say, his many talents have taken him around the world. He doesn’t stick to any particular genre as he can perform Chopin and Mozart as effortlessly as tunes from jazz, pop or R&B. He still performs in venues close to his home but has also played at New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall.
Before entering America’s Got Talent, Kodi’s online presence was pretty small. Now, though, his YouTube channel has 384,000 subscribers! He’s also making a splash on Instagram with another 343,000 followers there. Kodi’s amazing talent, combined with the struggles he has faced, seems to have captured the hearts of fans across the globe.
When it comes to his personal life, Kodi remains tight-lipped. He has not been seen in public with a romantic partner, and there have been no postings on social media. Perhaps he is choosing to focus on his dreams of becoming a singer and will lead romance on the back burner for now. If you want to see more from Kodi Lee, subscribe to his YouTube channel or check out his official website.