On the bustling streets of Dublin, 14-year-old Rhys McPhillips stood on a street corner with his guitar, ready to entertain passersby with some of his favourite songs. He introduced one number as a song “all the great singers have done a cover of,” joking that he was going to “mess it up” but would do his best. Then he launched into a rendition of ‘House Of The Rising Sun’ by The Animals. Music Man readers will see how wrong he was about his talent when they listen to his cover for themselves.
Online listeners were amazed by Rhys’s talent, noting how he made the cover his own while still paying tribute to the iconic 60s band’s famous version. One listener complimented Rhys’s version of the song by commenting, “Nice to see young musicians like this…not afraid to put their stamp on a classic.” Others praised the passion he poured into his performance, with one commenting, “That boy’s got soul.” Rhys’s street-corner performance now has over 279k views from fans across the world.
When I listened to Rhys’s cover, I was amazed by the power of his voice. At first, he appears to be an unassuming youngster, but the way his rich vocals rang out around the Dublin street took my breath away. Rhys wasn’t wrong to see the song as a challenge to do justice to, so to see him give a performance that people loved, carried by his own powerful vocals, especially at such a young age, is undeniably impressive and suggests he has a bright future ahead.
This was not the first time Rhys had taken on an iconic song by a legendary 60s band. Music Man fans will be astonished when they see his cover of ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ by The Beatles. Not only did Rhys once again make the song his own and show off his impressive vocals, but he also demonstrated his skill on the guitar, working in parts of Paul’s bass line alongside the rock-and-roll rhythm of the chords. Taking on the Fab Four as a one-man band, he seemed to pull it off with ease.
We know our Music Man readers love to see impressive performances in unexpected places. Watching a teen deliver a performance of this caliber on the corner of a Dublin street is certainly not something everyone might expect. The video of Rhys McPhillips’ performance is a reminder that you never know when or where you might stumble across the latest talent. With Rhys receiving such high praise at such a young age, many will no doubt be keeping their ear to the ground to see what he does next.
Rhys McPhillips is certainly one to watch — his street‑corner cover of ‘House of the Rising Sun’ proves that beyond doubt. If you want to hear more from this extraordinary young talent, check the useful links below this paragraph to discover videos, social pages and more.