Sirine Jehangir-a 14-year-old British-Pakistani girl has rocked Britain’s Got Talent (BGT). Sirine Jehangir is the granddaughter of the Sahibzada Jehangir- who is the spokesperson of Prime Minister Imran Khan on Trade and Investment in the UK and Europe.
PTI’s former member, Fauzia Kasuri is her aunt. Late singing sensation Junaid Jamshed is her uncle.
The young Sirine Jehangir is the only contestant of Pakistani origin on the ITV’s famous show, BGT. She lost her vision at the age of 10 due to a rare complication.
Sirine Jehangir performed at BGT
She outperformed other contestants on the show and won the hearts of judges through her soulful vocals. She played the piano and sang the rendition of Gabrielle Alpin’s ‘My Salvation’ and received a standing ovation from the audience. Her performance moved all the four judges to tears on the show. All the four judges Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, and David Walliams excelled her to the next stage of the contest.
https://twitter.com/ChicoJahangir/status/1261652526140665856?s=20
Before beginning her performance, Sirine said to the audience, “It’s pretty obvious that I can’t see. There was a time when I could but now I cannot. Music is my vision. It’s my thing.”
For Sirine having only performed at school-level, Britain’s Got Talent is a huge stage for her. Judges and audience showered Sirine Jehangir with praise and applause as she concluded her performance.
How the judges reacted?
“What a sweet girl you are. My heart is melted and you sang beautifully,” Alesha Dixon told her. “I found it so poignant. It was just brilliant. You sang so beautifully,” said Dixon, tears in her eyes.
“I think I should be the first person to say yes to you,” said Simon Cowell. David Williams said, “Well done Sirine. What you couldn’t see was the whole of the Palladium on their feet applauding you because they loved that.”
https://twitter.com/ChicoJahangir/status/1263219607260803072?s=20
Amanda Holden simply said, “I just found the entire audition so poignant, so beautiful and you just exude lightness, it was just brilliant.”
Meanwhile, Simon Cowell asked Sirine about her nervousness on the show, to which she said that it is her first performance at a grand stage like Britain’s Got Talent.
Sirine Jahangir, granddaughter of our friend @ChicoJahangir, got 4 yes #BritainsGotTalent very talented girl. @ImranKhanPTI @IRISHINSAFIAN pic.twitter.com/JlkTdw5WX2
— Imran Khurshid (@chimrankhurshid) May 17, 2020
“Good for you,” Cowell said before adding, “I should be the first person to say yes.”
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Sirine Jehangir has become a singing sensation in the UK. Also, Britain’s Got Talent fans have even predicted Sirine Jehangir the winner of the show. The young Pakistani girl has won the heart of the UK.
How Sirine Jehangir lost her vision?
Sirine Jehangir lost her complete vision at the age of nine. She was born in London in 2005. She excelled in everything till the age of five. Before losing her vision, dancing and playing different instruments was her past time. However, at the age of five, her parents discovered that Sirine has lost her vision in one eye, and risking losing in another one. In the next five years, Sirine lost the vision in her second eye too.
She lives with her family- her father Kafeel Jehangir and mother Ghizlane. She has a brother- Zain,13 and Aydin, 6.
Talking to a Pakistani media outlet, Sahibzad Jehangir confirmed Sirine’s participation in Britain’s Got Talent.
“We are all very proud of Sirine. She is hard-working, lovely, and passionate. When there is a disability in someone, Allah gifts that person with some other exceptional talent.
Also, he praised how her parents raised her. He said Sirine does charity work and helps others. She wants to thank Allah for what she has and for the blessings in her life.
https://twitter.com/AIMABAIG13/status/1261857946763436032?s=20
Kafeel Jehangir also expressed her delight in her daughter’s success. He informed that things became tough for Sirine after she lost her vision. She learned Braille and started reading books. Her father said that the family is very proud of Sirine. He believes BTG is the right platform for her.
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At the age of 12, she developed an interest in music and learned to play music herself. Her father said that during trips to the UK, her uncle-Junaid Jamshed taught her about music and used to sing with her. Moreover, he got very excited to see that Sirine would be performing in front of 3000 people for the first time.
What is music for Sirine Jehangir?
In her latest interview with a UK media outlet, Sirine said songwriting has been her therapy. She admitted that “Never in a million years did I think I was going to be TV or anything like that.”
“I can’t even say it’s a dream come true, because I didn’t even dream of it at any point.” She said she never thought that would be realistic in her life. But she has no idea how it looks on TV. But I do remember smiling so, so much, and I was like, ‘This is it, how is this happening to me?’. I was over the moon, it was such a magical moment.”
Sirine shared how she found strength from music in these years. She said she realized that she is different from other children. “I didn’t think it was the norm, but, when you’re a child, you don’t think about problems in your life.”
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However, she said she realized that she can’t do things that people of her age could do. “So, I used music as a way to – not escape but to help me through it all,” said Sirine.
“Losing your vision at a young age is difficult. But I’ve been singing for probably five years now, and I mean, I’m not sad, which says a lot. Music has helped me,” the UK media outlet quoted Sirine as saying.