In August, Tonic told you about Liu Wei and his moving performance of ”Marriage D’amour” on the piano –– which he played with his toes! He moved the audience to tears and has now become an inspiration to many, not only in China, but around the world.
Sunday night, in front of a massive crowd at Shanghai Stadium, Liu’s talent and his country’s adoration earned him the No. 1 spot on the first season of China’s Got Talent. Playing and singing “Beautiful” by James Blunt, though if performed by anyone else could perhaps slide over to the cheesy side, Liu captured the hearts of those who not only appreciate talent, but a sheer determination to be amazing.
Liu lost his arms after being electrocuted during a game of hide-and-seek with friends at age 10, but he never let that stop him from becoming a pianist, something he had dreamt about since he was a child. He was told these dreams were no longer a possibility, but he was not about to give up. He learned to eat, brush his teeth, write and otherwise function normally using his feet instead of hands. But living normally wasn’t enough for him, he wanted to be outstanding.
Liu started to teach himself to play the piano with his toes at 18. Now 23 years old, his talent proved to the whole world that there isn’t ever one way to do anything. We can find a way to reach our utmost potential regardless of our circumstances.
“There are only two options for the rest of my life: die as soon as possible or live life loud,” he said during a taping of the show, according to Xinhuanet.
While Liu sure can tickle the ivories with his tootsies, his optimism, drive, resilience and positive spirit are what truly made the audience fall in love with him. That’s how we’d define “beautiful.”
Photo by MrFromVietnam via YouTube.