In London’s St. Pancras International Station, where thousands of travelers pass through each day, a lone piano sits in a heavily populated part of the station. Anyone who wants to sit down and play it is able to do so. While many of the players who attempt to entertain travelers might give it their best attempt, few are as talented as one special young boy who decided to sit down and try his luck at impressing the busy crowd.
Just as the boy was sitting down to play, a man interrupted him. The man smirked as he requested “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the legendary Queen song. The issue with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” however, is that it’s notoriously difficult to play. Even accomplished pianists sometimes struggle with the challenging tune.
What happened next shocked everyone and was thankfully caught on camera. The boy began to play the iconic song, but he didn’t merely plink through the notes. Instead, he began to play the song so skillfully that if you closed your eyes, you’d swear it was a grown adult with years of experience sitting behind the piano.
As the boy played, it was obvious to anyone who passed by that he was playing with his whole heart and soul. He closed his eyes and put his whole body into his performance, his passion inspiring a crowd to form around him. The man who’d requested the song grinned triumphantly, completely moved by the boy’s talent and passion.
Thankfully, the video of this beautiful moment was uploaded to the internet by the pianist himself. It turns out that this talented young lad is Cole Lam, a 12-year-old piano prodigy who frequently shares his gifts in public places. Cole isn’t just a pianist, he’s also an accomplished singer and songwriter.
This story also has a fun twist. Before the man had interrupted Cole to put in his request, Cole had been planning on playing the song anyway. “Bohemian Rhapsody” was always going to be played, regardless of the man’s interruption.
The piano at the station was actually a donation by Sir Elton John.