As the Got Talent franchise gets bigger and bigger, it spreads around the world and finds more and more interesting talent.
Without a doubt, the majority of the show, no matter what country it’s in, is dedicated to things like singing and dancing. Still, it casts a broad enough net to also encompass all kinds of other talents as well. There have been some special performances before but every so often, a new one comes along that blows everyone away.
This is definitely one of those performances.
Every so often, America’s Got Talent does a special version of the show called Champions.
This edition of the show brings over people who are or were finalists, winners or contestants on past shows, or on other editions of the show throughout the world. That was the case for a 2009 contestant on Ukraine’s Got Talent named Kseniya Simonova. Though many people may not have heard of her before, Simonova is an incredibly talented sand artist. If you’re wondering what that is, don’t worry—we were as well.
All you need to know is that it’s pretty incredible.
Before she comes out onstage, she tells the world how she came to be interested in her talent.
Although Simonova was always interested in art from a young age, she was from a small town in Ukraine and was busy with her other duties. She was a mother and wasn’t sure that her specific form of sand art would appeal to a broader audience. Despite all that, her husband secretly enrolled her in Ukraine’s Got Talent one day to push her closer to her dream.
That day when she went out, it was her first time on stage—and she went viral!
She ended up winning that edition of the show and made it to America’s Got Talent.
When Simonova went on, there were only two more potential performers who could make it through on Champions. Before she continues, she tells the judge that the story they’ll see through her art work is one of a young artist who becomes famous and forgets their parents—a story she says should serve as a warning.
And with that, she begins!
She starts by walking over to a backlit screen covered in a thin layer of sand.
After manipulating it for a moment with her hands, she draws a scene of the universe on a huge scale. Within a moment, the planet transforms into a pregnant woman! Soon after, there’s a man with her and a child as well. After that, she crops all the sand away and shows the boy as a man, painting his own life! After a a moment, she sculpts his face in a little tighter and shows how he has gotten older.
But the story isn’t over yet.
Once all that is established, she wipes the slate clean and starts over.
Now, we see the parents who are well into old age. There’s a hospital emergency and one of them flatlines in a hospital. What’s truly incredible is how much meaning Simonova is able to render just by moving her hands around the board of sand! As it continues, she shows the artist coming back home too late to see his parents again. At the end, she writes a message:
“Don’t be late.”
When the show ends, the entire audience and all the judges are on their feet cheering!
After everything, Simon is the first to give his comments:
“In my opinion, you are one of the best contestants we’ve had over the years all over the world. Genuinely, to see it unfold before our eyes and your use of music and storytelling, it was fantastic.”
The other opinions are in the same vein—needless to say, everyone loved it and nobody expected it. After the rest of the judges have given their commentary, Terry Crews walks out on stage! Everybody in the audience knows that can only mean one thing.
After a few moments, Crews hits the Golden Buzzer and the crowd goes wild!
Although Simonova’s performance itself was incredible, the story that got her on the stage is just as amazing.
As her performance shows, there’s much more that goes into a great show than just the talent. when it comes with a great backstory, a good execution and an inspiring message, it is sure to connect with a huge audience worldwide. Though it goes without saying, life will never be the same for Simonova and her family.
Congratulations to Kseniya and thanks for sharing your talent with us! Check out the full video below:
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
