The quality of talent that is on the Internet can be a mixed bag. But every once in a while, it is amazing to watch. Seeing a child display their talents on a reel with confidence is a different level of wow!
This Children’s Day, My Kolkata went scrolling on Instagram for child musicians you definitely should be following on social media.
Listen well to these kids who are masters of their work…
Miles Bonham, USA
If you ask us what we were doing at the age of seven, we would probably say playing Monopoly with made-up rules. But not Miles Bonham. This seven-year-old from Chicago is exploring nine different instruments and we don’t mean acoustic-guitar-and-electric-guitar different. He can currently work with DAWs (digital audio workstations) and play the guitar, drums, piano, uke, bass, sax, trombone and violin — plus, he looks absolutely adorable playing them.
Miles’ love for music started when he was… younger, and he had to listen to the entire solo of Stairway To Heaven. It was then, aged four, that he picked an old guitar, strummed some coherent songs and used the same knowledge of chords in other instruments. When it was clear he had perfect pitch, the kid became an internet sensation receiving the attention of Lenny Kravitz and Charlie Puth.
DJ Michelle, UAE
Anything you can scratch, DJ Michelle can scratch better. This 11-year-old prodigy has been making waves thanks to her routines on Instagram. Since the tender age of five, Michelle Rasul found herself captivated by her father, DJ Shock, as he showcased his skills. This early exposure sparked her interest in the art of DJing. Growing up in Dubai, Michelle’s musical upbringing differed from other kids. Instead of nursery rhymes, she had Tupac Shakur, BIG, Jay-Z, and other influential artistes on her playlist. Fast forward to 2021, Michelle became the youngest participant at the DMC World DJ Championship and has since graced the renowned stage of Tomorrowland in 2023. A significant milestone in her journey was meeting Tiesto at the festival, where he showered her with praise. So yes, dreams do come true!
Luminati Suns, Canada
Not only should we thank the Canadian band Walk Off The Earth for their music, but also for helping us discover the Luminati Suns. Three brothers — Giorgio Michael (10 years), Luigi Colombo, 8, and Romeo Aniello, 6 — make up this cutest of boy bands. Ontario’s Luigi Colombo, Giorgio Michael and the uber-cute Romeo put together this pop rock band with the help of their parents Sarah Blackwood and Giani Luminati who are also part of Walk Off The Earth. They go on tours with them, perform covers with different musicians and even get naughty during sound check. In reels of the band, singing My Stupid Heart and Whatever, the boys really stole our hearts with their energy and frontman Romeo’s expressions.
Max from Our Musical Family, USA
If you ever hear one of Max’s piano pieces, you’ll know that it is straight from the heart. As a baby, he gravitated towards music with both his parents, Storey and Marcus, being professional musicians. He started playing piano as soon as he could reach the keys and would always be caught making music somewhere, be it on a toy or the piano. For his fourth birthday, his family pitched in to buy him an electronic piano and there was no looking back after that. Many posts later, one of the videos landed up on the feed of Billie Eilish, who gave Max a ‘like’ for one of his pieces. This blew up their account which got them a lot of traction and now the six-year-old plays for a loyal and growing online audience.
Justin Wilson II, USA
Little drummer boy Justin Wilson II’s affinity for music and innate musical talent manifested even before birth. In the womb, he would respond rhythmically to his mother Shelana’s finger taps on her belly and move in sync with her singing. Once he was born, his father Justin ensured good music was a part of his daily routine. Remarkably, at the age of four months, he displayed the ability to match pitch when his mother sang a note. By 10 months he began singing along to songs by articulating a few lyrics. He then slowly started getting adept at keeping time to songs, identifying and imitating unique syncopations, and played the right key on the piano while songs played. He received his first drum set at 18 months, and there was no stopping him after that as he flawlessly played patterns with his family and made a name for himself through social media. His talent also got him on The Ellen Show where his idol Lenny Kravitz surprised him by making an appearance to meet him. His sister Shia is also a multi-talented musician.
