Even After His Mother Had to Carry Him To The Piano, He Left The Judges Incredulous!
Blind and autistic 22-year-old Kodi Lee made history the moment he stepped onto the audition stage. His mother Tina told their touching story before he started. She shared the story of how they came to realize his incredible musical aptitude at a young age—every time he would get excited and start singing, she would cry. He was more than her son; he was a performer, she understood at that moment. As Tina escorted him to the piano, the young man’s emotions were on full display as he prepared to play for an audience of thousands.
It was Leon Russell’s “A Song for You” that Kodi decided to play along with and sing. The judges and audience were spellbound by his incredible talent the second he started playing and singing. A masterful blend of controlled emotion and raw strength, his voice appeared to open a door to a world of understanding that had previously been inaccessible to him due to his physical limitations. His performance ended to a resounding standing ovation, and the profound emotion and breathtaking beauty of his music brought tears to the eyes of everyone in the room.
What a performance! The judges were completely floored. While the newly-minted judge Julianne Hough faltered over her remarks, the visibly moved Gabrielle Union spoke of her desire to provide her children with “the moon, the stars, and the rainbows” as a new mother. Gabrielle Union’s touching display of utmost admiration sent Kodi soaring to the live performances as she pressed the Golden Buzzer. The audition by Kodi Lee was more than a performance; it was a moving, unforgettable declaration of the transforming power of music.
