When Aliki Chrysochou stepped onto the “Britain’s Got Talent” stage, she had more than 20 years of singing practice under her belt.
But though she seemed to have an advantage over her opponents in the competition, the 29-year-old soprano was actually working with a major handicap. As the judges asked Aliki some standard questions about herself, she eased her way into telling the dramatic story about how she almost died just a few years before – and how music saved her life.
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Just one year into her college career, Aliki found her ability to perform basic tasks like reading, walking, speaking, or writing fading away. After a visit to the doctor, the young woman was diagnosed with a rare form of encephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain.
It left her fully incapacitated.
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But through it all, Aliki’s mother was by her side. “It was really like everything she had known had been rubbed away. The doctor’s couldn’t say to us, ‘Don’t worry she’ll be fine,’ because they really didn’t know if she would be.”
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One evening, though, things began to look up. Aliki’s mother began to hum a familiar tune she would sing to her when she was young. Suddenly, Aliki joined in – “She could remember all the tunes, which was absolutely amazing,” her mom shared.
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“It was a very gradual recovery, but she’s a very strong young lady,” she went on to say.
Before Aliki became ill, she was preparing to perform her first operatic role in Spain, and while it initially looked as though she’d never sing again, it was music that ultimately gave her the hope she needed to heal.
After telling her emotional story of overcoming the odds stacked against her, Aliki launched into an opera-esque version of Evanescence’s song, “Wake Me Up.”
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Her performance brought the audience to their feet and the judges moved her through to the second round. Since participating in the talent show in 2013, Aliki’s career has only gone up. She’s now singing around the world.
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Find more about her here and watch her chilling audition below.
Don’t forget to share her inspiring story with your friends today!
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