Back in 2019, Karolina Protsenko, an 11-year-old violinist from Ukraine stunned the audience with her street performance of Hallelujah.
Everyone’s heard the song Hallelujah at least once in their lifetimes. It’s an industry standard that’s been covered hundreds of times, with each artist offering their own twist on the song.
As a widely recognized track, it’s become a staple for street performers and talent shows. Anyone can play it, but it takes a true master to capture the subtle grace and beauty of this powerful song.
And on one special day, that master was an 11-year-old girl named Karolina Protsenko.
If you watched this video with your eyes closed, would you ever guess that it was being played by a child on the streets? This violin sounds like it’s being played at a concert hall by a seasoned professional.
But Karolina is so talented that she’s already amassed a fanbase of millions of followers. She’s appeared on multiple TV shows and talent shows, including America’s Got Talent and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. This whirlwind performer is so talented, it’s hard to believe that she only started five years ago, according to an interview on Ellen.
When she started playing the violin at the age of six, her parents must have known there was something special about her. In 2017, she started performing on the streets, where she gathered large crowds who were delighted by her unusual talent.
Just a few years later, Karolina has millions of YouTube followers, four recorded albums, and songs streaming across multiple music platforms. She’s an internet celebrity—and when you hear her perform, it’s not hard to see why.
A Natural From the Very Beginning
When the video begins, you can see that her pot is already full of dollars—clearly, she has impressed previous audiences. The music begins and Karolina begins to play with a subtle smile on her face. It’s clear that playing the violin is one of her life’s greatest joys. You can’t help but smile along with her as she plunges right into this complex piece of music.
Despite her young age, she makes playing the violin seem practically effortless. Her intricate fingerwork is almost too quick to be judged with the naked eye. Throughout the piece, Karolina sways, dances, and moves with the music like a trained ballerina. Sometimes she can’t help but release a big, beaming smile. Has anyone ever been happier while playing music? We don’t think so!
As she continues to play, a bigger crowd starts to gather in the street. More people add money to the bucket in front of her. Throughout it all, Karolina is never distracted. She plays the piece to perfection, awing and impressing the crowd around her.
When they left the house today to go shopping, they probably never expected to find a child prodigy in their midst!
At the end of the performance, Karolina smiles as she takes in the cheers and applause. We have a feeling that she’ll be hearing applause like that for the rest of her life. This little girl has a big career ahead of her, and it seems like she’s only getting started!
Were you as impressed by Karolina as we were? Let us know what you thought in the comments, and pass this video to a friend who enjoys listening to music!