Vicus Visser, South Africa’s newly discovered singing sensation, is to be nurtured by a top US producer which could see him become an international star.
Vicus was informed yesterday that a major international record label was sending renowned US producer Steve Morales to South Africa to work with him. Morales is an A-list producer who has worked with Beyoncé, Shakira, J Lo and Enrique.
Vicus’s family has now been told that the same people who made famous another teenage YouTube sensation – Justin Bieber – want to do the same thing with him.
A little over a week ago the grade 11 pupil and his family were still unaware that the world was searching for Vicus.
They had forgotten about the video clip that Vicus’s friend had taken of him singing, in his lounge seven years ago.
In the clip a 10-year-old smiling Vicus can be seen enthusiastically playing a guitar and singing The Arms by All-4-One.
The clip was circulated among his community in Heidedal, just outside Bloemfontein.
Then someone, unbeknown to the family, uploaded it to YouTube and by last month the clip had thousands of hits.
Comment after comment on YouTube spoke highly of his talent and how young Vicus’s singing sent chills down the spine.
Soon everyone wanted a piece of Vicus but no one knew where he was.
Then the story hit local media and created a frenzy.
Gareth Cliff, the 5fm breakfast host, began talking about Vicus’s incredible talent and how he needed to be found.
Through media exposure Vicus was located and yesterday his family accepted an offer by ONEonOne, Cliff’s talent management company, to represent him.
It has all happened way too fast for Vicus and his family.
“This is what I’ve always looked for, but I didn’t know when it was going to happen until I saw in a newspaper that people were looking for me.
“Now I meet different people everyday who all want to work with me,” said the soft- spoken Vicus.
“My family is very religious and strict. I will take things slowly while focusing on finishing my matric next year.”
Vicus’s overjoyed mother, Elsie Peters said they were overwhelmed at the news of him becoming a star. “We have prayed for him and his equally talented brother, Vincent, to become successful musicians.
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw his picture in the newspaper,” she said.
Yesterday Vicus received a standing ovation from pupils after he performed in front of television cameras and his school.
He was seen signing autographs, no doubt the first of many more.
“Other than singing, I like attention.
“I am enjoying this so far but I still want to concentrate on my studies,” he said. - The Star