Did Rian just find the next Shawn Mendes?
Updated | By The Scenic Drive with Rian
Young singers Hanco van der Merwe and Josh Middleton are incredibly talented - and they have only just begun to build their careers.
Countless young men and women have tried to make it onto the international stage with their music but, as reality shows such as X Factor and the Got Talent franchise prove, it is just not that easy. Even the most talented among these young hopefuls fall short because they are missing one thing: soul.
Rian believes a soulful approach to songwriting and performing is what sets Canada's Shawn Mendes apart from the rest. The 20-year-old has had a number of hits on the chart, each more impressive than the last.
Looking to see if the talent of Shawn Mendes can be replicated in South Africa, Rian asked two young rising stars to come into the studio to show off their chops.
Josh Middleton gave an earnest performance of an Ed Sheeran hit, and wowed.
Rian enlisted the help of two big Shawn Mendes fans in judging Josh's performance. They were each deeply impressed, with one giving him a score of nine out of ten.
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Josh, who won his first singing competition at the age of eight, has had some success with his previous singles and can currently boast a top five album on iTunes, Never Give Up.
Twenty-year-old Hanco poured soul into his vocals as he covered Ed Sheeran's 'Photograph'. The confidence and control with which he performed showed that he is set for an incredible career in music.
Our judges gave him a high score of eight out of ten.
ALSO READ: Legendary pianist Rocco De Villiers brings the music on the Scenic Drive
The Scenic Drive team was deeply impressed, with Rian saying he is now confident that there is indeed great talent among South Africa's youngsters.
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