Stop The Presses!

Amazing Voice: 7-Year-Old Gospel Singer Belts Whitney And Celine Songs

We hope Jennifer Aniston doesn't get jealous, but there's anew, younger woman in Gerard Butler's life, and she can sing, too.

Earlier this month, Rhema Marvanne, a 7-year-oldgospel singer from Carrollton, Texas,taped a scene in Butler'snew film Machine Gun Preacher.In the movie Butlerplays a drug dealer-turned-crusader on a mission to save kids.

"During his baptism, Rhema is actually singing 'AmazingGrace' at that pillar moment [Butler] goes from a bad guy to a good guy andthen goes to South Africa to save all the little kids from the war," said TetonVoaritskul, Rhema's dad.

 

"It felt great," Rhema said about making her theatricaldebut. "It felt like God is really proud of me and he's smiling right at me."

YouTube videos of Rhema performing "Amazing Grace," "OHoly Night," Celine Dion's "The Prayer" with Terry White, and Whitney Houston's"I Love The Lord" have generated more than a million streams.

 

People searching for holiday music found Rhema's "O HolyNight" in December and sparked hundreds of thousands of plays. The Maury Povich Show contacted Rhema'sfather to feature her on its Most Talented Kids 2010, and Korean show Star King also booked her as a guest.

Rhema began singing when she learned to speak. Her mother,Wendi Marvanne, who was a local gospel singer, died of ovarian cancer in 2008.She often sang with Rhema and rehearsed plays.

As a tribute to her mother, Rhema will focus on gospelmusic. "Out of my love for [my wife] and out of respect for her wishes Ithought Rhema has incredible singing skills and talent, I wanted to dosomething she would be happy with and follow in her footsteps," Voaritskulsaid.

Rhema said her mother and Houston are her favorite singers,but Dion's classical "The Prayer" with Andrea Bocelli was her toughest vocalhurdle. "It's actually the hardest song I've ever sung before," she said. "Iactually like it. It's a great song."

Major record labels have been calling Voaritskul to discusspotential record deals, but her father is not making any hasty decisions. "Ourfocus is not trying to see how big we can be or how much money we can make," hesaid. "We just want to try to produce something that represents Rhema andsomething that goes along with our mission and ministry. If we find someone whocan accommodate that or is willing to work with that or wants to do that, ifit's a good fit, we will definitely consider it."

Rhema is currently working on a gospel album, a Christmasalbum, and taking on singing dates across the nation. She released her six-track,self-titled debut in May.

 

 

 

 
 

Rhema from DFW Reporting on Vimeo.

 

[Video: See the pint-sized Lady Gaga perform]

Other Popular Yahoo! entertainment stories:
Photos: Angelina Jolie dazzles
Unusual duo: Aretha Franklin performs with Condeleeza Rice
Springsteen rocks surprise jam session

 

Follow Me:

News for You

  • NYPD investigating actress Bynes allegations

    NEW YORK (AP) — Internal Affairs officers on Saturday were looking into allegations made by actress Amanda Bynes that New York Police Department officers sexually assaulted her when she was charged with heaving a marijuana bong out the window of her 36th-floor Manhattan apartment.

  • Museum starts night tours of signs from Vegas past

    LAS VEGAS (AP) — The junked signs that attracted throngs to old Las Vegas have for years gathered dust in a neon boneyard just a few miles from the sleek mega-casinos on the Strip.

  • A controversial victory lap for Lewis at Cannes

    CANNES, France (AP) — Jerry Lewis, so beloved in France, isn't quite overcome with emotion now that he's back at the Cannes Film Festival.

  • Latest 'Bachelorette' won't say if she's engaged

    NEW YORK (AP) — ABC's newest "Bachelorette," Desiree Hartsock, says it's not hard to keep the details of her experience on the show a secret from her friends.

  • Actress Bynes accused of bong toss out NYC window

    NEW YORK (AP) — Actress Amanda Bynes appeared disheveled in a long blond wig and sweats Friday in a criminal court where she was charged with reckless endangerment after police said she heaved a marijuana bong out the window of her 36th-floor Manhattan apartment.

  • Rare Superman comic found in house insulation

    MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — It's considered the Holy Grail of comic books: Action Comics No. 1 from 1938, featuring the debut of Superman. And David Gonzales found one mixed in with old newspapers insulating a house he was renovating in a small town in Minnesota.