Grafton Street busker goes global thanks to web video
A 12-YEAR-OLD girl has become an international star thanks to an online video of her busking on Grafton Street.
A video of Allie Sherlock, from Cork, singing Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeran has been viewed more than a million times on Facebook.
And it even caught the attention of the producers of Ellen DeGeneres’s hit American televsion show.
Allie travels from Cork to Dublin every fortnight with her father Mark so she can busk.
She told the Irish Daily Mail how she had auditioned for the Ellen Show and was still waiting to hear from them.
‘Someone called from the show last December and said they had seen me busking on Facebook and asked if I would perform an audition for them over Skype.
‘After singing a couple of songs, I was then asked a few questions about my interests and what I liked about performing.
‘They said they would get back in touch but so far I have not heard anything. ‘It’s no big deal really.
‘I was really excited when they called but I didn’t want to get my hopes up.’
And despite her huge popularity, and the fact that she spends an hour practising the guitar every day, she said she wasn’t seeking a musical career.
‘As much as I love singing and playing guitar, I don’t want it to be my main thing.
‘I think it will become more like a second job.
‘At this stage, I am more interested in working with children.’
Her father, who runs a creche in Cork city, said Allie’s head had not been turned by all the social media attention.
He said: ‘You can’t rely on music. I think she knows this.
‘At the moment Allie says she wants to work with children but you know what kids are like, especially at that age.
‘But I do think that the music will always be a hobby and that she’ll want a more solid career when she’s older.’