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Cute 13yo Thai-German talent speaks five languages and sings with the best of them

Master Blaster Feb 19, 2014
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Meet Jannine Parawie Weigel. Like any 13-year-old girl, she enjoys lemonade, pizza, the color pink, and Hunger Games (the movie not, you know, actual hunger games). She also speaks five languages, plans to get a bachelor’s degree by the time she’s 16 and was already signed to GMM Grammy, Thailand’s largest media company.

And if you don’t feel like you’re underachieving enough yet, she also has the face and voice of an angel, and by all accounts seems like a genuinely well-mannered young woman. Now before you pick up that revolver, enjoy the song-stylings of this up-and-coming Thai-German wunderkind.

First, here’s a self-introduction by Miss Weigel who sings under the name Jannina W. In this video she sends her regards to fans in Thai, English, German, Chinese, and Vietnamese. She boasts native-level Thai and German, proficient English ability, and “shaky” Chinese and Vietnamese skills, but she’s working on it.

In 2010, Jannina W started out as a model, but at age 11 turned her attention to singing. After only three months of study and training she entered a national televised singing contest for children called Singing Kids and got third place.

From there she was signed to GMM Grammy. Her first official music video was with the Thai group Getsunova using her nickname Ploychompoo (Pink Sapphire)

Although she’s a signed artist, Jannina W still realizes that she needs more training and is working hard on her craft. Meanwhile, she is also simultaneously taking two Distance education courses to obtain her high school certificate by next year and a fast-track University degree in 2016.

Although extremely busy, Miss Weigel is also aware of keeping one’s image out there, so she’s been steadily releasing cover songs on YouTube, such as this hit for Rihanna.

Despite being a work-in-progress, Jannina W has already amassed a legion of fans on YouTube. As of this writing she has 165,000 subscribers and each song’s comment section is filled with praises from across Asia of “your voice is so addictive,” “You’re my new role model,” and “You’re so cute that you are appointed by every single boy.” I didn’t quite get that last, one but it sure was high praise.

However, comments were also at times critical with reviews of “the voice lacks strength, and the high notes are limited”. However, Jannina admits that she has room for improvement and, as that very same critic points out, “How could we ask for more from a teenage singer? Especially when her charm is enough to cover all possible gaps and holes.” Indeed, if she puts the same level of work into her singing career that she’s put into everything else, who knows what heights Jannina W can reach on the Asian scene and beyond?

Source: YouTube – Jannina W, Jannina W Official Site
Getsunova Video: YouTube – GMM GRAMMY OFFICIAL

▼ Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus cover by Jannina W)

▼ Zombie (Cranberries cover by Jannina W [age 12])

▼ Roar (Katy Perry cover by Jannina W)

▼She also does Thai covers and says that she’s working on a Vietnamese song.