People and parties
Back
to
reality
IT HAS BEEN A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE FOR SHAHEEN JAFARGHOLI. ED GLEAVE
CAUGHT UP WITH HIM TO REFLECT ON A REMARKABLE FEW MONTHS FOR THE
TALENTED SWANSEA YOUNGSTER.
Swansea’s most famous schoolboy is, without blame her? Countless child stars have found Tuesday, meeting every celebrity there and
doubt, Shaheen Jafargholi. Just six months ago, trouble after getting too much, too young. performing. The warmth and welcome gave me
he was just one of many stage school pupils feel an indescribable feeling. Nothing was going
trying to make it in the world of entertainment.
But it seems that, so far, Karen’s efforts aren’t
through my mind when I was on stage. I knew if
wasted. “Life at home is exactly the same as it’s
I started thinking of anything, I would have gone
But now he can’t even go to the shops with his always been,” says Shaheen. “When I go home,
into a different world. I still would have been
mum without being recognised. “I’m always it’s just me and my mum. I’m not Shaheen the
able to do it, but I wanted to focus. I was there
getting stopped by fans when we go to town,” singer anymore. I’m just Shaheen. We forget
to sing.”
he says. “They come up to me and tell me I’m sometimes what’s happened, and then we go
great at singing and ask for an autograph or a outside and people ask for my autograph and After singing, Shaheen spoke as the world
picture. Some of them ask if I mind, and I don’t, we remember again. So life’s the same as it watched. He thanked Michael for inspiring him
because if it wasn’t for my fans then I wouldn’t always was, but with an edge. in the articulate manner of someone much
be famous. Everyone’s really nice, so it’s a joy.” older. But behind his confi dence, Shaheen was
grieving for his hero. “I was really devastated
While constant attention could faze many
people, it doesn’t seem to be a problem for this
“IF IT WASN’T
by Michael’s death. He was an amazing man.
Never mind being a great performer, he was a
12-year-old. Having interviewed Shaheen many
times since he fi rst appeared on Britain’s Got
FOR MY FANS,
generous, loving, kind person. He had the most
charities of any celebrity. I had a lump in my
Talent, little has changed in his ability to cope. throat when I found out he’d died.”
“School’s been really normal. The fi rst few
I WOULDN’T BE
Michael’s death also meant Shaheen lost out on
days after LA there was quite a bit of reaction
and everybody was really excited. But it’s been
FAMOUS.”
what would have been a big opportunity. He had
been called on to duet with the star at all 50
completely normal since,” he says. dates of his comeback at London’s O2 arena.
“When I’ve not been at school I’ve been chilling,
“You hear so many stories about young stars
“I was extremely disappointed,” he says. “But
spending time with family, having days out. I’ve where their parents don’t care about them, and things happen for a reason, so it wasn’t meant
been able to be a bit normal for once. let them run around and do anything they want. to be. There has been so much else to be
So it’s great to know that I’ll always have my pleased about, I can hardly complain.”
“Obviously, the fans have been there a lot, but
mum there to support me and look out for me.
it’s still been a lot more normal than being in LA
Sometimes I hate my mum nagging, like any
He is probably right. Since the LA concert,
or on Britain’s Got Talent. This is what I love and
boy would, but not too much. It’s nice to know
Shaheen has signed with the same US talent
it’s great to be able to say that I’ve got it all. I’ve
that I still have to do normal things.”
agency as Brad Pitt and is rumoured to be in
got what every other kid of this earth dreams of. talks with Disney to be its next star.
I wake up every morning and think ‘boy, I’ve got But while his home life might be normal, his
a good life’. I’m really lucky.” professional life certainly isn’t. Within days of
“I’m still on edge at the wondering what’s going
reaching the fi nal of Britain’s Got Talent in May, to happen,” he says. “Everyone thinks I know
But while Shaheen has taken to fame like a fi sh Shaheen was fl ying out to LA to perform at the what’s going to happen, but I honestly don’t.”
to water, he still gets excited about it. “I’ve found Michael Jackson memorial. The world watched
the past six months so amazing. I’m proud to be as he performed alongside legends such as
But while Shaheen is fast becoming an
putting Wales and Swansea on the map. Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder.
international star, he’s still a normal Swansea
boy underneath it all. “I’ll always stay in
“But it’s weird when I sit down and think about “It was an experience in itself — every single Swansea,” he says. “It’s where I was born
it, which is not very often because I don’t like to minute was something to remember. I was so and where I grew up. I know so many people
take myself into that. I’m proud of myself, but excited and so into it and so dazed to be there,” here, there’s no way I’d leave. If I had to go
mostly just grateful.” he says. “I’d never been to America, so I can somewhere for a couple of months, I’d still live
say the fi rst time I went across the Atlantic was
here. I love it.”
Although Shaheen has a lot to be proud of, his
to sing at Michael Jackson’s memorial.
mum Karen seems intent of making sure his
After fl ying the fl ag for Wales, it’s fair to say the
life stays as normal as possible. And who could “My favourite time there was the day itself, the
city loves him back.
swansealife August 2009 35
ShaheenOct.indd 35 22/09/2009 11:23:41
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148