Pianist Brad Kella was busking with a genre-twisting version of Black Sabbath’s “Changes” in New York City when a chance encounter with Ozzy Osbourne’s wife, Sharon Osbourne, transformed the casual set into the highest-pressure performance of his life.
What happened next has gone internet-viral, amassing close to 200,000 views across the clip’s various uploads. Music Man readers can watch it all unfold in the video below…
As Sharon approaches the pianist in action, wiping tears from her eyes, Brad throws his heart into his performance in a heart-melting serenade.
With no vocals, Brad weaves Ozzy’s melodies seamlessly into his instrumental piano rendition, transforming the rock ballad into a piece of classical music just as evocative and emotional as Black Sabbath’s original.
Despite the extraordinary pressure of performing this song in front of the X Factor judge and grieving spouse, Brad perfects his rendition, deflecting his obvious nerves as Sharon is utterly moved by his unique and intimate take.
You might expect a major celeb in a bustling city to quickly move on for fear of being mobbed by the busker’s audience. But Sharon bares her true love for music as she is drawn to a standstill before Brad, enchanted by his tribute cover, soon leaning against the side of his piano like a muse in an old-school Hollywood film.
Brad and Sharon share an instant connection as they’re brought together by a deathless love for Ozzy Osbourne. And while the wounds are still fresh and the grief lingers on, this clip proves the healing power of music and the immortality it grants its artists more vividly than we’ve ever seen before.
As fans notice, “She loved Ozzy so deeply,” “We are all missing [Ozzy] but not as much as Sharon” and “Poor Sharon, she just couldn’t help but cry,” some commenters beneath this viral clip have been sharing one particularly tear-jerking thought. After one viewer shared, “If you ask me, [this encounter] is Ozzy sending her messages that he is watching over her,” another supported the feeling when they commented, “Ozzy is all around her, giving her these beautiful signs.”
While Brad impresses countless viewers with his rendition, other fans are simply stunned by Sharon’s inner strength as she learns to live with grief. As one viewer shared, “I’m glad Sharon is out and about enjoying the day,” another added, “Love seeing Sharon out in the big city, giving her attention to a musician.”