Subway Singer's Raw Talent Amazes Crowd With Chilling 'Unchained Melody'

Feb 28, 2019

Dressed in a black t-shirt and grey cap, Mike Yung presented himself very humbly to the judges of America's Got Talent.

Thirty-seven years of singing for tips in the subways of New York seems to have taught him that it's all about the sound, not the look.

He's 57 years old and grew up singing. Being a singer was his childhood dream. But then he grew up and went and got a real job for the parks department cleaning up the beach at Coney Island.

At least, that is, until a friend asked him to come sing with him in the subways. He learned he could actually make money at it.

He soon quit his day job and has been singing for tips ever since.

He told the judges that the low point is that you don't make much money on Mondays and Tuesdays. He added that people get paid on Thursdays and Fridays and then you apparently get better tips.

You could see the skepticism on the faces of the judges. This not flashy individual who just tells it like it is and doesn't feel about his humble existence like the judges seem to think he should is from a different world from them.

They struggle to relate.

Then his accompanist comes on stage with an instrument and Mike begins to sing. He covers "Unchained Melody," a moving piece that requires a strong voice.

He wows the crowd and wins over the judges. The expressions on their face change. Ultimately, three of the four of them vote for him.

Of course, as the song line goes, you can't get the sound from a story, so you should really watch it yourself. That's the only way to appreciate this scene.

It starts with someone asking him what a million dollars would mean to him. The next bit is him talking about his life and backstory. It takes a little while to get to the actual audition, but it is worth the wait.

He not only has a great voice, he has a great attitude.

This cannot be appreciated without knowing some of his backstory.

Watch the powerful performance for yourself:

After taking the time to watch the video, you should pass it along to anyone you know who is looking for inspiration or in need of a better attitude or who simply enjoys good music. Your friends will thank you for showing them this.