Armless pianist wins "China's Got Talent"

A musician who lost both arms in a childhood accident and plays the piano with his toes won China's Got Talent, bringing the audience to a standing ovation with his rendition of You're Beautiful.

All three judges on the show praised Liu Wei for his determination, urging him to keep on pursuing his dreams, and the Beijing native said he would try, quipping that: "At least I have a pair of perfect legs."

Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, one of the judges, invited Liu to perform on her world tour. Liu may also have the chance for a performing contract.

Liu's arms were amputated after he suffered an electrical shock while playing hide-and-seek when he was 10. At age 18, he decided to pursue a career in music, using his feet to play the piano, much as he uses them to navigate on the computer, eat, dress and brush his teeth.

China's Got Talent, a weekly program shown on local channel Dragon TV, has helped draw attention to the hopes and challenges of disabled and otherwise disadvantaged Chinese. It featured scores of acts, including a 7-year-old standup comedian, Zhang Fengxi, who won second place.

The program, which began in July, is part of British recording executive Simon Cowell's Got Talent franchise, which now has versions broadcasting in more than 30 countries.


/Metro.co.uk/