Singer from Louisiana gains national attention

OKLAHOMA CITY : Slater Rhea, a young silver-haired University of Oklahoma graduate, is a singing sensation.

His devoted fans include grandmothers and giggly girls, but the Louisiana native barely gets noticed in the US or at the Norman campus where he made his first performances at various Confucius Institute events.

The Oklahoman reports that the bright lights of stardom shines on Slater in Beijing, where his voice, his mastery of the Mandarin language and his ability to connect with his Chinese audience has turned a young man’s dream into reality.

His audience enjoys his grasp of folk music, as well as popular songs.

The Chinese people call him a young George Clooney, because of his hair colour, and consider him a cultural ambassador.

The shy and soft spoken Rhea said his hair began turning silver in high school but does not reveal his age.

He earned his Eagle Scout badge at age 13 and found joy in entertaining others at his Catholic Church, encouraged by his mum.

“I believe music pierces through differences,” Slater said, “and I wanted to use my talent to make the world a better place.”

He combines his entertainment career with his work as a full-time lecturer in English and International Studies at Beijing.

He is also a volunteer in scouting programmes. — AP