Busker breaks down in tears after Heckler tells her she’s terrible
This music critic is on the wrong track.
A heckler brought a young busker to tears after he cruelly criticized his vocal talents, saying, “Some people have it…you don’t.”
The incident happened earlier this month in the British city of York, where aspiring singer Mia Kirkland, 18, had set up shop to perform in front of pedestrians.
“Most of the time people aren’t being mean, but even when it’s once, it worries you all, it makes you anxious and nervous,” the shaken teenager told Kennedy News and Media.
Kirkland was livestreaming his bus session on TikTok when the heckler approached, and the entire ordeal was caught on video. The clip then went viral, racking up over 3 million views.
In the video, the British blonde can be seen taking a break from singing Lady Gaga as the rowdy old man approaches.
“There are people who have it…you don’t. You have to add variations, you’re on the same plane all the time,” the man can be heard saying to a crashed Kirkland.
The teenager tries to walk away from the man, but he continues his criticism and claims he once worked with Motown legend Diana Ross.
Footage shows the heckler eventually walking away before Kirkland was comforted by her mother, who was watching.
But the harsh words were too much for the budding crooner to bear, as she was seen sobbing and wiping a tear from her eyes.
However, the brave performer wasn’t going to let the heckler stop her, and she then returned to the square to sing another song.
“It’s only been before that I’ve had flowers and tons of kind words, but it’s hard not to let people like that ruin your day,” Kirkland said. “It’s just a little presumptuous of him to think he could get away with it because I’m a young woman on my own.”
Kirkland – who will start studying at the London College of Creative Media next year – also told Kennedy News she doesn’t believe the man has ever worked with Diana Ross.
“I don’t think there’s any truth to him saying he worked her up,” she said. “If he did, he wouldn’t come up to me and say something like that. A lot of people said the closest thing he had to her was listening to her in the shower.
The singer said the cruel criticism wasn’t the first rowdy she’s had while performing on the streets, saying: “I’ve had so many weird people’s experiences with me – I had to report a woman to the police for sending me hate mail.”
“When I started, I didn’t think playing the streets would be like this at all,” she added. “But now that I’ve been doing it for quite a while, every time I go out I have to be prepared for someone who doesn’t like it to come up to me.”
Still, the “shy” singer says the heckler ruined her confidence – but was heartened by the positive comments she received both on TikTok and in real life.
“I only played once after that and I was so nervous about running into him again or someone else saying something, but it was so beautiful,” he said. enthused Kirkland.
“I’m not a confident person at all, but ever since this happened and the positive response I got from a lot of people made me think, ‘People like me are good!’ “
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