Moved with emotion, Sir Sidney Poitier clasps his hands to his face after begin serenaded with "To Sir With Love" by Bahamian singing sensation, Angelique Sabrina at a dinner held in his honour in Los Angeles.
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Eighteen year old Bahamian vocal talent, Angelique Sabrina, who now
resides in Los Angeles, California, was invited to a dinner
in honour of the legendary Bahamian actor Sir Sidney Poitier's
89th Birthday. The event was also to celebrate his recent BAFTA Fellowship Award.
The dinner was held at the Wilshire Four Seasons
in Beverly Hills on Sunday, February 21, and before dinner,
Angelique sang
To Sir With Love sitting next to Sir Sidney, who by the end, was noticeably moved with emotions, clasping his hands to his face.
After, he stood and said, "This is a remarkable moment for us, you heard every word she sang, it is wonderful that this child; that she carries something in her...and then she sang, and she shared it with us. And I thank you, from the bottom of my heart" (crowd exclaims "aweee").
Angelique responded, "Thank you, that means a lot!"
Sir Sidney replied, "You are brilliant, absolutely brilliant."
Anqelique posted the a photo and the video of her performance to her facebook page writing, "That moment when you serenade your idol and end up comforting him! I could not have asked for a better moment. #ProudBahamian #ToSirWithLove Happy 89th Birthday Sir Sidney Poitier!"
"This was such a moving moment. Bahamians honouring
Bahamians...youth honouring an elder," said Angelique's father Gregg
White who was also in attendance with his wife.
The 1960s
theme song
To Sir With Love, from the film of the same name starring Poitier, was
originally sung by Lulu and made it to number one on the U.S. pop charts
for five weeks in the autumn of 1967. Angelique hit the notes perfectly.
"Sir Sidney is a man that I have idolized for many many years," said Angelique. "I remember being 14 years old and finishing his book
The Measure of A Man. I became so inspired to pursue my career in the arts and learn as much as I could. The idea of another Bahamian being able to realize their dreams was one thing, but the way Sir Sidney went about doing it is what really touched me. He is such a force, such a man of integrity! I wanted to emulate that and hopefully carry his baton one day. To be able to serenade him in such an intimate way for his 89th birthday was an absolute dream come true for me, and a moment I will never forget."
Left to right: Cedric Scott, Bahamas Honorary Consul to California, Gregg White, Mrs. Debra White, Sir Sidney Poitier, and Angelique Sabrina.
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The evening was organized by the Bahamas Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell; Bahamas Consul General to Washington, D.C. Paulette Zonicle; and Bahamas Honorary Consul to California Cedric Scott.
"I live for these moments," said Angelique.
May Sir Sidney live to enjoy many more moments like these.
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