Creep Serving a Higher Purpose, Truly

Netherlands television includes a kids version of the very popular television franchise The Voice. No doubt that much of what they present is middling at best – not unlike our stateside version. All of that only makes what happened on this night all the more spectacular.

Teen sisters Mimi (15) and Josefin (13) bring something telepathic between them in their rendition of Radiohead’s Creep as maybe only two gifted people who share 50% of their DNA can. And as good as their performance is – and it’s flawless – the stunned, gaped-mouth reactions of the judges, and the audience, only push it further into the stratosphere.

Rewatch it and note how the sisters look to one another nervously before they begin. What you’re watching is them each seeing the other in that way for the last time. Because in less than two minutes they’ll be forever changed as they step out of what may prove to be the greatest moment of their lives.

Mimi starts strong but it’s Josefin that gets the judges to slam the button. As it is with great talent, it only takes a fraction of a moment to realize what she’s bringing. Then, when those two voices come together and climb up into the first creep, everyone in the room feels the magic including the last holdout judges who slam in. Also, that lengthening of the creeps from the original was a touch of genius. It was their sucker punch and secret weapon. The judges agreed. Mimi comes in soon after with a screech that overdrives the drama. Their trick bag is loaded.

I’ve watched this many times now. Clearly, there are moments here that are untamable, unfakeable, and certainly unrepeatable. Their fresh-eyed joy as teenagers is completely infectious. There’s no denying that they’ve created something brilliantly incandescent here. I hope the hype that follows doesn’t crush them. The expectations will be brutal.