A star is born

LIHUE — The crowd at the Kauai Filipino Chamber of Commerce was in a festive mood Saturday night. But when 10-year-old Jeremiah Garcia took the stage as part of the entertainment, people stopped talking and starting listening.

This kid was good. Really, really good.

The son of Russell and Cynthia Garcia proudly belted out “Corner of the Sky” and “Feeling Good.”

With Frank Sinatra-like confidence, the Koloa Elementary School fifth-grader swayed, sang and smiled as he delivered a performance that brought everyone to their feet. If you could steal the show at a chamber dinner, he did it.

Jeremiah beamed as the crowd applauded and cheered.

“I have to follow that?” joked Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., who was next on the program.

Jeremiah said he wasn’t nervous despite singing for about 200 people at the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club. In fact, he was happy to perform for them.

“Show everyone what I got,” he said.

And when they roared, just for him?

“I was really glad,” he said.

Asked if he has any heroes of singing, Jeremiah didn’t hesitate: “My dad,” he said. “I got my voice from my dad.”

His father smiled as his son was congratulated over and over after the chamber gathering ended.

“He did a good job. I’m proud of him,” Russell said.

Jeremiah has been singing about three years. He’s also an actor, tap dancer and plays the ukulele and piano. He even performs every other Wednesday in “South Pacific” at the Kauai Beach Resort, and his father is an understudy.

Pretty much, when Jeremiah sets his mind to doing something, he does it.

“He’s good,” said his 6-year-old sister, Noelani.

When Cynthia was pregnant with Jeremiah, Russell said he would sing to his son.

“Not like him, but I can sing,” he said. “It runs in our family.”

While he would welcome his son to pursue a musical career, Russell said it’s up to Jeremiah.

“Whatever he wants to do,” he said.