Teen busker’s mesmerizing voice has brought shoppers to tears 

By Pol Allingham via SWNS

A teenage busker's mesmerizing voice has brought shoppers to tears and had couples begging him to perform at their wedding just weeks after starting his singing career.

Robbi McKeown, 18, has only been crooning in the street since the start of the year but has already seen videos of his performances going viral.

Dressed in jogging bottoms and a jacket, the teen sensation takes to town centers around Kent, UK, and wows shoppers with his silky voice.

Loved-up couples and gobsmacked kids have flocked around Robbi, who quit his full-time job in a school to follow his dreams by busking.

In December the 18-year-old was still a behavior manager at a school, but since 2023 began he has been performing on the streets every day.

Scores of social media users gushed at his dulcet tones and his growing army of fans is anticipating he will hit the big time.

Clips of Robbi performing have been shared thousands of times and passers-by have already stopped in the street and asked him to perform at their weddings.

After just six months of focusing on music and a few days busking, he is making a living from his new career.

On his second day on the streets, he raked in £400 ($486 USD) in three-hours - his highest earning day so far.

One Facebook user who caught Robbi singing in the seaside town of Folkestone, Kent, said: “A young couple was dancing to him...I really hope someone scouts him, nice young man such a lovely voice.”

A mom said: “We saw him in town once. My eight-year-old daughter was mesmerized. He's very good. Let's hope he gets seen by the right people.”

Another said: “He made me cry yesterday...he was so good.”

The youngest of five siblings, Robbi attributes some of his graft and work ethic to growing up without a father and hopes to change the stigma around succeeding in a single-parent household.

Ed Sheeran is his main musical inspiration because “he started off on the streets and has grown to where he is now."

James Arthur is another source of inspiration, for working hard for success, Robbi said.

His most requested song is tear-jerker Dancing in the Sky by Dani and Lizzy, which is apparently well-loved by the older generation, and his most played is Dancing On My Own - the Callum Scott version.

Robbi said the enthusiastic support is what he needs and he loves people getting involved with his music.

He said: “Getting all this support is a proper confidence boost for me because I think I lack in that a little bit, it’s a self-doubt kind of thing.

“When I see an impact, when I get a comment on Facebook, particularly over the last couple of days, that’s really given me the confidence boost I perhaps need. That feels really good.

“And when people are sticking around in the crowd while I’m busking and when they’re requesting certain songs, that means they’re there for me and they want to be listening to what I can do - I really enjoy that.

The young man said he’s been pushed to work harder because his dad was not around when he was growing up.

He added: “I feel that it’s looked down on not having two parents at home.

“Unfortunately it’s just the way it is, that in society people live at home and you have your mom and you have your dad - but actually, it’s not always the case.

“I’m trying to work hard to prove that stigma wrong.

“I’ve had a good upbringing, it’s just my mom at home and I’ve got five siblings so she’s done really well."

Robbi said he brought music to his previous job, but eventually, he could not contain his love of music and had to follow his dreams.

He said: “I quit my job in December, and come January I thought 'this is my full-time job now - I’ve got no other income.'

“I wake up in the morning and post on Facebook, sometimes I share a quote, and I get some lovely comments and I immediately feel great because people are wishing me luck for the day.

“I do different days to see what works, what’s quiet, what’s not. Hopefully, I can create a routine so I can give myself a break as well.

“A successful day is certainly when there’s a crowd - also when people are engaging and coming over and having conversations and asking for specific songs.

“That means I’ve made that difference, which I want to do, to impact on their day.

“Music has always been my thing, even when I was a behavior manager the kids always knew I was singing and I’d always bring that into my job.

“It was an extra passion for me, and it outweighed my passion for working with young people a little bit.”