Buzz
Every parent believes their child is extraordinary, and rightly so. However, some children seem to discover their talents far earlier than others. This list highlights exceptional youngsters excelling in art, music, sports, and intellectual pursuits, leaving the rest of us in awe.
1. Aelita Andre, The Miniature Pollock
Aelita Andre, a celebrated Australian abstract artist, creates vibrant masterpieces on canvas using acrylic paints, glitter, masks, fabrics, and even plastic dinosaurs. Remarkably, she’s only six years old.
Aelita’s parents, both artists themselves, noticed her fascination with their craft when she was just nine months old. By 22 months, her artwork was presented to Mark Jamieson, director of Brunswick Street Gallery, who included her pieces in a group show without realizing her age. Over the following years, her paintings sold for around $30,000.
In 2011, Aelita held her debut solo exhibition at New York City’s Agora Gallery. During her visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with her family, she famously asked, “Where are my paintings?”
2. Ryan Wang, The Young Mozart
“How do you get to Carnegie Hall?”
“Practice, practice, practice.”
This seems to be the guiding principle for Ryan Wang, who performed at the iconic Carnegie Hall this year as part of the 2013 American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition. Despite only playing the piano for under two years, at just five years old, that span represents nearly half his life. Interestingly, Mozart mastered his first musical composition at the same age.
Hailing from Canada, Wang started his musical adventure by casually playing the keyboard. Recognizing his potential, his mother enrolled him with a piano instructor. His preferred piece is “Variations on a Russian Theme.” During a recent TV interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Wang confidently shared that he never feels nervous and that math is his favorite subject, though he humorously clarified it’s just “baby math.”
3. Titus Ashby, The Toddler Basketball Prodigy
Titus Ashby gained internet fame this year for his uncanny ability to score baskets more effortlessly than many professional NBA players. Known as “Trick-shot Titus,” the two-year-old appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live in June, where he competed against Shaquille O’Neal in a lighthearted shootout. Titus scored eight times, while Shaq missed every shot. He later returned to face Kobe Bryant, resulting in a tie.
Originally from Kansas, Titus is far from a one-dimensional player. He excels at layups, jumpers, and even trick shots like bouncing the ball off the floor into the hoop or shooting blindfolded. His skills echo the legendary HORSE games played by Larry Bird and Michael Jordan in McDonald’s commercials two decades ago.
4. Onafujiri “Fuji” Remet, The Tiny Photographer
In just three years—essentially his entire life—Onafujiri “Fuji” Remet has built an impressive collection of over 3000 photographs. Born into a highly artistic family in Nigeria (his father and sisters are also artists), Fuji was given his first camera before turning one. The camera was roughly a quarter of his size at the time.
Fuji’s photos vividly capture the essence of Nigerian culture, from bustling street vendors to chaotic traffic and his sister, Onarietta, adorned in traditional attire. His work was featured by CNN last summer and displayed at an exhibition in Lagos, Nigeria. However, his mother emphasizes that photography is simply a playful activity for Fuji, who loves documenting his daily surroundings.
5. and 6. Elise Tan-Roberts and Adam Kirby, The Mensa Prodigies
As reported by the Telegraph, Elise Tan-Roberts from London spoke her first word at just five months and began walking by eight months. By 16 months, she could count to 10. In 2009, her parents had her I.Q. tested, revealing a score of 156. At two years old, she became the youngest member of Mensa, the renowned high-I.Q. society.
Adam Kirby, another Londoner, became a member of Mensa this year. At two years and five months old, he is the youngest male to join the organization, slightly older than Elise was when she joined. With an I.Q. of 141, Adam reportedly taught himself to use the potty after reading a book on the subject. For context, the average I.Q. score is 100.
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