8. Armless pianist Liu Wei wins China's Got Talent.
Liu Wei, who plays the piano with his toes, was crowned champion of China's Got Talent in October. The 23-year-old armless pianist from Beijing amazed an audience of about 70,000 and the judges by singing the song You Are Beautiful, and playing the keys with just his toes.
Footage of his performances went viral on videosharing websites, turning him into a popular sensation over night, similar to fellow contestants from the "Got Talent" franchise like Susan Boyle and Paul Potts.
Liu will be invited to perform on Taiwan singer Jolin Tsai's world tour and will also have a three-month stint in Las Vegas. He is also likely to get a contract with Fremantle Media and Sony Music Entertainment. The Chinese version of the show made its debut in May, and the semifinal program was at the top of the national rankings.
The weekly program on Dragon TV is part of British recording executive Simon Cowell’s “Got Talent” franchise, which now has versions broadcasting in more than 30 countries.
