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'Hallelujah' helps heal

Eighteen-year-old singer Alexander Stewart has played for big crowds and pulled in millions of views on his YouTube videos, but performing a rendition of "Hallelujah" for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a public tribute was something special.

Stewart delivered a poignant rendition of Leonard Cohen's classic on Friday to honour the victims of the Danforth shooting that shocked the Greektown community where he grew up. The prime minister quietly sang along while standing beside him.

"It was such a healing moment and a beautiful thing for the community to come together like that," Stewart says of the experience, which marked the opening of the area's Taste of the Danforth Festival.

The young singer had already sang "Hallelujah" at the Danforth candlelight vigil last month. His performance led organizers to ask him to return for the annual street festival, and he was also invited to open Billy Talent's benefit concert for the victims on Saturday.

It's a sombre point to Stewart's burgeoning music career, which he's built from his parents' home in the Danforth neighbourhood where his father also owns a recording studio. Both his parents worked at The Canadian Press several decades ago.

Stewart began posting covers of popular songs on YouTube about three years ago. When the videos started to take off, he began to consider his aspirations more seriously.

His version of Camila Cabello's "Havana" has proven most popular, racking up nearly six million views since last October.

Those numbers were enough to attract interest from the music industry with the help of his father's connections.

Stewart released his debut single "Enamorado" earlier this year. The upbeat summer track was produced by Grammy winner Dave Aude, best known for crafting hits like Selena Gomez's "Kill Em With Kindness" and club remixes of songs from the likes of Beyonce and Lady Gaga.



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