VIDEO: The Taxi Driver Who Sings Like Michael Jackson
A CABBIE has become a star after his pitch-perfect version of Michael Jackson hit Billie Jean made him an internet sensation.
Jean Carlos Ribeiro Machado was filmed performing the song by a passenger who had been tipped off about his amazing vocals.
And within weeks of the clip hitting the internet, it had racked up almost two million views � and has now been seen by a total of four million people.
The footage shows Jean beat-boxing and singing as he drives his passenger to a bus stop.
Career
One fan of the film commented: "Michael Jackson isn't dead, he just moved to Brazil to be a taxi driver!" Jean, from Belo Horizonte, was quickly signed up and is now a megastar thanks to talent shows similar to the X Factor.
Recalling the start of his career, Jean said he had no idea how much of a stir his Jacko impression had caused.
He said: "I got a call to pick up a fare, a guy named Diego.
"In the car he told me that the operator had said that I sang the same as Michael Jackson."So I sang Billie Jean to him and he recorded the video, I dropped him off at the bus stop and left. It was only afterwards that I saw the video on YouTube."
Under the name Jean Walker, the 32-year-old has since appeared on national TV with a team of dancers performing an extended version of Thriller.
He has also sung in front of Jacko's dad Joe, who visited Brazil on a recent book tour, and now hopes to make it big in America.
Jean said: "I've been a fan of Michael's since childhood. Ever since the age of ten or 11, I have danced and listened to his music.
"I never thought of singing for real, that people would admire both."