Sometimes when a person opens their mouth to sing, magic happens. It’s difficult to quantify exactly what attributes elevate a voice above the norm and captivate an audience, but we know when we hear it. Enter Shawn Louisiana.

A video of him singing in a barbershop went viral, and it’s certainly worth seeing. He stated on YouTube, “The older guy didn’t think I could pull off a Sam Cooke song,” but as he started singing “A Change is Gonna Come,” he proved he could. Very nicely. Like, whoa.

Watch:

Cooke, dubbed the “King of Soul,” was recognized for his warm, silky, velvety voice, which flowed naturally whether he was performing pop, soul, or gospel songs. And he was able to give this wonderful sound live, with no technical assistance, night after night. We don’t get to see feats like these very frequently nowadays. But, as Louisiana demonstrates, this gift is still very much alive.

According to a viewer, “It was like Sam tapped him on the shoulder and said, ‘Brother, sing my song and make me proud.'”

It’s important to note that Louisiana is not a singular success. He routinely posts videos of himself singing casually for the camera. Simply listen to this “Stand By Me” cover. Like butter. Sing us to sleep, sir.