A British mom is on the defensive after trotting out her daughter for a performance some critics are ripping as “creepy.”
Little 7-year-old Xia Vigoa has become an international sensation with her imitation of Taylor Swift and her song “You Belong With Me,” on the Filipino talent show “Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids.”
Instant rave reviews have since turned to concern that Xia’s red-lip-stick-pouting, one-shoulder- sequin-dress performance might have been a little too much for a little girl.
“As a mother I would not put my child in a position where she would be sexualized… [the programme] is for children,” mom Christy Bernardo told “This Morning” television show Thursday on Great Britain’s ITV.
But high-profile critics of the girl’s act have been led by TV pundit Piers Morgan, who has called it “creepy” and “sexualized.”
The mom defended her daughter, calling Morgan “very judgmental” and unfair.
“He should know his facts first,” she said. “I thought he’d be more intelligent than that,” she said, the Sun reported.
Xia’s performance has become a viral sensation with more than 4.7 million views on the show’s YouTube since Sunday.
In the song, Xia comes out in a drum major uniform – a look Swift has used on the concert stage.
A team of dancers dressed as cheerleaders then rip off that uniform to reveal Xia dressed in a sparkling, one-shoulder dress.
“She’s an extremely smart girl, she’s not a normal 7-year-old,” the girl’s mom said. “She loves to perform.”
Xia, who is from Exeter, Devon – is also known for her impersonation of Selena Gomez.
Her rendition of “Love You Like a Love Song” has picked up more than 1.8 million views since it was first posted on the “Your Face” YouTube page on Jan. 7


