11-Year-Old Sings An Angelic Rendition Of ‘O Holy Night’ And Takes The Crowd’s Breath Away

Nov 24, 2022 by apost team

One of the many joys of the Christmas season is the carols. Music and songs have a way of touching you deep in your soul, stirring emotions and even memories. Sometimes, the sheer beauty of the singer’s voice is what hits you the most. Such was the case with a young girl’s tear-inducing performance at a Christmas concert in December 2015. 

Amira Willighagen, then a tender 11 years old, was invited as a special guest star by the Nijmegen Men's Choir to perform at the Petrus Canisius Church in her hometown of Nijmegen in the Dutch province of Gelderland. She looked ever the picture of grace and poise as she took to the microphone to belt out her rendition of “O Holy Night.” 

As her angelic voice soared through the church, the audience was pin-drop silent. Despite her petite frame, Amira’s voice filled the room with its polished and smooth timber, proving big voices can come in small packages. And it wasn’t just those in the audience that night who were lucky enough to witness such an awe-inspiring performance. A video of her singing took the internet by storm as well, racking up more than 2.7 million views. And it’s not hard to see why. Her performance captured the serenity and sense of bliss and joy of the original carol, infused with clarity of pitch and resonance. It called to mind the rapture of the heavens and angels, perfect for the occasion. By the end of the song and as Amira reached its crescendo, audience members were left stunned yet delighted with the young girl’s talent.

Prior to Amira’s heart-rending 2015 performance, she had already racked up an impressive list of accomplishments. At the age of 9, Amira had not only taken part in but won the 2013 edition of “Holland’s Got Talent,” the Dutch version of the “Got Talent,” series in The Netherlands. Amira, who speaks both Dutch and Afrikaans as her father is from the Netherlands while her mother is from South Africa, had grown up taking singing lessons. This began after she was inspired by a Luciano Pavarotti performance of the aria "Nessun Dorma" at 7 years old. She was struck by the singing bug and began teaching herself how to sing opera arias via YouTube.

After her runaway success on “Holland’s Got Talent,” Amira began performing across the world, including in Las Vegas, South Africa, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Hong Kong, Argentina, Mexico, Iceland, Austria and Botswana. Her first album released in 2014 topped the charts in the Netherlands, and she has since released three more albums and DVDs of her performances. Now 18, Amira has settled in her mother’s homeland of South Africa and continues to sing. In tandem with her 18th birthday, she released a CD of her 18th Birthday Concert that is available for purchase. 

Meanwhile, Amira’s 2015 performance continues to draw back fans, with many new comments of praise still being posted on the clip.

“This is healing music of the very best quality. Thanks so much Amira!” one comment read.

“I'm addicted to listening to this voice for which I can't find proper adjectives. It's beyond beautiful. As I listen to her voice, it feels as though it helps to fill the emptiness of my soul. Her heavenly voice brings tears to my eyes and fills my heart with gladness,” another viewer wrote.

apost.com

What are your thoughts on Amira’s performance? Have you ever heard a voice so pure and calming? Let us know and don’t forget to pass this along to all the music lovers out there.