Amira Willighagen
Amira Willighagen
Amira Willighagen | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Born | March 27, 2004 Nijmegen, Netherlands |
| Genres | Classic, Crossover |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Website | amira-online.com [30] |
Amira Willighagen | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Born | March 27, 2004 Nijmegen, Netherlands |
| Genres | Classic, Crossover |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Website | amira-online.com [30] |
Holland's Got Talent
Willighagen auditioned for Holland's Got Talent and so impressed the judging panel with her version of "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's opera Gianni Schicchi[3][4] that within seconds the judges were staring in awe and disbelief.[5] Her performance rapidly became a YouTube hit with over 38 million viewers as of April 2019. In the semi-finals, she performed Gounod's "Ave Maria",[6] and in the final, she sang "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's opera Turandot. She won the competition with over 50% of the viewer vote.[7]
Career
In February 2014, Willighagen recorded her debut album, Amira.[8] The album contains 10 tracks including the songs she performed during Holland's Got Talent. The album was released in the Netherlands on March 28, reaching a Gold status only two weeks later. On July 11, she appeared with André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra in Maastricht during the recording of the album of Love in Venice after a member of his orchestra had seen her winning Holland's Got Talent on YouTube.
Willighagen's first international performances took place at the Starlight Classics Concerts in Somerset West, South Africa on February 28 and March 1, 2014. On April 30, 2014, she performed in Las Vegas as part of the prize she received when winning Holland's Got Talent. Amira's performances include appearances in Netherlands, South Africa, Belgium, USA, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Poland, Hong Kong, Argentina, Malta, Monaco, Iceland, Austria, Botswana.[9][10]
According to statements on her website, with half of the revenue she makes by performing and her album sales, Willighagen supports her own charity project, Gelukskinders to build playgrounds for poor children of South African townships. The idea of creating playgrounds came up when she went first time to South Africa, to visit her grandmother, at the age of seven. She went outside to play, like any child, but the children from there didn't have a proper playground, so they just ran and threw stones. Astonished and disappointed, she has thought: "When I will have money, I will make a playground for these children."[11] That's exactly what she did: after only three years, in March 2014, she opened the first playground in Ikageng, a township near Potchefstroom, South Africa.[12] To formalize development and maintenance of playgrounds, Willighagen's Gelukskinders foundation was established on November 1, 2014.[13] On behalf of her foundation, Willighagen opened a second playground in Ikageng on August 1, 2016.[14] Amira opened a third playground; Amira Park-Sarafina which was completed in January 2017. Amira opened her fourth playground in South Africa on June 20, 2017; Amira Park #4 was opened in Promosa.[15] On June 11, 2018, Amira opened her 5th playground at Lesego Primary School which included carousel, swings, slide, and a sandbox.[16] Until August 2019 were created 13 playgrounds in places near Potchefstroom.[17]
On November 8, 2014, Willighagen visited the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome to receive the International Giuseppe Sciacca Award 2014.[18] In November 2015, Willighagen released her second album, Merry Christmas. Besides a selection of well-known Christmas carols, the album contains various famous arias.
On March 2, 2018 Willighagen's long-anticipated album "With All My Heart" was released in South Africa, later digitally worldwide, under the Coleske Artists label. The album marks a change in her singing career from opera to classical crossover. Several tracks were written especially for her. Songs like "With All My Heart", "I Will Be With You" and a cover of "Gabriella's Song" are potential hits. Amira also sings duets with Corlea Botha ("Flower Duet"), Patrizio Buanne ("O Sole Mio" and "Amigos Para Siempre") and Ruhan du Toit ("Follow Your Heart").
In early 2018, Amira, her brother, Fincent and mother, Frieda moved to South Africa. During an interview in a Dutch regional newspaper, they stated the Dutch school system didn't offer Willighagen sufficient flexibility for performances. Also, Willighagen's new, South African manager planned to include fewer, longer tours.[19] In an earlier interview Amira's mother (of South African origin) revealed that she and the children's father had parted.[20]
Willighagen realized two videos: "Ave Maria", by Giulio Caccini, from the album "Merry Christmas" and "In The Stars", from the album "With All My Heart".[21][22] She also has performances featured on four DVDs and four CDs: Afrikaans Is Groot 2016, Classics Is Groot 2016, Classics Is Groot 2017, and Classics Is Groot 2018, all published by Coleske Artists.[10][23]