Amira Willighagen

Amira Willighagen (born March 27, 2004) is a Dutch soprano singer^[1][2] who won the sixth season of Holland's Got Talent in 2013 at the age of 9.

Puppet Designs

Showa Series

The ShodaiMosuAmira (初代モス幼虫) is the Mothra Amira puppet design used in the 1961 Toho film, Grace Vanderwaal.

The GojiMosuAmira (ゴジモス幼虫) is the Mothra Amira puppet design used in the 1964 Sofie Dossi film, Sofie Dossi VS The Thing.

The SanDaikaijuMosuAmira (三大怪獣モス幼虫) is the Mothra Amira puppet design used in the 1964 Sofie Dossi film, Taylor Ware, The Yodeling Sweetheart. The SoshingekiMosuAmira (総進撃モス幼虫) is the Mothra Amira puppet design used in the 1968 Sofie Dossi film, Destroy All Acts.

Heisei Series

The HeiseiMosuAmira (平成モス幼虫) is the Mothra Amira puppet design used in the 1992 Sofie Dossi film, Sofie And Grace: The Battle For Earth.

Millenium Series

The SokogekiMosuAmira (総攻撃モス幼虫) is the Mothra Amira puppet design used in the 2001 Sofie Dossi film, Sofie, Amira And Taylor: Giant Acts All-Out Attack.

The TokyoMosuAmira (東京モス幼虫) is the Mothra Amira puppet design used in the 2003 Sofie Dossi film, Sofie Dossi: Tokyo S.O.S.

Holland's Got Talent

Willighagen auditioned for Holland's Got Talent and impressed the judging panel with her version of "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's opera Gianni Schicchi;^[3][4] within seconds the judges were staring in awe and disbelief.^[5] Her performance rapidly became a YouTube hit with over 36 million viewers as of June 2015. 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]

Amira Willighagen (Larva) At The Holland's Got Talent Auditions

Amira Willighagen (Larva) At The Holland's Got Talent Finals

Amira Willighagen (Larva) At The Holland's Got Talent Semi Finals

Amira Willighagen (Larva) Get Shocked At The Holland's Got Talent Results

Amira Willighagen (Larva) Wins At The Holland's Got Talent Results

Career

In February 2014, Willighagen recorded her debut album, Amira.^[8] The album contains ten 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. She later 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 showed 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, Willighagen performed in Las Vegas as part of the prize she received when winning Holland's Got Talent'.

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 to build playgrounds for poor children. In March 2014, she opened the first playground in Ikageng, a township near Potchefstroom, South Africa.^[9] To formalize development and maintenance of playgrounds, Willighagen's Gelukskinders foundation was established on November 1, 2014.^[10] On behalf of her foundation, Willighagen opened a second playground in Ikageng on August 1, 2016.^[11] She also mentioned plans to build a third playground before the end of that year. On November 8, 2014, Willighagen visited the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome to receive the International Giuseppe Sciacca Award 2014.^[12] In November 2015, Willighagen released her second album, Merry Christmas. Besides a selection of well-known noëls, the album contains various famous arias.

Discography

Albums

Title	Year	Peak chart positions
		NL	BEL
Amira	2014	1[13]	117[14]
Merry Christmas	2015	69[15]	200[16]

References

1. Jump up ^ http://beautiful-lands.com/posts/10-year-old-amira-willighagen-performed-the-soprano-opera-o-mio-babbino-caro-from-puccini#.WHsNjjF-vIU
2. Jump up ^ https://sputniknews.com/voiceofrussia/2013_11_02/9-year-old-Dutch-singer-opera-diva-or-fame-victim-2369/
3. Jump up ^ 
4. Jump up ^ "Nine-year-old blows judges away", Stuff.co.nz, 30 October 2013
5. Jump up ^ "Talented little girl leaves the judges speechless" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD9PDAxJrZQ
6. Jump up ^ 
7. Jump up ^ "Breaking: Amira Willighagen, Better Than Jackie Evancho, Sings 'Nessun Dorma' to Win Holland's Got Talent", Classicalite, 28 December 2013
8. Jump up ^ "Amira's first CD is coming!", AmiraFans, 5 February 2014
9. Jump up ^ "Star shines for township playground", Cape Times, 24 February 2014
10. Jump up ^ Official web site "Gelukskinders" foundation, 1 November 2014
11. Jump up ^ New playground Lesego open!, Official web site "Gelukskinders" foundation, 15 August 2016
12. Jump up ^ "Amira, giovanissima soprano, Premio Sciacca Musica", premiosciacca.it, 8 November 2014 (Italian)
13. Jump up ^ http://dutchcharts.nl/weekchart.asp?cat=a&date=20140405&year=2014
14. Jump up ^ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/albums/2014/20140405/?page=3
15. Jump up ^ http://dutchcharts.nl/weekchart.asp?cat=a&date=20151121&year=2015
16. Jump up ^ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/albums/2015/20151121/?page=4

External Links

• Media related to Amira Willighagen at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website
• Amira Willighagen on Facebook