Seven-Year-Old Amelia Sings “Let It Go” In Ukrainian Bomb Shelter, Goes Viral

In the midst of the crisis in Ukraine, a heartfelt video of a little girl singing Frozen’s hit song “Let It Go” from a basement shelter went viral.

The clip was first shared through Facebook by a refugee, Marta Smekhova, who said that the girl’s name is Amelia. Smekhova revealed that, while staying in the bomb shelter in Kyiv, she began to get to know the seven-year-old child, and her passion for singing. The little girl shared that her dream is to be able to sing on the big stage in front of a huge audience.

Shortly after, her dream became true as Smekhova encouraged the little girl to sing for everyone sheltering with them underground while taking a video of her, which later received more than 16 million views over various social media platforms.

“I promised her there and then that not only the bunker would hear her voice, but the whole world would,” said Smekhova.

As Amelia sang the first few notes of “Let It Go” in Russian, the bunker immediately hushed to hear her pure and innocent voice. The familiar and joyful tune reached all the other girls, who like Amelia, live in devastating times but can find a glimpse of joy and connection through music. Many have expressed empathy for Ukraine’s plight as they’ve watched their own children excitedly sing along to the clip, not even noticing the language difference.

The viral video also reached the original singer of the Disney’s song, Idina Menzel, who played the voice of Frozen’s Elsa.

“We see you,” Menzel said, sharing her reaction on Twitter. “We really, really see you.”

Menzel’s post was also joined by those of several other actors who’ve played the role of Elsa, including Caissie Levy, who played the role as part of the original cast on Broadway, and Samantha Barks, who currently plays Elsa on the West End. Kristen Anderson-Lopez, one of the original composers of the song, was also touched by Amelia’s singing.

“Dear Little Girl with the beautiful voice, my husband and I wrote this song as part of a story about healing a family in pain,” Anderson-Lopez shared on Twitter. “The way you sing it is like a magic trick that spreads the light in your heart and heals everyone who hears it. Keep singing! We are listening!”

“I always knew Amelia was very talented and a sweet angel, and now the whole world knows the same,” says the little girl’s mother, Lilia. “But it is a tragedy that she is only a star because of so much death and destruction.”

Since her performance, Amelia has since made it to safety in Poland with her grandmother and her older brother, while her parents stayed behind to provide aid and cook for the troops defending Ukraine’s capital.