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Two of Bahrain’s singing talents struck a chord with musical judges from around the world, as they took top prizes in their age category during a recent international singing competition in Malta.
Eleven-year-olds Amyra Anand and Serena Khan, both Year 6 students at St Christopher’s School, competed at the recent Golden Voice Malta competition against more than 200 competitors from 29 countries, including five from Bahrain.
“It was a tough competition,” Amyra told GulfWeekly.
“Everyone was incredible and I am so happy that I won in my category. I would like to thank my vocal coach Natallia Estanom from Belcanto Vocal Studio for being the best mentor anyone could ask for, as well as all my teachers from St Christopher’s School for supporting me through my musical journey.”
The Golden Voice International Vocal Contest was first organised in Malta in 2016 and encourages young people to improve their vocal skills and learn about different cultures through a global experience.
Amyra, a Bahrain-based Canadian national of Indian origin, won first place in the Movie Musical category with her rendition of Into the Unknown from the animated classic Frozen II.
She has also showcased her talent on various platforms including the St Christopher’s Music Festival, and aspires to compete at EuroVision one day.
During her upcoming vacation, she is set to attend summer school in the UK focused on musical theatre.
“Amyra’s singing journey began at the age of four under the guidance of Natallia, a professional vocal coach with over 20 years of experience,” her parents Akshay and Anisha Anand added.
“Since then, she has blossomed into a remarkable young vocalist, with Natallia instilling in her not just technical prowess but also a profound love for music and singing.
“Her training regimen has been consistent since she began in 2020, and throughout her journey, Natallia has been more than a vocal coach to Amyra; she has been a mentor, guide, and unwavering support, nurturing her talent and fostering her growth as a vocalist.”
She is already preparing to showcase her talent on stage once again, this time at her school’s junior musical production of Annie.
Meanwhile, her classmate Serena secured second place overall in her age category, having performed two songs - Good Morning Baltimore from the movie Hairspray and the pop song The Climb by Miley Cyrus.
“Thank you to all my friends and teachers who encouraged me as I got accepted to Malta, especially (St Christopher’s School junior musical production director) Mr John Goodwin,” Serena added. “Going to Malta was a whole different journey. The competition was very tough but all the people were nice and friendly and cheered for each other when we went on stage.”
