An 11-year-old Christian girl who is now an Internet sensation after her spellbinding performance on "The Voice Kids" has told her extraordinary story on how she ended up on the show because of the Islamic State (ISIS).
Mirna Hana, a Chaldean Christian and a talented schoolgirl, sang an Iraqi classic followed by Disney's "Let It Go'' during her audition that wowed the judges in Beirut and the millions of viewers worldwide. A YouTube video of Hanna has been seen by nearly 11.8 million viewers, according to the Daily Mail.
Her splendid audition earned her the title "the Babylon Princess.''
But before her performance on the show, Hana told the judges that her life was in danger in Iraq because the ISIS had its eyes on her and her family.
"After we got to Lebanon, my dad told me that Daesh [ISIS] wanted to kidnap and kill me. From then I felt very scared at night, and I couldn't sleep alone, or be by myself,'' the young singer said.
"The Voice is a chance to sing for the world and to show that Iraq isn't just about war and things like that—there are beautiful sounds, too,'' she said.
Hana's father said: "They threatened us with the kidnapping of our little girl, so we came here. We left everything behind us—even my job with the government.
"Everybody knows the difficulties of Iraq, from ISIS and how they slaughter the people and how they take their houses,'' he said.
Hana walked on stage in a chiffon red dress to perform in front of the Arab world's pop elite on audition day. She initially got a hug for her dad who told her not to be afraid.
Upon hearing the opening notes, 58-year-old Iraqi judge Kazem El Saher reportedly broke into a broad smile—immediately recognising the rendition of his own love song. He then turned his chair to see who was singing. The judge is from Mosul, now an ISIS city in northern Iraq.
The other judges, Lebanese superstar Nancy Ajram and Egyptian actor and singer Tamer Hosny, also turned their chairs after Hana completed her rendition of the song, said the reports.
"How do you sing like that?" judge Nancy asked her in disbelief. She then offered her costumes from "Frozen" in an attempt to lure her to join the team. Tamer, on the other hand, offered the girl a chance to be in his film.
The young girl, however, picked her fellow Iraqi Kazem, known as the "Caesar of Arabic Singing" to mentor her.
Meanwhile, fans of the young singer opened a Facebook page to provide a venue to post messages, pictures or videos of Hana. Many Chaldean Christians have also posted messages of support for the young star.
The page also contained photos and videos of Hana, including family pictures taken during picnics, in the park, concerts, at church among others, the report said.
Watch Mirna Hana sing below:
