TV She was already a star in the local church choir, but did not believe that a showbiz career was for her. Until now. In the final of ‘The Voice Kids’, thirteen-year-old Sikudhani effortlessly outclassed the competition. A victory that has yet to sink in. “I was really in shock,” says De Molse in her first interview.
Coach Pommelien Thijs said it before: “Sikudhani shines when she can sing and is blessed with a unique voice.” This became clear when the Antwerp native – daughter of a Kenyan father and a Belgian mother – performed ‘Part of Your World’ (from ‘The Little Mermaid’, ed.) in the semi-final, and received a standing ovation for it. Sikudhani also continued that momentum in the final. For example, she first sang ‘Tattoo’ by Eurovision winner Loreen. Incredibly beautiful and pure, after which the young talent crowned the work with ‘I Will Always Love You’ by Whitney Houston. “When I heard that I had won, I was in shock,” he said. “I really didn’t expect it. I used to sing mainly in the bathroom. And now I’m suddenly the winner of ‘The Voice Kids’? That is too crazy for words.”
However, it had been clear to Sikudhani’s parents for some time that their daughter had talent. “I mainly got my passion for singing from my father,” Sikudhani explains. “I started singing in the children’s church choir here around the age of six, and even now I still sing regularly in celebrations. I also studied singing and piano at the music academy. And I always told my mom and dad that I wanted to be a singer, but that was it. Until one day they made the decision for me and signed me up for ‘The Voice Kids’.”
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The day of the audition, the young singer was quite nervous, she says. “But I’m glad I persevered,” she says. “When I then saw that Metejoor and Pommelien had performed for me, I was completely happy. I’m a fan of ‘#LikeMe’, in which Pommelien played. That she wanted to coach me… Great. Thanks to her, my self-confidence has been boosted. I now also know that I can do more than I thought. For example, I would never have chosen ‘Tattoo’ on my own, but thanks to Pommelien I still dared to sing it.”
First single
Thanks to her victory, the economics and organization student has also received a scholarship of ten thousand euros. “I don’t know exactly what I want to do later, but those money will come in handy,” she says. Although at the moment it is mainly the music that takes precedence. For example, Sikudhani was allowed to record a first single, via Universal. That became a cover of ‘Who You Are’, by Jessie J. “I think it’s important that people know that it’s okay to be yourself, and that it’s okay that you don’t always feel good about yourself,” she says. “That message is beautifully packaged in that song. Hence my choice. I hope that I will be able to perform my song often. Have I already practiced my signature? Let’s just say I’m almost on one. (laughs)”
Double scoop for Pommelien
Winners of The Voice Kids 2023! Sikudhani. © VTM
Not only was she one of the new coaches this season, Pommelien Thijs also immediately delivered the winner with Sikudhani. “It’s all very cool, although first and foremost I am very happy for her,” she said. “It has been a privilege to work with Sikudhani and watch her grow as a candidate. I’m very happy that I still had a spot left in my team during the blinds. I found that to be the most stressful part of my job as a coach, those blind auditions. You only have a short moment to hear what someone can do. But that was enough for Sikudhani to enchant me. Suppose there is a next season, I can only recommend children to participate. This is an incredible opportunity to gain experience and feel what it’s like in practice,” she concludes.
Semi-finalists ‘The Voice Kids’ record a video clip in Disneyland Paris
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2023-11-25 05:00:00
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