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Limburg | May 5, 2022

Emma Kok: 'Singing is my best friend'

Emma Kok is a singer. She won the 10th edition of The Voice Kids in 2021 and Ministars in 2023. She gained international fame thanks to guest appearances with André Rieu during his famous concerts at Maastricht's Vrijthof square. Her version of the chanson Voilà went viral on social media. In 2024, she will be on a world tour with André Rieu. Emma is also an ambassador for the Limburg Youth Fund for Sports and Culture. She tells us why. 

We spoke with Emma in May 2022. "Hi!" she beamed. She has every reason to be beaming. Her very first single was a hit on streaming platforms, and her second is also doing well. Emma is an ambassador for the Youth Fund. She knows what it's like not to be able to participate. That's why she's committed to helping other children and young people who also can't participate. "I've had a feeding tube since I was little. That makes me different from other children. I'm not free because I'm always attached to those tubes. I always have to watch where I go and can't do anything spontaneously. The tubes are only removed for two hours a day. Then I flutter in all directions! That's why my first single was called 'Let me be a butterfly'."

Passion

Emma thinks it is important to be an ambassador for the Youth Fund. Maybe because I know what it feels like not being able to participate. I think it's so important that all children can make music or go to a sports club. It's so wonderful to have a great passion. It just helps you in life. Singing is so important to me. I can express myself in it, it helps me through difficult times. It's my best friend, a true passion. Every child deserves that.

Emma had ample opportunity to make music and pursue her dreams. Music is a natural part of the Kok family. Emma's brother is a violinist, and her sister sings classical music. "I first took violin lessons and later joined a choir. I really enjoyed that. Then my parents let me take singing lessons. That's where I discovered I wanted to sing. I like many styles, but I prefer pop music; it suits me."

Thanks to her participation in The Voice, Emma is now a celebrity. What do her friends and classmates think? Emma giggles: "When I told them I was on The Voice, they were so excited. And they've been watching all the time. They're all very positive. I dream of making singing my profession, just like Maan. When I think about that, I feel myself light up."

Discipline

A professional career isn't a given; you have to work for it. Emma also learns discipline and focus in her singing lessons. "I practice every day and have singing lessons every week," Emma says. "If you don't practice, you'll regress."

You have to be in good shape for shows. Thinking about the people who come to see them makes me tingle. I don't want to disappoint them. I get the chance to fulfill my dreams and live out my passion. I want other kids to be able to do that too!