Frozen star Idina Menzel tweeted a message of support to a young girl who sang the film’s anthem “Let It Go” while sheltering in an Ukraine basement after the Russian invasion of the country.
The video showed a child, Amelia, being cheered on by families who were also seeking refuge in the building. It was first posted to Facebook by Ukrainian Marta Smekhova and has since gone viral all around the globe.
In her original post, Smekhova said she had chatted to the “friendly” and “talkative” girl in a Kyiv shelter, who told her she dreamed of singing in front of a big audience.
Smekhova suggested she give it a go, also explaining that she had permission from Amelia’s mother to post the video.
The video of Amelia’s rendition of Frozen’s “Let It Go” has 14.3 million views as of 1:00 p.m. ET.
Frozen stars respond to Ukrainian girl’s rendition of “Let It Go”
“We see you,” Menzel said. “We really see you,” alongside blue and yellow hearts, which are the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
We see you. We really, really see you. 💙💛 https://t.co/Vhln1MjXpX
— Idina Menzel (@idinamenzel) March 7, 2022
The song’s composer, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, also responded.
In a message posted to Twitter and addressed to “Little Girl with the beautiful voice,” she described the way she sung it as a “magic trick.”
“My husband and I wrote this song as part of a story about healing a family in pain. The way you sing it is like a magic trick that spreads the light in your heart and heals everyone who hears it,” Anderson-Lopez said. “Keep singing! We are listening!”
In another response, Josh Gad, who voiced Olaf the snowman, said his heart was “overwhelmed,” as he pained for the children caught in the middle of the conflict.
“My heart is overwhelmed. These poor children. These poor people,” Gad said. “I want to hug and protect this and every other child in danger right now and I feel helpless.”
Thousands of others respond
Thousands of others have also responded to the video.
In another response, Star Wars actor Mark Hamill and singer Imelda May invited Amelia to sing with them on stage when she was able to.
On British television, TV host Holly Willoughby was visibly emotional while introducing the video on ITV’s This Morning.
Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko also responded, saying, “The courage of the children in shelters is mindblowing.”
Two million flee amid Russian bombardment in Ukraine
Ukrainian forces and civilians have faced heavy bombardment since Russia launched its attack on its neighbor last month.
More than two million people have now fled the fighting.
Menzel voiced the character Queen Elsa in Disney’s smash hit film, which was released in 2013, and reprised the role in Frozen II in 2019.
“Let It Go,” Elsa’s signature tune, was named best original song at the Oscars in 2014.
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