Little Esther’s Song’s Bringing Mizoram Closer to Mainland India

On Children’s Day, meet India’s youngest viral sensation winning hearts on the internet with her songs.

4-yr-old Essy’s cover of ‘vande Matram’ made her India’s youngest singing sensation.

(Photo: The Quint/Shruti Mathur)

Producer: Zijah Sherwani
Video Editor: Puneet Bhatia

The Quint met Esther Hnamte from Lunglei, Mizoram, who is winning hearts on the internet after her rendition of A.R Rehman’s ‘Vande Matram’ went viral.

What started as a joke when Esther started to sing funnily and showed interest in singing at the age of two has now taken such a great turn with her videos getting millions of views and so much love from around the globe.

‘‘She can sing along tothe entire late artiste May’s songs, and she was just one or one-and-a-half-years-old at those times. So, just like that singing is in her nature.’’

R. Lalawmpuii, Esther’s Mother

Essy Sings in English & Hindi without Understanding a Word

Esther’s parents decided to take her singing seriously when she turned three-years-old and produced her first music video. Even her parents are astounded at her singing in languages not known to her.

Esther doesn’t have professional training and her parents would like to keep it that way for a while. Although, they are planning to teach her the Hindi language.

(Photo: Esther Hnamte)

(Photo: Esther Hnamte)

(Photo: Esther Hnamte)

Little Essy's Music Training at Home

Well, there isn’t any!

Her parents just play the song they want her to learn loudly, on a woofer, and keep playing it on repeat while she plays with her dolls. After a while, Esther starts singing the song.

“Yes, it’s quite impressive. The best way we can explain this is that God has gifted Esther with a very special talent. She is also blessed with a good memorising skill. She listens to the songs we play for her. She would just know how to say the words.”

R. Lalawmpuii, Esther’s Mother

It was Essy’s uncle R. Malsawmzuala who suggested that he should sing India’s national song ‘ Vande Mataram’.

At first, the parents were hesitant, as the song seemed very difficult to sing. But, her uncle firmly insisted that she had to sing this song as it is a very powerful one – a song that unites all races within the country.

He said, ‘‘She has a strong memorizing skill, and by God’s grace, she will pull this off so, just get her to listen to it’.”

Esther is a fan of Disney Princess Elsa, and she wants to become like her when she grows up.

Esther doesn’t have the slightest idea that she has become famous on social media.
When someone would ask, “You are Esther, the sweet little singer, right?” she would simply say, “No, I’m not, you must have mistaken me for her,” without even looking at them and would walk past them, leaving them, kind of, confused and amused at the same time.

(Photo: Esther Hnamte)

“She’s still a bit too young to understand what all this is exactly about. She just has no idea about it at all. Even if we showed her television interview and the reaction videos about her on YouTube, she doesn’t grasp the meaning of them.”

R. Lalawmpuii, Esther’s Mother

Esther is also unaware of the gap she is bridging between Mizoram and ‘mainland’ India and the curiosity this song has created in the minds of people.

“We are sometimes mistaken as foreigners and Chinese in various parts of the country even though we are Mizos. Despite all that, our daughter has been able to debut this kind of song.”

Lalrinenga Hnamte, Esther’s Father

The reaction to Essy’s video has received has been overwhelming for the family. People have been sending love from across the world and have been wanting to meet her.

“I personally feel that, through this, many people have come to know about us. Some people even mention that they would love to come here and meet Esther in person, if not for this pandemic. So, from these various interactions, we feel that many have come to realize that we are also part of India.”

R. Lalawmpuii, Esther’s Mother