Video from Kyiv, Ukraine: Little Girl Sings ‘Let it Go’ in Bomb Shelter

Updated – 3/7/22

Amid the darkness of the Russia-Ukraine War, one little spark of Disney magic shined bright.

We were first drawn to a video shared by the New York Post that showed a little Ukrainian girl singing “Let it Go” from Disney’s Frozen in a bunker surrounded by other families.

We have now found the full video from the original source and, well, take a look for yourself at the video below (and, uh, have some tissues nearby).

The little Elsa is singing the Disney anthem in Ukrainian–those who are familiar with the song can probably guess which verses she’s singing–and her performance to rousing applause by everyone else in the room.

When we first published this article, we could not say for sure where in Ukraine and when this footage comes from, but a Ukraine flag can be seen hanging up in the background. It is also unclear if the other people in the room are her family members or if it is a communal bunker.

Now we know that the singer’s name is Amelia, and she is singing in a bomb shelter in Kyiv, Ukraine.

The video was shared by Marta Smekhova with permission from Amelia’s parents.

Ms. Smekhova posted the video to Facebook on March 3, saying:

“Seeing in one of the Kyiv bomb shelters, how children draw bright pictures in the dim light, I, of course, could not pass by in silence.”

She explained in her post how she got to talking to Amelia and learned that she loved to sing. Ms. Smekova told Amelia that she should sing, but Amelia was worried no one would hear her because it was so loud in the bunker. But she started singing anyway.

Ms. Smekhova recalled:

“From the first word in the bomb shelter there was complete silence… everyone put off their business and listened to a song performed by this girl who just radiated light… even men couldn’t hold back tears … video made with the permission of the girl’s mother … promised that many people will see it! Amelia really wanted that … I showed this video to people in different cities of Ukraine, it was seen by foreigners in different parts of the world. Amelia, your singing did not leave anyone indifferent! look, Russians, against whom you are at war… our children radiate light, and even in the damp dark basement it does not fade, but ignites even brighter! and the whole world applauds our children!”

The quotations were posted in Ukrainian and translated using Google Translate, this writer apologizes for anything lost in the literal translation.

The heartwarming footage is a beautiful example of the resilience the Ukrainian people have shown as they attempt to stave off the Russian invasion.

The video was even seen and shared by Elsa herself, Frozen star Idina Menzel who said, “We see you. We really, really see you.”

We see you. We really, really see you. 💙💛 https://t.co/Vhln1MjXpX

— Idina Menzel (@idinamenzel) March 7, 2022

Just last week, we at Disney Fanatic reported that The Walt Disney Company would begin taking its own actions due to the conflict, such as pausing all further film releases in the country and removing St. Petersburg, Russia, as a port of call on Disney Cruise Line itineraries.

Disney’s statement reads:

Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming Turning Red from Pixar. We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation. In the meantime, given the scale of the emerging refugee crisis, we are working with our NGO partners to provide urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance to refugees. 

Read More: Walt Disney Company Shares Statement in Response to the Crisis in Ukraine

We at Disney Fanatic hope that this little Disney Princess and her family stay safe for the remainder of this conflict.