(May 22, 2025) Under the bright lights of London’s O2 Arena, a calm teenage girl leans forward at the judges’ table with a warm smile. Souparnika Nair is now a judge at Young Voices, the world’s largest children’s choir concert. In front of her stands a nervous child, ready to sing. It’s a moment Souparnika knows well—just a few years ago, she was in that same spot, filled with nerves and dreams. Today, the girl who once left Kerala for the UK has grown into a rising star in Britain’s music scene.
Roots in Kerala, Dreams in England
Born in Kerala, India, Souparnika spent her early childhood surrounded by music. Her parents loved music and filled their home with both Bollywood songs and Western hits. She hummed melodies as soon as she could talk, a sign of her gift. In 2014, when Souparnika was five, the family moved to England, settling in Bury St. Edmunds. There her passion for performance only grew. At six, she performed Let It Go from Frozen at a school talent show – her first live performance – and discovered she felt at home under the spotlight.
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By age eight, she joined her school choir for a Young Voices arena concert, singing in a crowd of thousands. She also began piano lessons and entered local singing contests, quickly earning her first trophies. Those early experiences gave Souparnika confidence and a taste of the stage.
Stealing the Spotlight on Britain’s Got Talent
In 2020, ten-year-old Souparnika stepped onto one of the biggest stages in the UK – Britain’s Got Talent. Standing in front of judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and David Walliams, she looked small but confident. She started singing Judy Garland’s The Trolley Song, but Simon Cowell stopped her midway. The audience went silent. Did she have another song ready? Souparnika nodded and began singing Never Enough from The Greatest Showman.
What came next amazed everyone. She sang the powerful song with confidence and hit every note perfectly. By the end, the whole audience was on their feet, clapping and cheering. “That is a mountain of a song, and you conquered it,” said David Walliams. Amanda Holden added, “You hit every single note!” With that performance, the young girl from Kerala won hearts across the country and became an overnight star.
“It was a dream-come-true moment,” Souparnika said later, reflecting on her BGT breakthrough. She had wanted to be on the show “for a really long time,” and reaching the semi-finals “was really great – a great opportunity.”
The BGT exposure brought Souparnika international attention. Legendary composer A.R. Rahman even tweeted a clip of her performance. Souparnika’s family back in India was proud beyond measure. “My grandparents from Kerala called me and told me how proud they were,” she remembers.
In the semi-finals, she performed “Neverland” from Finding Neverland. She gave a beautiful performance that once again impressed the judges. “BGT was such a big platform,” Souparnika says, “and it helped me prepare for big live performances and gain confidence.”
Beyond Talent Shows: A Rising Star
After her turn on BGT, Souparnika’s career kept gaining momentum. Even before BGT, she had tasted the limelight. At nine, she became the youngest ever Unexpected Star on BBC One’s Michael McIntyre’s Big Show. Invited to sing I Dreamed a Dream on stage at the London Palladium, she earned a standing ovation from 2,000 people.
Over the next few years, Souparnika appeared on various TV and radio programs, from an ITV Christmas special to BBC’s Blue Peter, charming audiences across the UK. She also took to the theater stage. In 2021, she made her musical theatre debut as Tomika in a UK tour of School of Rock. Playing a shy girl who finds her voice through music, she earned glowing reviews for her powerful vocals and stage presence.
Despite the whirlwind, she kept up with school. Souparnika now attends the BRIT School in London, honing her craft while studying for her GCSEs. She’s even writing her own songs and plans to release her first single soon. Her goal remains firm: “I want to be a professional singer and travel around the world,” she says – and she is well on her way.
Bridging Two Musical Worlds
Growing up in the UK with Indian roots, Souparnika was influenced by both cultures. At home, she listened to Malayalam nursery rhymes and Bollywood songs, along with Western pop music. When asked about her musical inspirations, she says, “So many, but to name a few – Adele, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, Cilla Black and Mariah Carey.”
Though she mostly sings in English, she still stays connected to her Indian heritage. At just six years old, she went viral for singing the Hindi song Vande Mataram on India’s Independence Day. She sees music as something that connects people. Souparnika calls herself British-Indian and enjoys mixing both cultures in her music. When she was on Britain’s Got Talent, Indian singer K.S. Chithra sent her best wishes, while audiences in the UK cheered her on – a mix that Souparnika finds meaningful and encouraging.
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An inspiration for diaspora teens
Souparnika’s journey reflects a growing trend of Indian-origin teens making their mark in the creative world. As a young artist who can sing powerful Western ballads while staying connected to her Indian roots, she shows how cultural diversity can be a strength. Her story proves that talent can thrive anywhere—whether it’s a girl from Kerala finding her voice in England or young artists across the diaspora sharing their heritage through art. Souparnika’s rise is inspiring other children of Indian origin to aim high, showing them that with passion and dedication, they too can shine on the world’s biggest stages.
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