The City of Angels opened their hearts for a woman with an angelic voice, and it’s lifting her up to new heights.
A homeless Russian-American woman was singing opera in the subway when an admiring police officer asked if he could tweet a video of her voice—and, now she is now beyond grateful to the man who changed her life.
After the melodic encounter rocketed her to fame, the folks at the LA police department asked Emily Zamourka what they could do for her.
What she wanted most was to thank Officer Frazier for sharing the video, so they set up a meeting:
“I can’t believe this is happening,” she said as she broke into tears and embraced the brawny Frazier who wrapped her in a bear hug.
We saw with our brains, but we listened with our hearts.
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) October 3, 2019
Her voice continues to captivate our city, and as the offers for help pour in, we asked: “Emily, what can we do for you?” Her answer: “I want to thank Officer Frazier for taking the video.”
Her wish was granted tonight. pic.twitter.com/lH4V51YTZ4
In just one day, the video of her voice echoing on a subway platform opened a floodgate of online donations and paid singing gigs. On Saturday, she sang the identical operatic song in front of thousands at the grand opening of Historic Little Italy in the San Pedro area of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles councilman Joe Buscaino, an Italian-American who was involved with event organizers, invited Zamourka to do a performance. After his speech, he introduced her to the crowd before she sang the Italian aria by Puccinni.
Holding the microphone, she said, “I’m so glad that I could touch your hearts with my voice. Thank you so much. I’m so overwhelmed.”
The councilman and his staff have taken the formerly homeless woman under their wing, helping her to get shelter and paying her $700 for the 3-minute performance.
After serious health problems a decade ago, the 52-year-old musician and former piano teacher was struggling to make ends meet. Then, disaster stuck when, she said, the $10,000 violin, which she played on sidewalks in order to make extra money, was taken and destroyed by a passerby. After that, she became homeless.
A GoFundMe campaign started by a consultant for Buscaino has raised more than $68,000—with many donors hoping it will be enough to replace her violin.
Zamourka says so many violins have been offered to her since the story went viral—and she “very much appreciates“ all the generosity—but she is waiting for an opportunity to acquire one that is closer to the stringed beauty that she lost.
“My violin was a very special violin,” she told TMZ. “I’m looking for an instrument that I can fall in love with.”
Over the whirlwind of last week, Zamourka was offered a recording contract from music producer Joel Diamond who drafted an offer letter in the hopes of creating a classical-EDM crossover hit. But with counsel from others, she is wisely keeping her options open.
She just wants to return to her normal life, working again as an artist to sustain herself. Thanks to Officer Frazier and all the kind donations, it looks like that dream is just around the corner.
(WATCH the video of her Little Italy performance…)
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