The World's Worst Opera Singer

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Long before I knew the difference between a whole note and a musical rest, long before I knew anything about the five black on the keyboard instrument, I had this undying love for opera music.

There is something about those high pitched human voices that hits through my deepest emotions, allowing me to transcend into another realm (more like get lost in its sound).

One time, I heard a girl singing an unfamiliar tune. The sound was so lovely that I sprung up to my feet and started circling around the room in a ballet-choregraphy style. My cousin who was watching my dramatic show chuckled.

“Do you even know what you are dancing to?”

I shook my head.

“That's Mozart's ‘Queen of the Night's Aria’ from ‘The Magic Flute’. This particular one is sung by Florence Foster Jenkins.".

Then she continued, “But how do you get to enjoy a rendition by a lady who can't maintain any rhythm?”

Her words struck my young mind. That night, I started my research on this singer whose voice, to my “untrained ears”, had sounded so captivating. Even now, her voice still moves me.

I wondered how Florence Foster Jenkins could walk into Carnegie Hall, take up the space and act like she belonged there. That was not just courage: that was a different level of determination.

And if she, despite being tone deaf, could shut her ears to criticisms. If she, despite the absence of “talent”, could believe in herself to achieve her dream of being an opera singer. Then, what about you? What about me?

Think deeply about this:

• What fears are holding you back from pursing your passion?
• What brilliant ideas are currently withering away in the confines of your mind?

Some of us are supertalented, yet we hold back ourselves for fear of being judged. We are filled with potential, yet we hide in the shadows, because we are too scared to step into the light.

But here's what Jenkins story taught me:

It is better to be laughed at for courageously showing up than to be forgotten for staying quiet and hidden.

_{An opera singer by Edwin Tan on Canva}

Because think about it for a second, who truly remembers the critics? Who remembers the naysayers, the ones who point fingers at others and laugh with a loud voice? No one! Not a single soul.

Rather we remember the ones who dared to push forward even after a fall.

You and I have different “songs” — could be a new business idea, a creative project or a challenging conversation that needs to happen. I urge you to SING IT.

People may say that you can't “sing”, but no one, absolutely, no one, would ever say you did not “sing”.

_{Published on 28 July 2025}