Erin Inglis, a nine-year-old girl from Inverurie, has been stealing hearts with her singing talent and emotional story with her voice reaching as far as Canada and India.
When she was five, Erin’s mum passed away from a medical condition leaving behind her, her little sister Ava and their dad Scott Inglis.
Singing since she was seven, the young talent has been receiving a lot of attention for her talent.
What used to be a hidden hobby is now being watched by 16,000 people a week with her studio recorded songs and video. Many are asking her to sing at events blown away not just by her voice but how she has used her talent to overcome so much.
Singing helps Erin feel closer to her mum and sister
Having already lost Ava’s twin sister Holly when she was born prematurely four years previously, and then losing their grandad last year to Covid, the family have lost a lot of loved ones in the last eight years.
While Mr Inglis threw himself into raising the girls by himself and running his carpet cleaning and flooring restoration business, Erin began to put more into her singing.
It was not until Mr Inglis heard Erin belting out a song in her room one day that he realised how good she was. Encouraged by her dad and sister, the nine-year-old started singing a lot more starting a Facebook page where her dad and her would upload videos of her singing.
The page has received a lot of attention from those who live locally but has also had viewers commenting from as far as Canada and India.
Speaking to Erin about her singing, she said it helps her feel closer to her mum and sister Holly as she imagines them listening to her sing from heaven.
When asked about about all the people who are now watching her videos, she mentions how much it encourages her.
She said: “It makes me excited and appreciative. Because all these people are encouraging me and supporting me for me to move on with my singing.”
Many at Erin’s school, Kellands School in Inverurie, have been really supportive of her. While she appears to be very calm and confident in front of the camera now, she said when they were first showing a video of her singing at school she was so nervous she hid.
Erin said: “I was sitting at the back so what I did, I just sneaked out of my chair and I just hid under chairs. I was so nervous of people seeing me. That was literally my first video.”
She added that her face was “as red as a strawberry” but everyone said she was really good.
‘It’s been a tough time for them’
Mr Inglis said that Erin had always liked singing on her karaoke like a lot of other children do but one day he heard her really going for it.
He said he was working in house when he heard her in her room: “It was when she decided to sing This Girl is on Fire and belted it out at the top of her lungs that I realised then that she had a really, really good voice.
“More than just a child singing in her bedroom but it was a stop what you’re doing in your tracks kind of thing. It was that good.”
When their mum Jennifer, first passed away, Ava and Erin naturally struggled to cope. Ava could not last a full day in school for a good while but now their dad says they are very confident girls and popular at school.
The 50-year-old said: “They’ve coped really well considering what they’ve went through. The two of them are so close as sisters.”
Mr Inglis said that while Erin has found her happiness in music, Ava, who is eight, loves her gaming and gadgets. Erin will do the singing and Ava will want to help film it. He added that they “compliment each other” and work as a team.
As a dad, he said it is so encouraging to see them grow in confidence and in their passions.
He said: “You know for what they’ve gone through as kids, with losing their mum and their sister, it’s been a tough time for them. To see Erin bouncing back with her singing and her gaining confidence all the time is a big thing.
“She’s found this singing and it makes her feel good and it makes her feel close to her mum. Like she was saying, she kind of of imagines that she’s stood there or that she can hear her. That’s helps the healing process of it.”
‘She’s coming out a wee star’
Mr Inglis said helping Erin is something that they all can get involved with and is something that has brought excitement to Erin. Ava thrives off her sister’s happiness and he enjoys seeing his kids happy.
He mentioned that Erin is receiving international attention from young talent sites and is being asked to do events. It is only going to get bigger, he said.
Mr Inglis added: “I’m happy for it to go bigger. It will give Erin more confidence in what she’s got. You know all kids love to sing and if they get good at it and they get recognition for it then they’re going to feel great aren’t they?
“So you’ve got to encourage your kids t go for their dreams and if it helps make her happy then I’m all for it. And if Ava helping Erin makes Ava happy…Just keep going.”
Being a full-time single parent and running his own business, Kleenall, has not been easy he said. Between the school runs in Inverurie, after school clubs, paperwork, being a parent and running his business, Mr Inglis said he does not really get a chance to think.
Although he deeply misses his partner and would want her to be here, he loves his girls and is so proud of how they’ve coped.
While losing Holly and Jennifer is a big part of their story, Mr Inglis said that the response to Erin being a singer has been receiving is more based on her talent and how she has moved forward.
He added: “You know she’s gone through a lot and she’s coming out a little wee star and I think that is what other people are picking up and saying.
“She’s gone through a hard time, a harder time than what most kids do and to be as confident and shine through after something like that takes quite a lot.”