This phenomenal Dutch 15-year-old girl will take your breath away with her song, at least bring a tear to your eyes, like the people in the audience. The song Voilá is deep, powerful, touching and will leave you feeling humbled and loved.

In February 2023, Emma Kok won the inaugural season of Ministars with her rendition of “Voilà” by Barbara Pravi. Dutch violinist and conductor André Rieu, also from Maastricht, was reportedly so impressed by Emma’s performance that he invited her to perform “Voilà” at his annual Vrijthof concert series in July 2023.

Emma Kok has an unusual diagnosis – gastroparesis. Gastroparesis is a medical disorder characterized by weak stomach muscle contractions (peristalsis), which results in food and liquids remaining in the stomach for a long time. The contents of the stomach thus leave more slowly in the duodenum of the digestive tract. This can result in irregular nutrient absorption, poor nutrition and poor glycemic control.

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, feeling full shortly after starting to eat (early satiety), bloating, and heartburn. The most common known mechanism is autonomic neuropathy of the nerve that innervates the stomach: the vagus nerve. The main cause of this nerve damage is uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Emma Kok takes food directly through a tube into her stomach. This girl is very strong and she is a fighter who won’t just give up and can be an example to all of us.