Damayanti Bhattacharya, Class 7, Chaitanya Techno School, Panihati, West Bengal
In the early twentieth century, a girl named Herald Watson lived in the heart of a small village called Portree, Scotland. She was a creative and vibrant child with a deep interest in music. Whenever she had some free time, she would often think about the various melodies and endless possibilities for creations a human could make with their voice.
To her surprise, her school had recently introduced free singing lessons for students in grades 6 through 12. Herald, a seventh grader, eagerly asked her father, Francis Watson, to enrol her. Francis was initially hesitant, unsure of her ability. However, once he saw how motivated and determined his daughter was, he happily enrolled her in the singing lessons provided by the school. On the day of Herald’s first lesson, she was nervous but ready to give her best. Yet, the day had other plans.
Once the class began, the students were asked to sing a melody taught by the new music teacher, Camilla Williams. One by one, the students sang the melody, and the teacher was somewhat satisfied, considering it was their first music class. When it was Herald’s turn, she began to sing, but Ms. Camilla frowned in disapproval and waved her hand, signalling her to stop.
“Miss Herald, may I ask why you chose to take these singing lessons?” Ms. Camilla asked, her tone sharp.
Herald, taken aback by the question, stammered, “Miss, I really like music, and I want to pursue it as a career, and…”
Before she could finish, Ms. Camilla interrupted, “Please don’t be upset, but if I’m being completely honest, your voice is too hoarse and unpleasant to the ear. I don’t want to discourage you, but I think you should consider pursuing other interests.”
The brutal honesty of the words pierced Herald’s heart like an obsidian needle. She was in disbelief, her determination shattered in an instant.
After school, Francis stood by the gate to pick Herald up. As soon as she saw him, she burst into tears and declared that she didn’t want to continue with the singing lessons. Shocked, he asked what had happened. When they arrived home, she explained the teacher’s harsh words and how they had demotivated her.
“I can never do it… my voice is not up to the mark!” Herald repeated, expressing her doubts and insecurities.
Her father felt heartbroken and disappointed by Ms. Camilla’s lack of generosity. It was Herald’s first day, after all – how could her voice possibly be as good as a professional singer’s? Wasn’t the teacher hired to help them improve?
Francis gathered his thoughts and spoke gently, “Herald, it was your first day. Of course, your voice won’t be perfect right away. However, we will get you personal coaching, and I’ll do my best to provide everything you need. Don’t worry.” He reassured her that he would support her passion and encourage her, as long as she remained dedicated to her goals.
Though deeply hurt and demotivated, Herald promised to chase her dreams until she succeeded.
The grind began. Herald started attending private singing lessons. In the beginning, her voice often hurt as she worked to shape it. She would frequently crack, and her voice became hoarse, but she never gave up. She practiced every day, following all the steps to heal her voice after each demanding session. Slowly, Herald began to notice changes. Her voice became smoother, and the occasional cracks grew less frequent. She felt motivated again, fuelled by her father’s unwavering support.
One day, she saw a poster for a local singing competition taking place just 500 meters from her home. She rushed home to tell her father, who immediately contacted the organizers and successfully enrolled her.
The competition wasn’t very professional – it was more of a friendly event – but Herald saw it as an opportunity to test whether her efforts had paid off. During the competition, every participant sang beautifully, and so did she. When the results were announced, everyone waited anxiously for the winners. To her surprise, Herald was named the runner-up in her very first singing competition!
Her confidence grew, and her father sought out bigger opportunities. After a few years of hard work, she finally had the chance to audition for her dream event, ‘The Winter Fest’. On the day of the audition, she performed well, and all the judges gave positive feedback. She was selected to participate in the festival, and for the first time, she realized what she was truly capable of – what she could achieve when she was motivated and gave her all.
She trained hard for months before the competition began. In the initial rounds, she captivated the judges with her beautiful, transformed voice. It was no longer the voice she once had – it was sculpted, powerful and refined. She effortlessly reached the semi-finals. However, during a break, she decided to visit her grandparents. While traveling, tragedy struck.
Her car was involved in an accident, and it was the worst tragedy Herald could have ever imagined. She was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. Her frontal lobe was damaged, and her speech became incoherent. She felt shattered – her determination almost faded away – but then, she remembered her father’s words – Herald, the sky’s the limit…!
She had come so far; could she back down now? Even though her father’s words motivated her, she knew the reality was difficult and that she would need significant time to fully recover. She decided to start fresh and come back stronger than ever.
After a few days, the doctors released her from the hospital, and she returned home. One day, while resting, she subconsciously began humming her favourite song. Suddenly, she realized something amazing – she was healing. There was hope that she could make it. She just needed a little divine intervention.
Upon returning home, her father and her grandparents, Tangen and Hailey, welcomed her warmly. They had always supported her, ensuring she stayed motivated and happy in her pursuit of music. They also provided comfort to Francis whenever he struggled with fear and doubt. It had been a terrifying experience for him, but he had pushed those emotions aside to keep his daughter strong.
One day, Herald sat by the window in her grandparents’ room, her favourite spot in the house. The sunlight filtering through the blinds created patterns on her face, and the warm atmosphere helped calm her. She began listening to music, singing along to the songs, and practicing. Over time, her voice healed remarkably and soon became just as good as new.
When Francis noticed the remarkable improvement in Herald’s voice, he rushed to the event organizers and asked for her to be allowed to re-enter the competition. He submitted her medical reports, confirming she was fit to sing. Though initially hesitant, the organizers eventually agreed.
On the day of the competition, Herald was both anxious and eager. Her father and grandparents came to support her – not just to see her win, but to encourage her to give her best, no matter the outcome. After several participants, it was her turn.
Herald walked slowly onto the stage, anxiety building inside her. She took a deep breath, picked up the microphone, and stepped toward the audience. She knew she could do it. She knew she had the capability – she just needed to focus. After a brief pause, she began to sing. The audience and judges were thrilled by the beauty and style of her voice. When the results were announced, Herald was content, knowing she had given her best. The anchor began announcing the runner-ups, and when she heard the first runner-up, she thought it was over. But then, the anchor declared, “Herald Watson, 1st place!”
Her family erupted in cheers. Herald, humbled by the victory, insisted on sharing the glory with the other competitors.
Her father watched from a distance, tears of happiness streaming down his face. He had fulfilled the final wish of Herald’s mother – to see her become a successful singer.
