KATHERINE MANUEL
A 12-year-old with roots in Nachinola has brought home laurels after winning over 19 medals in various categories at one of the world’s biggest performing arts stages. Ms. Natalia Cordeiro Dsouza, a young Goan residing in Dubai, represented the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Las Vegas, USA. She was one of 22 Team UAE delegates with Goan roots.
TALENT OLYMPICS
Often referred to as the “Talent Olympics,” the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) is a prestigious international competition that brings together national delegations of aspiring performers and entertainers from more than 70 countries. Partly modelled on the Olympic Games, the championship features a Parade of Nations and gold, silver and bronze medals across disciplines including vocals, instrumentals, dance, acting, modelling and variety arts. Beyond the competition itself, WCOPA offers participants valuable exposure to entertainment-industry professionals, coaches and talent scouts, along with opportunities for scholarships, prizes and further career development on an international stage.
MUSICAL JOURNEY
Natalia Cordeiro Dsouza is the daughter of Luigi Cordeiro Dsouza and Vivecca Cordeiro Dsouza, both originally of Nachinola, Goa. Natalia’s interest in music and creativity began at an early age, starting when she was just 7 years old. Natalia says, “I have always loved music, especially singing, playing the ukulele, and I also enjoy writing! Through listening to different songs, I have found that every song has a story, and that was very inspirational. I even wrote my own song called ‘Cloud 9’ about my dog Snyder, which I performed at WCOPA. Her mother, Vivecca, believes Natalia’s natural affinity for music and performance is rooted in their Goan heritage. “Both my husband and I are from Goa, and I believe that the Goan musical and cultural traditions have made Natalia naturally inclined to music and performance.”
CREATIVE TALENT
Besides music, Natalia is also an accomplished author and illustrator. Natalia says, “When I was 7 years old, I started writing short inspirational stories and drawing pictures, so I decided to bring them together and create a story with a moral, which led to my first book, Hoop Handover.” Her parents then took her work further and got her book published, and Natalia went on to feature at the Emirates Literature Festival in Dubai as one of the youngest featured authors.
This myriad of talents all added up to Natalia becoming a delegate at one of the most prestigious stages in the world. “Natalia had been taking part in several competitions and events, through which we met several people in the performing arts community. Those connections led us to UAE National Director Mr. Elipas Sibua, who began training and preparing her for the competition,” explains Vivecca. After two years of dedicated training and preparation, Natalia and her family travelled to Las Vegas, ready for her to take the international stage.
WORLD STAGE
The ‘Talent Olympics’ was organised over the course of 10 days from July 13 to July 22, 2026. Natalia participated in the Junior Division across 20 categories, ranging from solo vocals and vocals with self-accompaniment, where she played the ukulele, to some group performances. Out of this, Natalia emerged victorious with 13 gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze medals and top honours such as the Grand Finalist Senior Championship Group Vocals, Division Champion Vocals with Self-Accompaniment, and Division Champion Vocals Group.
The experience of the competition itself is something Natalia will always cherish. Being at an international championship, she had the chance to meet and interact with many performers from across the globe. Natalia recalls, “I got to meet so many people and make friends from different countries, and I enjoyed getting to know them.” It was not limited to these conversations, but she was equally inspired by the diversity of cultures and performances. “It was wonderful to watch the other performers and to see how much effort everyone had put into their performances, from their costumes to the way they presented themselves on stage”, Natalia explained.
Between handling academics and rehearsals for the competition, the months leading up to WCOPA were intense but worth the hard work, and Natalia remained committed throughout the journey. Reflecting on the experience of watching their daughter perform on an international stage, her parents first thank God for the phenomenal opportunity and an incredibly memorable experience, and are very proud of Natalia for the dedication and hard work she showed in balancing her studies while preparing to perform across so many categories.
Natalia Cordeiro Dsouza, a talented girl from Nachinola, took Goa to the world and showcased the immense depth of talent that not just Goa, but India has to offer to the world. The Goan love for music and performance continues to push her to dive deeper into the music industry and inspire people through song. Natalia’s advice to the world is simple: “It is never too early or too late to start dreaming about your goals and chasing after your passions.”
