Mysterious viral LA subway singer is revealed as classically trained musician who was made homeless

Mysterious viral LA subway singer is revealed as classically trained musician who was made homeless by medical bills and had her $10k violin stolen on the streets

  • Emily Zamourka, 52, was captured by a cop signing in a Los Angeles subway 
  • Viral singer, originally from Russia, was forced to busk to pay for medical debts
  • The musician ended up homeless after her violin was stolen while playing

A mysterious subway singer who stunned passengers with her performance has been revealed as a classically trained musician who was made homeless after falling ill and racking up huge medical bills.

Emily Zamourka, 52, became a viral sensation after a police officer captured her singing at a subway station in Koreatown, Los Angeles. 

The clip shows the homeless soprano songstress clutching bags of her possessions while serenading the cop with a breathtaking opera tune.

Friends identified Ms Zamourka and have told how her healthcare bills made her homeless before she had her $10,000 violin stolen on the streets.

Emily Zamourka, 52, became a viral sensation after a police officer captured her singing at a Los Angeles subway station in Koreatown

The talented musician, who moved to the US from Russia 24 years ago, ended up on the streets after she suffered serious health problems and had to pay for her medical bills. 

Ms Zamourka, who taught lessons in piano and violin, was forced to take up numerous jobs while busking on the streets just to make ends meet.  

But things took a turn for the worse when her expensive violin was stolen three years ago when she was performing on the streets of downtown LA.

‘It was my income,’ she told NBCLA. ‘It was my everything to me.

The talented musician, who moved to the US from Russia 24 years ago, ended up on the streets after she suffered serious health problems and had to pay for her medical bills

The talented musician, who moved to the US from Russia 24 years ago, ended up on the streets after she suffered serious health problems and had to pay for her medical bills

The clip shows the homeless soprano songstress clutching bags of her possessions while serenading the cop with a breathtaking opera tune

The clip shows the homeless soprano songstress clutching bags of her possessions while serenading the cop with a breathtaking opera tune

Ms Zamourka, who taught lessons in piano and violin, was forced to take up numerous jobs while busking on the streets just to make ends meet

Ms Zamourka, who taught lessons in piano and violin, was forced to take up numerous jobs while busking on the streets just to make ends meet

Timeline of the homeless violinist’s life

1967 – Emily Zamourka, a trained classical violinist and pianist, was born in Russia 

1991 – The talented musician moved to Los Angeles where she taught music lessons 

It is not known when Ms Zamourka fell seriously ill, but she racked up huge medical bills forcing her to take up several jobs.

She played her violin in the street to make extra cash.

2016 – Ms Zamourka had her $10,000 violin stolen when she was playing in downtown LA.

Unable to pay rent, she was evicted from her home and forced to live on the streets.

2019 – An LAPD officer spots Ms Zamourka singing in a subway station in Koreatown and films her before posting the clip on Twitter.

She soon becomes a viral sensation but does not realise she is a hit until her friends tell her the news.

A local news station tracks her down to interview her about her fascinating life. 

‘That’s when I became homeless. When I could not actually pay any of my bills and could not pay anymore of my rent,’ she said. 

The down and out musician was then evicted from her house and has been homeless ever since.

Without an instrument, Ms Zamourka – who is not classically trained in singing – began singing for commuters in the subway because ‘it sounds so great’.

‘I am sleeping actually on the cardboard right now, in the parking lot,’ she said. ‘I am sleeping where I can sleep… I have people that feel sorry for me, but I don’t want to be a burden to anybody.’

She was captured by an LAPD officer at on the Purple Line’s Normandie/Wilshire Metro stop in Koreatown who posted her song on Twitter. 

The woman was not aware her singing had become a viral hit until her friends called her, NBCLA reports.

After the clip was viewed thousands of times, a local news station managed to track the woman down.

Now she hopes the attention will help to finally get her off the streets and back to playing the violin with a roof over her head.  

‘I will be so grateful to anyone who is trying to help me to get off the streets, and to have my own place, to have my instrument,’ she said. 

The down and out musician - who is not classically trained in singing - has been homeless ever since but sings in the subway because 'it sounds so great'

The down and out musician - who is not classically trained in singing - has been homeless ever since but sings in the subway because 'it sounds so great'

The down and out musician – who is not classically trained in singing – has been homeless ever since but sings in the subway because ‘it sounds so great’

Now she hopes the attention will help to finally get her off the streets, and playing the violin with a roof over her head

Now she hopes the attention will help to finally get her off the streets, and playing the violin with a roof over her head

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