The 5-year-old performer is finding her voice while her family makes sure there’s still plenty of room for childhood

This year, Angelica Nero got to live out one of her dreams: To perform with the acclaimed musician Lindsey Stirling, who is known for doing aerial acrobatics while playing the violin.

Clad in a neon-green tutu and silver shoes, Angelica held up a handmade sign during Stirling’s “Duality Tour” concert at The Greek Theatre this summer. After one of Stirling’s musical numbers, Angelica’s voice rang out over the crowd like a crystal bell: “Lindsey! Lindsey!”

As her mother held her up high to give her a better view of the stage, Angelica raised the sign higher. On it was a drawing of a violin and a question: “Lindsey, can I play with you?”

Stirling noticed the sign and the little girl. “Are you serious?” she yelled back. “Do you have a song prepared? Oh my gosh, my little fairy, you’re so cute. Let’s have someone bring her up here.”

Once on stage, Angelica drew her bow across her tiny violin’s strings, playing Stirling’s “Firefly Alley” and sliding into a full split. A shocked Stirling followed suit. The crowd went wild — and so did social media. Videos of that moment have been viewed tens of millions of times.

In addition to playing the violin, Angelica is a SAG-AFTRA actress, singer and pianist. In August, she released her debut EP, “Extraordinary,” with songs such as “Born to Be,” “A Little Girl Dreams” and “Future So Bright.”

We caught up with the busy kindergartener and her mother, Olga Nero, for this magazine’s photo shoot and the following interview.

Olga, tell us a bit about your family.

We live in Los Angeles with our daughter Angelica and our two cats. I am an attorney, and my husband Steven runs event businesses, so our lives have always been busy. Angelica has brought a whole new kind of creativity and excitement into our family!

Are you or anyone else in your family musical?

Neither Steven nor I is particularly musical. It has been fascinating to watch how naturally Angelica connects with music and how much joy she finds in it.

Angelica, what’s your favorite thing to sing right now?

My own original song, “Born to Be.” I love the part where it goes “Extra-ordinary! Extra-ordinary!

What’s your favorite instrument to play?

I like violin the best because I can dance with it. And with piano, I cannot dance. 

Olga, when did you first realize that music was a part of who Angelica is?

Around 18 months old, she was singing all the time. What caught our attention was how naturally she sang in tune and, especially, how precise her rhythm was. She was so little, but you could already hear that she understood something about music. It wasn’t something we had to encourage her to do; it was coming from her.

Angelica, what’s your favorite thing about performing?

I like making people smile! And when they clap, it makes me happy.

Olga, when Angelica isn’t performing, what is she like?

When she isn’t performing, she is pretty much a typical 5-year-old. She has a big personality and a wonderful sense of humor. At home, her favorite thing is playing with her toy kitchen and doing pretend cooking. We always joke that after all of this, she’ll probably end up becoming a chef. She loves spending time with her friends and going to school, where she says P.E. is her favorite class. Music is a huge part of her life, but she gets just as excited about the everyday things that make being 5 so much fun.

How do you decide which opportunities to say yes to, while making sure she still gets to just be a kid?

We look at whether an opportunity excites her, what she can learn from it and whether it fits comfortably into her schedule. She enjoys so many different things, but we don’t feel that we have to say yes to everything.

For Angelica, music, dancing and acting are also ways to play, express herself and have fun. Many of her friends are musical, so those activities can also be a way for them to connect. We still make room for school, playing with her toys, time with friends and downtime.

We are also very intentional about keeping her private life and friendships largely off social media. Her accounts are a place to share her music and performances, and she deserves parts of her childhood that are just hers. We pay attention to her energy and enthusiasm and adjust when she needs a break.

She’s already had some pretty extraordinary moments — going viral, performing with major artists, appearing on television. Which experience has meant the most to her?

I would say performing with Lindsey Stirling at the Greek Theatre. This was something Angelica really wanted to do herself, and she was old enough to understand and appreciate what was happening. When she sang Céline Dion’s song with Emilio at 3, it became a huge viral moment, but she was too young to fully grasp what that meant.

With Lindsey, she could experience the excitement of sharing the stage and performing for a whole crowd. She loves acting, too, but that happens behind the scenes, without the immediate response of a live audience. Receiving two standing ovations made that evening especially memorable — for her and for us.

When the cameras are gone and you get home, what does she do?

After a big performance, she is usually so excited and wants to tell us all about it like we weren’t there. She says she wants to go back onstage and do it again and again, all day, every day, on all the big stages. Once we are home, she might suggest celebrating with cake, which she considers a good idea for almost any occasion. Then the evening settles into the ordinary routines of being 5, such as getting ready for bed, while still talking about her big night.

What does she love about making music of her own?

There is something special about having songs that belong to her, songs she can grow with and bring her own personality to. Her EP, “Extraordinary,” is full of dreams, possibility and being yourself. Those are lovely ideas for a child to explore through music.

As her mother, I love that she is beginning to discover her own voice, both as a singer and as a person.

When you imagine Angelica looking back on these years when she’s older, what do you hope she remembers most? What do you think you’ll remember most?

I hope she remembers feeling loved and supported and knowing that we took her dreams seriously. I hope she remembers the fun, the people she met and the time we spent together.

I think I will remember the little details most: her expressions, the things she says and watching her understand something new. The big moments are wonderful, but she is only 5 once. I want to be present for that, too.

What’s something she has taught you through all of this?

She has taught me to take a child’s interests seriously, even when they appear much earlier than you expect. Children can surprise you with what they understand and what they are ready to learn.

She has also reminded me how much joy there is in trying something without overthinking it. As adults, we can get caught up in the outcome. She helps bring my attention back to the experience itself.

Before becoming her mother, I had very little experience with children, and she changed my whole world. She has taught me patience, helped me discover a love of music and inspired me to be more creative myself.

There is something so beautiful about getting to know your daughter as her own person, discovering what makes her laugh, what moves her and what she dreams about. I am here to help her learn and grow, but she is helping me grow, too. Sharing this journey with her has become one of the greatest joys of my life.

Any advice for other parents?

I believe every child comes into the world with something uniquely their own, and it’s never too early to start discovering it. Listen and watch from day one. Pay attention to what your child keeps coming back to. Give them opportunities to explore it, find teachers who understand them and allow their interests to develop at their own pace.

Give them room to explore, avoid comparisons and keep listening as they grow. Above all, help them feel loved and supported for who they are.

What does Angelica love about the holidays, and is there a holiday tradition that the family especially looks forward to?

Christmas is Angelica’s favorite holiday. She loves all the glitter, decorations, gifts and, of course, Santa. Picking out our Christmas tree and decorating it together is one of her favorite traditions. She wholeheartedly believes in Santa — even that he can check in on her through the camera in our living room. Leaving milk and cookies for him and treats for his reindeer is something she really looks forward to.

Her grandmother usually comes to stay with us over Christmas, which makes it even more special. We generally spend the holidays at home, cooking traditional meals and having friends over. We also love celebrating New Year’s Eve and watching the fireworks. For us, the loveliest part is having that time together and seeing how magical it all feels through Angelica’s eyes.

Angelica, what’s your favorite holiday song?

My favorite holiday song is “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

Follow Angelica Nero on Instagram at @theangelicanero.