Stella Maria Barghouty is 16 years old, comes from Vienna, and performed on stage at Donauinselfest 2026. But her musical journey actually began with a severe asthma condition: singing helped her regain her breath. After her performance, the young singer spoke of a moment that was „bigger than a concert“ for her.
Over the weekend Stella Maria Barghouty is from the place where hundreds of thousands of people listen to music, celebrate, and discover new artists every year: at the Danube Island Festival. From 3 PM to 4 PM, the 16-year-old singer performed on the FSG-GÖD/ARBÖ RADIO stage. For her, it was one of the biggest performances of her young career so far.
Together with her band and two dancers, Stella Maria presented her music to a new audience. After the performance, she describes the moment as something that went beyond a normal concert. „There are moments when you stop thinking about whether you're doing everything right – you just feel, you just live,“ says the singer.
„The Danube Island Festival was exactly that kind of moment,“ Stella Maria says after her performance.
„I got to experience something bigger than a concert with my band, two incredible dancers, and you. It was connection. It was magic. It was freedom. It was pure joy.“
It wasn't a given that she would one day stand on a festival stage. Stella Maria's story doesn't begin with casting shows, rehearsal rooms, or big dreams of pop stardom. It begins with shortness of breath.
Singing as breath training
As a child, Stella Maria suffered from severe asthma. Breathing wasn't always a given for her. That's why singing didn't initially enter her life as a hobby, but as an exercise. It helped her to control her breathing better and regain confidence in her own body.
More came from the training over time. Stella realized that singing not only helped with her breathing but also triggered something within her. Music became a place for her to express emotions: fear, hope, strength, joy. Today, one sentence describes her story particularly well:
“Asthma took my breath away – music gave it back to me.”
From the first stages to Donauinselfest
Stella Maria did not stay home singing. Early on She performed in front of audiences. She appeared on talent shows like The Voice Kids, Britain's Got Talent, and Die große Chance. She also gained experience at the NÖN talent competition, open mics, and benefit events.
A significant moment arrived in 2024: Stella Maria won the first Rock The Island Contest. This allowed her to celebrate her debut at the Danube Island Festival. Now she has returned to Danube Island – with more experience, her own songs, and a clearer vision of who she wants to be as an artist.
Photo: Marek Vesely
Overall, Stella Maria has already performed well over 160 live shows. Her concerts have taken her to festivals, galas, fashion events, social projects, and international showcases. Additionally, her songs were played on the radio more than 5,000 times worldwide last year.
Appearances on the radio and on Ö3
A special moment was a Ö3 Studio Session with the German popstar Kamrad. There he brought Stella Maria onto the stage to sing his hit „Friends“ with her.
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Even her own single „Oceans Deep“ was played on Ö3 and in Ö3 Pop Magazine presented – an important step for a young Austrian singer. „Oceans Deep“ fits well with her story. The song is about hope, inner strength, and continuing on even in difficult times. This is exactly the message that runs through much of what Stella Maria does: don't give up, keep going, find your own path.
Emotional pop music on Danube Island
Musically, Stella Maria moves between soulful ballads and modern pop. Her voice is clear, strong, and emotional. Previously, personal ballads were her main focus, but now her sound has become more danceable and international. Her songs often deal with themes familiar to many young people: self-confidence, doubt, love, hope, and growing up.
After the Danube Island Festival, Stella Maria is left primarily with one feeling: freedom. What once began as breath training is today her music. And what started with shortness of breath turned into a performance this weekend that the young singer says she will carry with her forever.
