International singer Mary Jorie Millben recently took to Twitter to announce her upcoming appearances in New York and Washington, D.C. during the Official State Visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States from June 21-23, 2023. As people in India and the United States become curious about Millben’s identity, we bring you some fascinating details about the singer.
Growing up in Oklahoma City, Mary Jorie Millben experienced a Christian upbringing. Her father, Michael Millben, served as a Baptist and Pentecostal minister, while her mother, Althea Millben, possessed a classical soprano background and previously worked as a Pentecostal music pastor. Growing up, Mary and her siblings, including her sister Micthea Millben-Ireland, sister-in-law Melissa, brother Malachi, and twin sister Michelle, all shared a passion for music.
At the tender age of five, Millben started singing in the children’s choir at Wildewood Christian Church in Oklahoma City. Following her parents’ divorce in 1987, she was primarily raised by her mother.
Millben gained popularity among the Indian Hindu diaspora residing in the United States due to her rendition of the song ‘Om Jai Jagdish Hare’. Wearing a saffron saree and adorned with Indian jewelry, she developed a significant fan base within the Indian community.
In her tweet announcing her upcoming performance, Millben also mentioned her historic trip to India in August 2022, following in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “pilgrimage to the country in 1959”. As an official guest invited by the Government of India, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Mary performed to celebrate India’s 75th Anniversary of Independence.
According to her statement, Mary Millben proudly highlighted her groundbreaking achievement as the inaugural American and African American artist to receive an invitation to perform during India’s Independence Day celebration, captivating an audience of 1.4 billion individuals.