here is the interview with AOL
Not everyone is blessed with both beauty and brains, but this young teenager not only has both but has also inherited a lot of talent too. She's Rithisha Padmanabh, a participant of 'Amul Star Voice of India'. Selected after many auditions in Bangalore and Mumbai, this lass is now currently among the top six not only representing Karnataka but also the whole of South India. Also she's the only female singer from the South to have gone up to this round so far.
Rithisha has innumerable awards to her credit, from the National Balashree Award-2001 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the International Da Vinci Award-2008 from the World Art Foundation and the Karnataka State Kalashree Award… the list goes on. She has already done playback singing in about 24 Kannada movies and has a solo album to her credit.
This soft-spoken nightingale is a powerhouse of music. Question her on anything relating to music and she'll have loads to tell you. Her sweet voice, in-depth knowledge on music, and innocent yet powerful way of getting things across hardly ever fail to make a lasting impression on anyone she comes across. AOL catches up with this young, aspiring singer…
How does it feel to be on a national platform?
It feels great! It's like a dream come true. I have grown up watching Sonu Nigam's 'Sa Re Ga Ma' and always wanted to participate in something like this. The best part of it is I'm representing the whole of the South, which is a huge responsibility.
Becoming one of the top four finalists from among 23 contestants is no mean achievement. How has the journey been so far?
It's been pretty pleasant, but all of us here are under tremendous pressure. You're being constantly battered and snubbed by your competitors and judges and are also constantly having to juggle a lot of things. Though it's a singing competition we hardly have any time to rehearse.
My life used to be very simple before the competition. I used to simply go to school and return home, but now things are so hectic that it makes you sick at times. When I go out on the streets of Mumbai, people treat me like a star and are constantly asking for my autograph, which seems really funny to me. There are cameras everywhere we go, which is crazy.
Can you tell us more about your life at Voice of India?
I must admit that it's very tough being here. With absolutely no time to rehearse, you are expected to give your best, and the stress levels are just too high. Being mentally and physically strong is a must, and balancing both success and failure is also really important.
Yeah, the judges and the people here really boost your morale. Shaan, who is the host, is a sweet person; he gives us a lot of tips and encourages us a lot. The judges are very different off screen than what they are shown to be on screen. Sukhvinder Singh, who is a renowned playback singer, likes me a lot. Monty Sharma, who is a music director, is also very sweet to me. Ismail Darbar is more a friend to me than a judge.
Anand Sharma and Anuj Kapoor are our mentors who really guide us well.
Life here is great, and I have been able to make a lot of new friends. The competition is very healthy, and since I'm the youngest of the lot, I'm really pampered. The people here are very nice.
When did you start taking singing lessons?
I started very young, and by the time I was three years, I was already participating in competitions. My mom was my first guru, and she taught me music till I was eight years. It was at this time that Malathi Sharma, who is a noted light music artist, suggested that I begin taking lessons in Hindustani Classical music as it suited my voice best. Geetha Hegde, who is my favourite teacher, taught me the basics so well that I am able to easily correct my mistakes even while singing, without anyone really noticing.
Also, I have given far too many concerts all my life. It was only when I was in the 12th standard that I cut down on music just so I could concentrate more on academics. I scored 95 per cent in my 12th and got into one of the top colleges in Suratkal. However, since going there would mean compromising on music, I took up engineering in PESIT, Bangalore instead.
You have worked with veterans like S.P. Balasubramanyam, Hamsalekha, V. Manohar, Gurukiran and L.N. Shastri. How was the experience?
They are gems of Karnataka. I consider Gurukiran sir as the Rehman (A.R. Rehman) of Kannada, while I thank V. Manohar (the music director) uncle for giving me an opportunity to sing with SPB. It has been great working with them all, and I really thank God for blessing me with such things so early in life.
Who is your idol/inspiration?
My dad is my true idol. Though he (Padmanabh, who is vice-president of Wipro) has achieved so much in life, he's so down-to-earth. I admire his character and he appeals to me the most. My inspiration is, of course, my family. My parents have always made the time for me, no matter how hectic their schedules have been. My elder sister has been my best friend. It's their prayers that have kept me going.
In music, my idols have been Kaushiki Chakraborthy and Dhananjaya Hegde, who have achieved so much while only in their late 20's. Otherwise, I adore Ashaji (Bhosle). Her voice modulation is just too perfect, and she sings just about anything with such ease.
Isn't representing Karnataka or the entire South India a huge responsibility?
Oh it's a huge, huge responsibility. I'm really proud to see the kind of support I'm getting. It has been tremendous. Ultimately, the contest is not about regions but talent. I feel weird asking for votes as I feel like I'm asking for their valuable time. Moreover, I should make people really feel like voting for me. But since it's a part of the programme, I can't say 'no' to it.
Regards,
sunil
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