Posted:
| Voices of tomorrow |
| The finalists of the Amul Star Voice of India show share their hopes and experiences |
| Express Features Service |
| Since the last six months, we've seen and heard them competing , note for note. And even as each weekend episode seems to witness a higher level in the performance quality of each singer, the audience has been with them all the way, laughing, clapping, crying, hoping and praying. In town for the launch of the Walking Plaza on Saturday evening, we had four of the final eight telling us about the journey so far. Performing to thunderous applause, every one of the four youngsters—from Abhilasha Chellan, Mohammed Irfan Ali, Abhaas Joshi to Sumitra Iyer—amply demonstrated their individual repertoires' with elan.' While on stage, I just want to entertain the crowd and have fun with them. Be it sad, sentimental, peppy or simply melodious, I like to present each number in the best possible way," says Irfan who has been nicknamed the rockstar of the group. And, revel he does in his new-found image. "I love it when I'm called a rockstar," claims the engineer from Hyderabad. For those who came in late,Amul Star Voice of India is a reality-based, musical show hosted by singer Shaan and judged by singers and music directors like Alka Yagnik, Abhijeet Bhattacharya, Aadesh Srivastava, Jatin and Lalit Pandit. Traversing the length and breadth of the country, the show hunted out 12 finalists or the Bemisaal Baraah. Every week, the contestant with the least number of viewer votes is eliminated, whittling down the number of the eight so far. The final one standing will be the 'Voice of India', in the days to come. But, for now, the participants are not thinking of the results. Instead, they are savouring every moment of the competition—be it critical comments from the judges, the strict, gruelling riyaaz, or each other's company." We are all good friends. In fact, we give each other constructive inputs during practise," says 17-year-old Abhaas, the youngest of the lot. So how did he react to judge Abhijeet's comment that he should have waited some more before jumping into the fray? "Maybe he was right from his perspective. But over a period of time, I've learnt to grasp the technicalities and aesthetics of a song but never imitate the original singer," comes the mature reply. The judges have raised the bar but grooming sessions with stylists have held the participants in good stead. "My presentation has improved. I see a marked difference in my singing too. I feel grown up," says Pune's Abhilasha. The finals will be held sometime in November. Preceeding which, the contestants will be judged for individual performances in their respectives home towns. Not to forget SMS voting that is a major determining factor in choosing the final winner. "People who are seriously involved in music, or like watching the show, may not necessarily vote. Such a discretion makes a huge difference to our score and decides our destiny," says Sumitra Iyer who is leading with the votes. An IT professional, who was working in Pune before making it big on the reality show, feels audience voting SMS is restricted to a choosy few. Her mother feels stardom is only fine upto a certain point. A happy, married life is what she would like to see Sumitra lead. "I was deeply moved when my mother said this on screen. I want the same too, but only after I fulfil my dreams of becoming a successful playback singer," she smiles. Blessed with a voice similar to Sunidhi Chauhan's, Sumitra doesn't mind the frequent comparisons. "I feel honoured when people say I sound like Sunidhi. She has a versatile voice, but my voice too has its own identity," asserts Sumitra. Expectations are at an all-time high and the tension, once the camera starts rolling, is palpable. "Each of the judges is constructively critical. We've learnt a lot from our mistakes and improvised accordingly. We wish each other good luck," says Abhaas.So do we. Rock it, guys |
Shiv Shakti
