Italian Singer from Toronto - AR Rehman

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Patcy N in Mumbai

Canadian-Italian singer Natalie Di Lucciocaught India's eye when she posted a video of her singing Tu Jaane Na from Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani on YouTube. It got over million hits in a day.

Then the 21-year-old caught A R Rahman's eye when she posted her rendition of Kahin Toh Hogi Woh from Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, an ARR composition, on YouTube again.

She is now touring with the Oscar-winning music composer's troupe, and will be next seen performing in Bengaluru on May 29.

Natalie talks to Patcy N about her fascination for Bollywood songs and her big break.

How did you get into singing?

I have been singing all my life; I was singing ever since I was six. I have trained in Western classical. By the time I was 18, I decided to go to university to study opera. After that I had a hard time, as now I wanted to be a main stream artist and not necessarily an opera singer. I was getting lots of singing opportunities, but I couldn't take them because I was in the school.

Why did you decide to come to India?

One day I was in my school library and got a message on MySpace from some Tusshar Pandey in India. He messaged me about coming to India. I wasn't even going to respond because you get random messages on MySpace, but I did, saying, 'Thanks so much, may be one day'.

A few months later he messaged again and said he was working on a project and wanted me to sing from Canada. So I recorded and send him what he wanted. After a few months I got a CD. My voice was on Sonu Nigam's Maha Ganesha album. That time I did not know who Sonu was.

I have an Indian aunt [married to her uncle]. She saw the album and told me how big Sonu is in India. I started looking for Sonu and his music and I loved his work. Then I also started researching more on Indian music.

During this time I decided that I wanted to leave my school. I messaged Tusshar with whom I had stayed in touch, and asked him what I should be doing. His wife is a singer and he wanted to do a fusion album. That's when I thought of coming to India, not for a career or anything, just for fun. I was 18. My parents thought I was crazy to I want to come to India, so my brother accompanied me.

Where did you live when you first came to India?

I came to India in January 2009. I lived in Mumbai and Pune most of the time and I fell in love with the place. I felt like I had been here in a past life. Other than my aunt I had never been exposed to anything about Indian culture. I roamed here for few weeks and went back to Canada. But I started missing this place.

I was in touch with Sonu on Facebook. After Michael Jackson passed away, Sonu was doing a Jackson tribute and he asked me to be a part of it. He asked me to record my version on video and send it to him. That was my second job in India. I posted that on Facebook. I guess lots of music composers saw me and my work. One day I was talking to Sonu and I told him I wanted to come to India. He asked me to come. This was in October 2009. The next day I booked my tickets. I didn't even know where I would stay. Every one thought I was crazy, as I had some stuff going in the West as well as, but something kept pulling me back to India.