Mathura star rises in reality show!

I have to perform for my city and its people who are supporting me all the way NITIN NAYAK, REALITY SHOW SINGER My family thinks it is a phase and I will soon get over it and laugh at my own choice ESHAN HILAL, STUDENT

Inspired by his father, a keyboard player, Nitin Nayak started singing when he was just five years old. Later, he trained under his guru Pt Rameshwar Gaur and soon became a prolific singer with Sufi and folk songs as his forte. Now, 10 years down the line, his efforts bore fruit with the Mathura boy recently clearing his auditions for live singing reality show Rising Star.

Ecstatic over his achievement Nitin, 15, a class VII student of Saveshwar Junior High School, says, “My parents always wanted me to sing and so my riyaz started when I was five years old. My father is a keyboard player and it is his under his influence I got inclined towards music when I was just a kid. My guru Pt Rameshwar Gaur has been training me hard and I practice for two hours in morning and then again in evening. Music is my life.”

Recalling his live audition for the show the young singer says, “It was for the first time I was on stage singing for a live audience. The result was declared on-the-spot and I will be lying if I say I was not nervous. I was numb when I stood on stage but then I thought of my parents who were sitting in the audience and I gave my best performance.”

Incidentally, Nitin’s idol music director-singer Shankar Mahadevan, who was one of the three judges on show, offered the Mathura lad to join his music academy. “When I got 93% vote I was shell-shocked as I knew it was live and voting was done by the real audience.

It was then that Shankar ji made this offer after praising my singing and choice of song.”

Nitin is all set to perform for the next round to be held in Mumbai again. “I have prepared well. Now the rest is in god’s hand as the next round will be more competitive. I have to perform for my city and its people who are supporting me all the way,” signs off the talented youngster.

Nitin (second from left) with his parents and the reality show shot Raghav Juyal