Singer finds her own voice and sound
DURBAN songbird Sumantha has always loved music and today she produces and performs songs like Dekho Dekho, Jadu Ka Mausam, and Aja Habibana.
Sumantha is part of the entertainment lined up for Bollywood Ek Doh Teen, a show that will feature song, dance and comedy on March 21 at the iZulu Theatre at Sibaya at 3pm.
“We only had one TV channel, so a big part of my childhood was spent with my ear to the old FM radio. I waited eagerly to hear my favourite songs on the weekly Top 20 Hit Parade.
“I used to take down the lyrics from my favourite songs… and loved the way the music made me feel. It ranged from feeling free and deeply sad to sometimes full of joy.”
Among her favourite singers were Dolly Parton, Barbara Streisand, Gloria Estefan, Diana Ross, and Shania Twain.
“When I started out, I was mistaken to think that to be liked, it was important to try and sound like other popular artists.
“Doing cover songs did however help me build confidence and develop a tone style.
“As time went on, I felt restless with trying so hard to be something I was not. My husband nudged me to write my own material and I soon became comfortable with expressing myself through my own music.”
She continued: “For about a year, I started composing new tunes, putting them away and then taking them out again to build on it. So it is a process. I hope to complete my new album this year.”
She said since her last album, her Urdu/Hindi lyricist, the acclaimed poet Safee Sidiqui, had died.
“My Tamil lyricist, Mahavishnu Naidu, and recording engineer, Sebastian Christian, all passed away leaving a huge gap for me in my work. I will now collaborate with others to add a new sound and style.”
Commenting on what audiences could expect in the show, she said: “Being a part of Bollywood Ek Dho Teen gives me an opportunity to keep challenging myself, and to remind myself how important it is to be versatile and relevant.
“I come from a strong Western music influence but I have also admired and draw inspiration from Indian and Pakistani singers like Noor Jehan, Mitali Singh, and Usha Utap. I look forward to singing Bollywood pop songs in a medley format…”
Presented by Laughing Promotions, the audience can expect comedy by Mervyn Pillay, dance routines by the Brothers of Tharana Productions, and music by upcoming singer Vivesh Singh.
Tickets at Computicket.