HIMANSHU GURU, OP
With over one lakh subscribers on YouTube, AMRITA NAYAK is a popular singer who hails from Cuttack. She has sung a handful of superhit film songs. The songstress has recorded tracks in 10 languages and lent voice to many background numbers in regional films including Telugu and Rajasthani films. The vocalist, who is currently ruling the roost in the Oriya music album industry, has earned accolades in many reality shows. Orissa POST speaks to the talented singer about her life and achievements. Excerpts from an interview:
You are a gifted singer. How did you enter the professional world of music?
My first album released when I was nine years old. Slowly people from the music industry came to know about me and I started getting offers for recordings as a child artiste. Later, after entering the finals of ‘Amari Swara 1’ and ‘Voice of Odisha 2’, I got the opportunity to interact with music directors.
You have participated in reality shows on TV. Have they helped you shape your career?
Definitely, because those who have to struggle to make a mark like me don’t have godfathers in the industry. For us, the only way to hog the limelight is a reality show on TV. I am the first one in my family to take up music as a profession, although my father has a music sense which I have inherited.
Please share a memorable experience on the sets of a reality show.
When I was participating in Zee TV ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa-2016’ renowned Bollywood singer Mika Singh was so impressed with my singing style that he called my father and informed him about my selection for the next round. That was a precious moment for me.
What are the genres that you are comfortable in?
I love to sing semi-classical, ghazal and romantic songs. I feel classical music is the root of all genres.
How was the experience of your first playback recording?
I was quite excited and also a tad nervous. I have lent my voice as a child artiste for the movie ‘Mate Anidela Lakhye Faguna’.
Albums have a sizeable market in the state. How successful has been your stint in the album industry?
I am so happy that after a long time music albums are again getting a favourable response. YouTube is the major reason behind this. Thanks to their online popularity, many vocalists are today earning a lot. The production of album songs will obviously be more than movie songs.
Who are your favourite singers in Oriya and Hindi?
In Oriya films my favourites are Trupti Das and Pranab Pattnaik and in the Hindi film industry I love Lata Mangeskar, Kishore Kumar, Shreya Ghoshal, Sonu Nigam and Arijit Singh.
How productive has been your experience of working in the different regional music industries?
There is not much difference. But a few things like singing styles, recording studio equipment and software and programming ways differ.
What is your aim as a singer?
I don’t have big aims. I just want to do music till the end of my life and, of course, want to experiment with fusion music.
SINGING SENSATION
Amrita who has done Plus II from JKBK Junior College and B Tech from the Ajay Binay Institute of Technology in Cuttack is a software engineer with Capgemini in Hyderabad. She is a Visharad in Odissi Vocal, Madhyama in Hindustani Classical and is a Grade-3 artiste in Western Classical. She learned Odissi vocal from Syamamani Devi, Hindustani Classical from Guru Pradeep Patra and western classical music from Charitha Andrew. In film music her mentor is Sarada Sahu. Amrita is a ‘B’ grade approved singer in All India Radio who has lent voice as a playback singer in Oriya movies like ‘Mate Anidela Lakhe Faguna’, ‘Rudra’, ‘Dharmapada’, ‘Aakhi Palakare Tu’, ‘Akhi Chunchi Vala Pauchi’ and ‘Asilu Jebe Tu Jaana Pheri’. The talented singer has sung for Telugu movies like ‘Ninnu Chustu Nannu Marinchaye’, ‘Anandamaye’, ‘Amma Ammayi’, ‘Prema’ and ‘Attu Ittu Nuvve’. She has crooned the background tracks of upcoming films like ‘Gor Jivan’ (Rajasthani film) and Telugu movies like ‘Andala Adaboma’, ‘Maayi Prema’, ‘Babu Software and Dating’. The singer bagged many awards including the Cinema Sansar award for being the best playback singer in 2017, Omkar Awards 2011, Kashinath Puja Panda Award 2001, Rajiv Gandhi Prativa Award 2005 and MahangaPrativa Award in 2008. Amrita is also a guitarist who learned the instrument from Md Mubarak. Among the TV shows she has anchored are ‘Apananka Pasand’ (Etv Odia), ‘Sakala Dhupare Tu’, ‘Sanja Salitare tu’ (PrarthnaTV and Music Mahasangram (Zee Kalinga).
