A candid interview with the half-Mangalorean lass.
Kamakshi Rai
A captivating crooner and a performer with oodles of oomph, this songstress has been setting The Stage on fire. The half Mangalorean, who’s made it to the top four on the singing show, has wowed viewers with her rendition of English hits. A regular visitor to nammooru, Kamakshi Rai gets honest in a chat with us. Talking about how she got chosen for The Stage, she reveals, “It happened by accident. I hadn’t heard about the show until the week before it began. I got selected thanks to my cover version of La Vie En Rose. I had to quit my day job managing a music studio, but it’s been worth it.”
Growing up in a musically inclined family, it’s no surprise that she found her true calling in music. “My mother is a singer by profession. I took to singing despite no formal training. When my mum was pregnant, she’d put the speaker to her belly and I’d kick to the beat of whatever song was playing! I sang as the soloist in my school choir.” When Kamakshi moved to Mumbai for an MBA, her talent got noticed professionally. “I started a YouTube channel to put up cover songs. Soon a record label approached me to sing for them. I would attend classes in the morning and rush to the studio in the evenings.” She ended up forfeiteing a cushy 9 to 5 job for an unpredictable career. “But none of my songs were released.” However, the Universe had better plans in store for this perseverant girl. Since her telly appearance, she says, “I'm overwhelmed by messages from people all over the country. My phone and social media accounts have been flooded with messages,” she smiles. Right now, she’s singing for TV commercials and film background scores. “The Raymond ad I sang for was composed by Dhruv Ghanekar. Also, some producers I worked with heard I write lyrics too, so now I’ve been writing for ads and background themes. I’m working on releasing my original music next year, “ she reveals.
Having transformed from tomboy to sultry siren, she quips, “Initially, I stuck to my leather pants and jacket, but later, with the help of stylists, I tried out new looks on the show. My mum’s thrilled that I’m finally “dressing like a girl”. I still maintain that my favourite item of clothing is my Batman pyjama!” As someone who visits Bean town as often as she can, this foodie swears by Corner House’s Death By Chocolate. “My love for food pulls me back to this city because I haven’t found DBC anywhere in the world like here! I make it a point to visit Toit too. Bangalore is half-home. My grandparents live here and I spent every summer of my childhood here. The weather is brilliant, the people are chilled out and I never feel out of place here,” she reveals.
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( Source : deccan chronicle )
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