Viranch Damani
Chennai: All of us like to listen to good old songs that are immortal in their charisma. The joy of listening to songs which have words that actually make sense and which aren’t mixed up with a lot of background music is undeniable.
However, the singers of these songs are either no longer alive or have stopped singing. Luckily, there is one person who is reviving the charm of these old songs and his name is Pramod Nair, a resident a Mugappair West.
News Today spoke at length with the Hindi singer as to how he made singing his career, what were the challenges he faced and how he feels.
Read on to know more.
Q: What Hindi songs do you sing?
A: I primarily sing retro Hindi songs. I sing songs of Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi and other such well-known personalities of the 50s and 70s. The years between 1950 to 1970 were the golden period of Hindi songs. Songs made during this era were some of the best and have been cherished over the years. I sing these songs primarily.
Q: Where do you sing these songs?
A: I sing at birthday parties, wedding anniversaries and corporate meetups, basically wherever I am needed. I also have my own show called Satrangi which I host twice a month. The songs I sing are generally around a specific theme such as such as songs from a particular singer or a writer, or pertaining to a particular genre and so on. My band Satrangi is a one-man show as of now, I am its sole proprietor. But I do call upon drummers, guitarists, keyboardists and various other musicians on a freelance basis depending on the show that I’m planning to perform.
Q: Is singing your full-time profession now? Are you happy?
A: This has been my full-time job since 2007. Before 2007, I used to work in the corporate world with various multinational companies. But after that, I decided to pursue my passion for music on a full-time basis by taking up singing and incorporated Satrangi. I am very happy with my decision. What more could a man ask for when he does what he loves on an everyday basis. This job is not about going from 9 to 5 everyday a particular office and doing the same monotonous work on an everyday basis. This job is about singing and doing what I love to the fullest.
Q: How were the first few years as a musician?
A: The first few years were tough. I had to perform wherever I got the opportunity because I didn’t have a name yet. But as time passed by, people got to know me and my singing. After 2-3 years, the brand got established and now I don’t find it all that tough to find gigs. I only rely upon word of mouth marketing and don’t have any social media page. Someone who attends my concert generally calls me back to play at one of their functions.
Article by Viranch Damani