Charles Antony carries his life’s achievements inside a plastic folder. He pulls out one sheet after another from inside to show us laminated newspaper clippings of his interviews ever since he started out as an international solo singer. Charles has documented every bit of attention he received in the media over the years. As a singer who “climbs up” a step higher in his career with the exposure he gets, Charles is serious about recording every word written on him.
His eyes brighten when he shows a clipping from a Malayalam daily. “This is the one,” he says. In it, he strums a guitar and sings on stage with football legend Diego Maradona. “See,” he points out. “There were over 50,000 people that day.” This moment went on to define Charles’ career and life. He is known as the guy who sang with Maradona; his visiting card describes him as ‘Solo Performer (Maradona fame)’.
“I sang with Maradona when he had come to inaugurate a jewellery showroom in Kerala,” he explains. The 41-year-old from Kochi was here in the city to perform at a private event. Charles can sing in 14 international languages, including German, French, Arabic, Italian, African, Korean, Japanese, and Mexican.
With glistening gold earrings, a thick arm-band, and brown-tinged hair pulled back in a ponytail, Charles talks about his journey as a solo singer. He started out by singing part-time in hotels in Kochi when he was in college. “This way, I got acquainted with foreign guests and picked up their language,” he says. His brother taught him to play the guitar. But it was not easy to make a living as a solo singer. “It was a struggle to survive in the music field those days,” he recalls. He sang at charity events, parties…some of which were held on small budgets.
But he marched on, from one event to another, till Maradona came along and transformed his life. People took notice of the ponytailed guy who sang with a smile. “I got invited to a lot of foreign countries. I’ve sung at Dubai, Qatar, and Bahrain and at international car launches. If it’s a Japanese car launch, I would sing in the local language,” explains Charles and adds that he’s known for his rendition of English classics.
Charles now has a packed calendar. He recently performed for children with cancer and says he was thrilled to see them smile. “I also performed at the Kochi Biennale,” he adds.
Ask him if he dreams of an opportunity to sing in the movies and he shakes his head. “I enjoy doing what I am. I have three kids and am satisfied with the way life has turned out. I’m happy when I make people happy.”
