A 21-year-old sings ‘I will always love you’, a popular number of Whitney Houston, and brings tears to the eyes of the top musicians in India. At one of the rounds of The Stage 2 , India’s only English talent hunt show that airs on Colors Infinity channel, Vishal Dadlani, Monica Dogra, Ehsaan Noorani and Devraj Sanyal were moved after Sharvi Yadav from Noida belted out this number. In Monica’s words, “You don’t let either the approval or the disapproval touch you. You are just there to be you and do what you do. And, that is the mark of a true professional.”
The commerce student has been declared the winner of the show. “It feels like birthday,” gushes Sharvi. “I have never been so valued before. I am getting so much attention. My phone has not stopped ringing.” Her winning prizes were a Renault Kwid and a record deal with the Universal Music Studios.
She still recalls how excited she was when she saw the judges for the first time. “I kept reminding myself to be sober. And, that I am on national television. But, before I knew it, I had started jumping! Vishal sir joked that it was as good as being woken up with five cups of coffee.”
She owes the win to her two teachers; one in school who spotted her talent when she was 11 and another at Global Music Institute. “The latter spotted the nodule in my throat and asked me to get it checked.” The medical check-up cost Sharvi a year of rest, and she could not speak or sing. And, during the show she suffered from Acid Reflux, where her throat started burning. And, she could not sing for three or four days.
However, she turned her ailment into a blessing. In one of the rounds, she modulated her voice in such a way that she could overcome it. “I sang Adele’s ‘Send me love’ and the judges were so impressed. They gave me a power pin, which grants immunity from one elimination round.”
The biggest challenge was learning the lyrics. “I always forget lines. I love making up words. But, here I was singing for the national television. I could not miss lyrics.” One round had the participants throwing challenges to each other. And, Sharvi’s roommate asked her to sing Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’. “She knew I had a problem with the lyrics of that song. I got a little stressed during that performance.” But, she conquered her fear by writing down each song as she learnt it.
Sharvi sheds gyan on cracking the reality show success code. “It is less about performing for the right feedback than performing for yourself. In one round, while I was singing a Miley Cyrus number, I realised that the passion was missing. And, the judges too felt the same. It’s what you give, what they take.”
Sharvi believes that a true musician should not restrict herself to any genre. “She should be versatile. Music has no boundaries. I am inspired by jazz, blue, rock and instrumental.” She thinks it is important to go back to the roots and listens to old school musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis as well as modern artistes such as Beyonce and Snarky Puppy.
The show was a learning experience in many ways. Sharvi had to stay away from her family for three months during the show. “It was my first experience staying alone. I am a pampered kid. After I joined the show, I had to wash my clothes, keep alarm and wake up early. It was a reality check.” It also helped her to know herself better. “I have always found myself to be “super-extrovert and loud. However, once I was left in my own room to practise, I would look at the mirror and meet my alter-ego. I would go deep within myself.”
She is working on her original, which she aims to release next year. “I was planning to take a break and pursue law. But life has taken a turn now. I will shift to Mumbai. I am going to live alone and that’s scary! I have a few gigs lined up. I want to tour the whole country with my music.”
