Music maestro A.R. Rahman termed her as the next ‘Jazz Star of India’ after hearing her rocking performance of the song ‘ Jane Tu Ya Jane Na ’.
For young singing sensation Shanmukha Priya, that was the best moment of her life. This Vizag girl has been creating ripples in the musical circuit of the country with her consistent breathtaking performances at Zee TV’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs . Making it to the top six finalists of a highly competitive music reality show that saw several talented contestants vie for the top position, Shanmukha Priya remains confident and unfazed as she heads home for a short week-long break.
Back in her hometown after a gap of five months, Shanmukha Priya along with her parents took some time out to share her thoughts with The Hindu on the exciting musical journey so far. When she was three years old her father, who is a veena exponent, first heard her humming to the tune played on an alarm clock. He instantly took out the veena and gave Shanmukha Priya the notes and rhythm. “To my surprise, that little child could catch the notes so perfectly and melodiously! It was then that we decided to train her in Carnatic classical vocal,” recollects her father, Srinivas Kumar.
At the age of five, Shanmukha Priya’s exceptionally strong musical sensibilities was acknowledged at the national platform in the ‘ Little Champs ’ music reality show on Zee Telugu that pushed her into the limelight. While her father was the first to spot her talent, it was her mother Ratnamala, also a trained singer, who was her main source of inspiration — something that Shanmukha Priya has acknowledged time and again on national television.
A tenth grader and a student of Sri Chaitanya School, Shanmukha Priya says this year would be special, at the same time challenging, as she inches closer to the mega finals to be held in September. “I feel very fortunate to get such a big platform at an early age and get groomed from the best names of the music industry,” she says. With the constant encouragement of her parents, Shanmukha Priya has managed to juggle her academics and musical passion with ease so far. “I take my books along with me to Mumbai and catch up on my lessons whenever I get the time,” says the young singer, who was also invited to take part in ‘ Super Singer ’ and ‘ Paaduta Teeyaga ’ in Telugu, ‘ Junior Super Singer ’ in Tamil and even ‘ The Voice India Kids ’ in Hindi.
And as the competition heats up in Li’l Champs , how does she cope up with the energy on the sets? “I never let the competition affect me. I remain focussed on my music and try to blend different genres of music in my singing, giving the song my own special touch to stand out among others,” she says.
Much-awaited break
At present, she is learning Hindustani classical as well as getting trained in opera, jazz as well as yodelling. A resident of Mathurawada, Shanmukha Priya wants to make the most of this much-awaited break in Vizag. “I plan to visit temples to get a positive energy and simply relax at home and enjoy my father’s company whom I have missed all this while,” she says.
