Introduction
Finally we are in the final week of publishing outstanding profiles from Smule and one more week ahead we will have our 2020 award selections details and it is a good bye to all our supporters. It gives immense pleasure to bring Rekha’s profile to all at this time. Peer reviewed by Prasad Macoy please read a short write up on Rekha’s music.
Please introduce yourself briefly
“I am Rekha Kamath. Born and brought up in India’s tiniest state, Goa, a state which is diverse in its heritage and music. I’m by profession a Technical Writer and an English Language Instructor. I’m the wife of a war veteran and a proud mom of two lovely boys. I have spent a significant part of my childhood in Kerala and later about seven years in the Middle East. Growing up in various parts of the world allowed me to learn songs in many languages including Hindi, English, Marathi, Konkani, Malayalam,Tamil, and Kannada. I can never identify myself with any particular place, language, or culture.”
Early music life
As a child, I have always loved to sing and express myself. The first solo song I remember singing on stage was an english song O My Papa at age five. Once on any stage, I get immersed in my world and I become one with my song. Back then, my dad worked for the Goa port and we lived in a colony that had people from all over India. We celebrated festivals together, and with these celebrations came music. I remember borrowing cassettes of bhajans and abhangs from my Maharashtrian neighbors just to learn the songs so that I could participate with the ‘bhajan mandali’ at the temple. At schools also I loved being part of my school choir. I always took it up as a challenge to learn songs that seemed difficult like Raas Ramvane Velo Avje. I liked singing in the dark under the stars. It made me feel like I was singing at a mega event with thousands and thousands of listeners.
It was during my college days at Christ University, at Bangalore (Masters Degree), that I must say I dived deeper into World Music. The university days and later my workplace Oracle India gave me ample opportunities to showcase my talent like never before. It was here (at Bangalore) that I realised how cities can shape your taste in music. At Oracle, I met some amazing musicians who introduced me to the novel concept of fusion music. I was part of a band and got to perform at several corporate events. The band fell apart when members moved to various cities. It was then I tried various apps to find a platform to sing. That place was Smule and I think it is a great platform for a singing artist to showcase their talent.
Influences
I must credit my parents for all the encouragement that I had very early itself. It was they who have instilled in me the love for Carnatic music. Every morning, we woke up to Sri Venkateswara Suprabhatam and Vishnu Sahasranamam sung by Smt. M S Subhalakshmi… Evening religious activities like Sandhya Namam followed by Marathi and Konkani devotional songs shaped my early music life. I have also had great teachers like Mrs. Snehal Sanzgiri, Mrs. Savita Haldankar, and Mrs. Bina Shetye who always ensured that I got a platform to showcase my talent. But if you ask me who influenced me the most as a child, the one name that stands out is that of my music teacher Mrs. Joy Martin who ignited that love for music in me. I still remember learning music lessons with her playing a large black piano in the background. She probably saw the singer in me then and realized that she should do her bit to help this curious little girl who would stand next to her piano and try to hum a song to every notation. If I have a keen ear for pitch and rhythm, I owe it to my Joy Teacher.
It was my mother who encouraged me to fearlessly express myself through my music. She used to push me to practice a song several times and ensure that I get every note and pronunciation right. I come from a very conservative background. I’m probably the first singer in my family. There were times when my father has been skeptical about sending me to far-away places to participate in competitions. In such situations, my Amma was always there as a support. I also owe it to my husband, Pradeep for allowing that continuity in me. He has a great ear for music and ensures that I keep in touch with my music.
Classical music and its relevance in the current time
Anyone can sing any song by practice; but I also believe that if you approach a song with expertise, you tend to understand the nuances of that piece of art better. Music, like fine arts, is an expression. If you expect someone without the right interest and training to appreciate modern art, it would become very difficult for that person to do so. In case of music, probably something as simple as training your ears to understand changes in the shruthi and taalam of a song or even tuning your vocals to match with the mood of the song would make you sing better.
I am not trained in Indian Classical music under any prominent teacher. My training is all self taught; I took every opportunity that came my way. I loved to listen to Thyagaraja Keerthanas, Navaratna Keerthanas, devotional songs sung by Lata Mageshkar, Anuradha Pawdwal, and Suresh Wadkar that appa played on his cassette player. I used to be glued to my radio or television and made notes of lyrics of folk songs and devotional songs that played on these mediums. This is where my liking for Lavani (a genre of music popular in Maharashtra) grew. While it is nice to be trained classically, one’s inability to get an opportunity to get trained shouldn’t stop one from following one’s dream.”
What exactly does your music mean to you ?
My music defines me. The kind of songs I choose to sing are precisely a reflection of me. It is very difficult for me to sing a song that I cannot connect with. Though I approach a song with an open mind, the lyrics, the tune, the beats, the rhythm need to sync up with me and that is when I can sing it. As the lyrics flow, so do my expressions. It is very difficult being me! It is sometimes very challenging to find a co-singer for a duet.
Your views about the general landscape of India’s music
I like how creative our musicians are becoming with music today. The best part is that music has become a medium of expression for musicians, be it expressing one’s feelings towards the injustices in the society or even supporting a social cause. In my personal opinion, the South Indian music industry has a better variety than Bollywood. Musicians like Jakes Bejoy and M Jayachandran have changed the face of South Indian songs. What amazes me is that Smule is filled with such creative artists too. Things are looking very progressive.
Social responsibility for an Artist, your thoughts?
It wasn’t until I joined Smule that I realized what a huge impact one’s actions or choices can have on people who follow you. Therefore, I’m of the opinion that an artist carries the burden of acting responsibly. Why just an artist, any individual for that matter is responsible for how he/she shapes the opinion of people around him/her through his/her actions. Music is a very powerful medium. If used in the right way, it can prove positive for people around you. It can also be equally damaging if misused. So, it is very important for an artist to make the right choices.
Will you take a stand for issues that matter to you or others?
An artist must be appreciated for the talent. Every individual is entitled to his/her opinion. However, an artist is misunderstood most of the time if he /she takes a stand on issues that have a divided opinion. In my opinion, it is best to refrain from commenting on an issue. But, it is very important for any artist to take a stand on issues that matter especially when you are influential. Moreover, it is important to act on them. So, to put it in a nutshell, act on issues that trouble you, avoid making noise about it.
Do you pay attention to the lyrics and meaning of songs? Are they important for music? If yes then why?
Definitely! Lyrics are the soul of the song. It is impossible for me to sing a song or put in expressions unless I know what the lyrics mean. I prefer singing songs with touching lyrics or fun lyrics than songs that have random meaningless lyrics.
What career ambitions do you have in music? How are you planning to achieve it?
“As we move on to social media platforms to satiate our love for music, the real experience of finding like-minded people in close proximity, sitting and jamming with them, and creating original compositions is hard to comeby. Thanks to the Remix ka Zamana. I see a business idea in this concept. I plan to work on it in the coming years.”
Where do you see yourself five years from now in your music?
I always wanted to get formally trained in Western Classical and Carnatic music. While I have started taking lessons for Carnatic music, I would also like to start learning Western Classical.
I would love to train my kids and my beautiful niece, Arya in music.”
Hobbies other than singing
Apart from music, baking is what I like to do. I am a homebaker. Whenever I need to learn some new songs, I plug in my earphones and work on my baking orders. It feels great when my friends call me ‘The Singing Chef’. I hope to start a Youtube channel with that name soon.
Favorites in music
Carnatic – Bombay Jayashree, Sudha Raghunathan, M Balamuralikrishna, Haricharan Sheshadri, M S Subbalakshmi
Hindustani – Pdt. Ajoy Chakraborty, Girija Devi
Contemporary and Film Music- AR Rahman, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Raghu Dixit, Nandini Srikar, Bela Shinde, Sunidhi Chauhan, RD Burman, Ilayaraja, S Janaki, KS Chithra, Sujata Mohan, M Jayachandran, Jonita Gandhi, KK, Armaan Malik, Mohit Chauhan, Adele, John Legend, Jason Marz, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle, Lata Mangeshkar. I also listen to Folk, Blues, Pop, Rock, Carnatic, Hindustani, Jazz, and much more right from my childhood through my years in college.”
Folk music: Wadali Brothers, Nooran Sisters, Mame Khan
Achievements
I have had the opportunity to sing alongside playback singer G. Venugopal in a show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I have also been lucky to perform at shows sponsored by Asianet and hosted by the Indian Embassy, Riyadh.
Links to my solos and collabs on Smule:
Solos
https://www.smule.com/sing-recording/2161896012_3695595342
https://www.smule.com/sing-recording/2161896012_3607050341
https://www.smule.com/sing-recording/2161896012_3344609644
Collabs
Please visit and subscribe to Rekha’s YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnoBNAx-1SIsIcVGpg3oapg/featured
ENDNOTES
A multifaceted talent and high potential singer to become a professional YouTuber with a very unique idea to go hand in hand the art of cooking and music in a great new page to come soon. Above all, what makes Rekha’s profile on Smule an outstanding one, is her hard work to pick some of the difficult joins that came out on the app recently (see the embedded collaborative works). We are so happy to support her music and also wish her all the best in the future. Here is a link to her Smule profile.
The great India Singers on Smule Sing 