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From Down Under
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Seraya Young, Australian singer is here to record a music album with Sunny Viswanath, music director. K.PRADEEP finds out more about her.
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SERAYA YOUNG is not on a holiday. Though she would have loved to spend a whole day cruising on the gentle backwaters preferably in a houseboat, this Australian singer is on a mission, which does not give her the time for such pleasurable indulgences. This singer-songwriter is in Kerala to record a single album, her first-ever outside Australia, which will be released in February. "Not much of sightseeing this time. But I will surely come back. This time I must see a bit of this lovely land," gushes Seraya during a short business stopover in Kochi.
Recording
Music for this single is by `Sunny' Viswanath, the Kozhikode-based music director, who was responsible for bringing Seraya down. . "I met Seraya at Las Vegas in 2002. She was performing there and incidentally I was there accompanying a saxophonist on Indian percussion. Since she came down I have made her listen to almost all the genres of Indian music, ranging from classical to folk," says Viswanath. Seraya has gleaned through the lyrics and not being satisfied has now decided to go for her own lines.
For a performer whose style has no fixed boundaries, who is quite comfortable belting rock numbers as moody blues, Seraya's personal favourites are those songs that are laden with thought and feeling. And this songwriter should know. "Those songs touch a chord somewhere inside you. Sometimes when I sing them I even tend to forget the audience. It becomes a very personal experience and very often the audience become part of it.
Self managed
A self-managed artiste, Seraya recently relocated to Melbourne from Brisbane, has had to work hard to fund her music projects. "It was tough in the beginning. Back home it is impossible to launch yourself into a full-time music career. I have worked with a recording studio in Brisbane doing various jobs from Promotions Manager to Accountant or Business Administrator. This part-time job was what sustained my music." Seraya is also an actress by choice and a Thai boxer, besides.
Seraya's independent six-track EP, which includes her popular singles like `You' and `I Want Your Love', has been noticed and won rave reviews. These singles have been featured on Australia's Hot 30 unsigned segment, `I Want Your Love' held the No.1 position on the MP3 pop charts for 10-weeks running and the same track was a finalist in the Old Recording Association's 15th annual awards.
Beyond Australia
With her strapping, clear voice and a stage presence to boot, is Seraya getting stunted by remaining in Australia? "I'm quite happy. Yes, Australia is only two per cent of the world's music market. There is so much happening outside. Now, after all these years I have slowly decided to branch out. "
"You know I really loved acting. But I had to choose between acting and music and that was it."
During her short stay in Kerala, Seraya has not missed the chance to gorge on ethnic Indian food. She even places the orders at the restaurants with spicy chicken, in its different forms, always topping her list. For breakfast it is idlies and then the samosas. "Mom used to make these samosas. She must have picked this up during her days at South Africa, where I spent a delightful early childhood."
This Christmas Seraya and her vibrant music is sure to be part of the Malayali experience.
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