Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Reaching the stars

M.P. Arun Raj and Kavitha are the winners of Asianet's `Idea Star Singer.'

WINNERS TAKE IT ALL M.P. Arun Raj and Kavitha Jayaram

For M.P. Arun Raj and Kavitha Jayaram, winning the title opened the door to fame, fortune and of dreams coming true. It was with bated breath and a trembling heart that they awaited the results. Relief and joy was what they felt when their names were called out as the winners of Asianet's `Idea Star Singer.'

In his genes

"I have always wanted to be a singer," says Arun, who is a final-year student of Performing Arts at Swati Tirunal College, Thiruvananthapuram. In fact music is in his blood. "My mother, Vasumathi Raj is a music teacher and my father, Prem Raj, a sound engineer," he says. Trained in music since childhood, Arun joined the contest by chance.

"I was about to enter the examination hall when one of my college mates, the college union secretary, told me that such an event was taking place at South Park. He told me to skip the examination and attend the event. I did," says Arun who hails from Kannur. "Unlike the others, I wasn't prepared. I did not come ready with a kitty of songs." His support system throughout the six months of grind was his friends.

"As my parents were in Kannur, they could not come down due to the distance. They came only on the day the results were announced. It was my friends who helped me pick the right songs and gave me tips on how to carry and perform."

Kavitha, a final-year engineering student at College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram was never a serious music student.

"I enjoyed singing, but was never a regular student in my music class." She saw the advertisement in the newspaper and decided to try her luck.

According to Kavitha, the plus point of joining Idea Star Singer was that it helped change her personality. "We had grooming classes where we were taught simple things like how to carry yourself, the right way to stand, how to hold the mike, colours that suit your complexion, yoga... I'm more confident now" she says as she adds, "I made great friends too. Although the competitive spirit is high, it existed only when we were on stage."

Assignments galore

Both Arun and Kavitha are now looking forward to the assignments that are coming their way. Arun is keeping his fingers crossed for his album, `Sunday' which features new comers.

"It's an album targeted at the youth. I'm singing two songs, one of it is `Sundari.'" There is also an untitled album in which Arun has done the scores. Both Kavitha and Arun will be doing an album with music director M. Jayachandran. Says Kavitha, "We'll also be hosting programmes and will be a part of the Gulf shows."

LIZA GEORGE

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail