She is the only contestant in the history of Indian Idol who got a second chance to prove her talent in the auditions. She not only got selected but also reached the Top 12. Although Amrita Panda could not move up in the contest, this young girl blessed with a versatility that speaks volumes about her vocal range, is now busy taking slow and steady steps to stardom.
‘’Indian Idol surely gave me the exposure to establish myself in a bigger way back home,’’ confesses 19-year-old Amrita who at present is a regular face in shows and events being held in the city and other parts of the State. She has also taken her first step into the world of playback singing, having sung for a movie ‘Mun’ (The devil inside us) that was released in October 2012.
Although the movie did not fare well at the box office, the songs were appreciated. ‘’I had two songs, one a duet with Vinod Rathore, which was an item number and the other a bhajan. Debuting with Vinod ji was a great feeling,’’ she admits. She is, in fact, open to the idea of singing regularly for Odia movies as long as music directors find her voice suitable for their songs.
Into her second year of Graduation (Economics) at Rama Devi Women’s College, Amrita was barely nine when she made her first professional stage appearance.
Amrita, though began as a dancer, convinced her father Trilochan Panda, who has been the biggest pillar of strength in her life, to pursue music. Her wish was fulfilled and Amrita learnt Odissi vocals for seven years. Now, since the past four years, she is learning classical from Dr. Chittaranjan Pani, a disciple of the legendary Damodar Hota.
While she has received many awards and accolades, she has also participated in several shows and competitions, prominent being Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Lil Champs, where she reached till the mega auditions, Hero Honda Sur Tarang National Singing Talent Hunt and Voice of Odisha, where she was in the Top 8. She has so far taken part in over 600 commercial and amateur stage programmes and lent her voice to a couple of serials on Tarang channel as well.
But this young girl has her feet firmly on ground. ‘’I am grateful to the Almighty for all that I have got so far and of course, my dad, who is my true teacher,’’ she says, while adding that she eventually plans to go to Mumbai and try playback singing in Bollywood.
‘’I also plan to take part in Indian Idol next season and other music reality shows as they would help me realise my dreams,’’ informs Amrita, who at present is excited about an exclusive ‘Amrita night’ being planned this January. ‘’I have already shared stage with singers like Ambili Menon, Debojit of Indian Idol fame, Ravi Shukla (Voice of India) and Mohd. Aziz but this one will be most special, I am sure,’’ she exclaims.