BENGALURU: Sometimes life gives you opportunities you might never have dreamt of in your wildest dreams. When 17-year-old Tiana Esther Oberoi went on stage at Westminster Abbey to perform on Commonwealth Day on March 13, the moment was surreal for her. Since it’s a week-long celebration, Bengaluru-based Oberoi will also be performing today at the South Africa High Commission in London.
Oberoi, who went on stage with just two weeks of rehearsal, calls the experience of performing on such an important day a big opportunity. “It was an incredible experience being surrounded by so many important people, and there were plenty of school children as well yesterday. And just the joy when we made the music was so special. I was so proud to be able to represent my country as a person of colour on this international stage,” says Oberoi.
A choir singer, Oberoi performed two songs. “It was a collaboration with the junior department of the Royal Academy of Music. Since it was Commonwealth Day, I sang an Indian song called Ari We Ari, an old Punjabi folk song, a traditional Australian song Waltzing Matilda,” says Oberoi during a telephonic conversation with CE from London. Dressed in a salwar kameez with jhumkis, Oberoi wore Indian attire like a badge of honour. “I had lots of people telling me, ‘Oh wow! This is so unique and you look so pretty,” says Oberoi with a short giggle.
Apart from the performance, another memorable moment for the city-based girl was meeting the British Royals – King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort. “I actually saw the royal family – the King and Queen Consort, so that was quite interesting. They walked right in front of us while they were going down Westminster,” says the excited teenager.
Oberoi, who started singing at the age of four and was trained by her mother Sandra Oberoi, moved to London in 2020 to pursue higher education in music. She is a student of The Purcell School. “My mother is my first teacher. In Bengaluru, I was trained in her school. My mother and sister are here in London as well, so it’s been really special for me. Next year, I’m going to be studying at the Royal College of Music,” says Oberoi.