Every new A R Rahman composition is something to look forward to for its assured quality, uniqueness and of course, because it’s Rahman. Enough said! If you’ve been lapping up the music of Mohenjo Daro, another composition by the maestro, you might have detected a voice that features in as many as three songs. That’s how Sanah Moidutty burst on the scene. Until Mohenjo Daro, Sanah was just a singer who uploaded music videos on Youtube. She had even tried to enter Indian Idol but was eliminated in the judges round. And now she’s sung for, and even with, Rahman himself (Tu Hai is a duet with Rahman). At just 25, Sanah’s got a lot to look forward to. She talks about her music, working with Rahman, her student life and her collaborations. Excerpts:
When did you start singing?
I started singing at the age of five and started performing at a very early age. I had performed over 500 stage shows with Hindi bands by the time I was 12. I was also a part of an English band when I was in college. All this happened during my school and college days.
What were you like in school?
I was a nerd in school. Not shy. But not very talkative. Pretty much in my own world, I can say, because of my active imagination. But I had another side too. I actively participated in all events, was good at studies and was the head girl too.
How did your Youtube connection begin?
After my engineering exams, I was thinking of ideas of where to start from and how to put my voice out there. I decided I’ll put something on YouTube. Samar and Sanam recorded me and also shot and edited the videos for me. I’m so grateful to them as they helped me kickstart my YouTube channel.
You have sung in Mohenjo Daro, how did this come about?
I had sent voice samples and demos to Rahman through a source. He happened to hear them and appreciate them. After almost two years I got a call from his office. When I went to the studio, he first asked me to sing in different styles. And Ashutosh (Gowariker) was made to hear my voice on the same day. That was how Mohenjo Daro happened.
How was working with ARR?
Working with Rahman Sir was the best and most challenging experience of my life. Rahman Sir insists a lot on feeling the song wholly and rendering it dynamically. His music and ideas are like a super complex, jigsaw puzzle which are beautiful to look at in the end, but nobody can quite understand how the pieces fit in together to complete the puzzle.
Were you nervous while singing Tu Hai with him?
The first time I was called to the studio was also the first day I started recording Tu Hai. I was first asked to sing in a few different styles. I was so nervous that I literally didn’t have any voice coming out. Sir told me to take my time and record. That’s when I relaxed a bit. And after that , Ashutosh and Javed Akhtar came for the recording too. Three geniuses in their fields watching, and me a total newbie! But they all made me feel really comfortable and gave me the confidence to deliver. Ashutosh has a wonderful music sense and is extremely particular about the details.
Reach Out: youtube.com/user/SanahMoidutty
