MUMBAI: Playback singer Darshana describes the experience of sharing vocal space with double Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman as equivalent to bagging the Oscar, Grammy and many such coveted awards.
In Rahman’s upcoming Tamil soundtrack ‘Ok Kanmani’, Darshana has crooned five tracks, including a duet.
“To see your name right next to AR Rahman is a feeling I cannot explain. It is beyond my dream. It is like winning the Oscar, Grammy and National Award all at the same time. To share the vocal space with him is a special feeling,” Darshana told IANS.
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“Even though my contribution to this movie is very minuscule, it is still special to sing three songs in Tamil and two in Telugu from the same album. And one of the songs happens to be a duet with Rahman sir. It was only after I saw the track credits, I realised it was a duet,” she said.
According to Darshana, the album of ‘Ok Kanmani’, which is scheduled for release on Wednesday, is “very fresh and young”.
In the album, Darshana has sung ‘Kaara Aattakkaara’, ‘Theera Ula’ and its Telugu versions. She also sang the female version of ‘Mental Manadhil’ in Telugu.
Darshana’s collaboration with Rahman started way back in 2007 with the Rajinikanth-starrer ‘Sivaji’.
She sang the opening lines of the hit number ‘Balleilakka’ from the film. In the same year, she also crooned ‘Maduraikki Pogathadi’ from the Tamil film ‘Azhagiya Thamizh Magan’ and some portion of ‘Mayya Mayya’ from Mani Ratnam’s ‘Guru’.
Her other Rahman songs include ‘Pappu can’t dance saala’ and ‘Nazrein milaana’ from ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Naa’ and ‘Chinamma’ from ‘Sakkarakatti’.
Darshana says singing for Rahman is special because he knows “how to get the best of a vocalist”.
“It has worked in my case really well because he has given me different kinds of songs. While ‘Balleilakka’ was folk; ‘Maduraikki’ was complete folk with a western touch; ‘Mayya mayya’ was Arabic. ‘Pappu can’t dance saala’ was hip-hop and ‘Nazrein milaana’ was a melody. He has given me the opportunity to work on my vocals and showcase the best of what I can,” she said.
She adds one cannot realise how Rahman gets the best from his singers.
“I think that is where the magic lies. I have not worked with many composers, but with the few I have worked, they say what is expected from me and I deliver. With Rahman sir, he gives you the space to experiment with your own voice and at the same time, he guides you as well. So you learn how to own the song and he knows how to get what he wants from his singers,” she said.
“In ‘Ok Kanmani’, I have sung in three different genres. When you hear the songs, both in Tamil and Telugu, you know that he has used my voice in a completely different way and for me, to get the opportunity in one album to sing in three different genres, I consider myself very lucky,” said Darshana, who stays in Chicago with her husband.
“I am studying Jazz vocals at Berkeley, and teach Carnatic music to kids. I am looking to take more vocal workshops. And if there are local bands where I feel I can perform, I do go and participate,” said Darshana, who is currently working on two singles that she plans to release by this year end.
