ASPIRING singer, Pooja Nair wants to break away from the perception that being in a challenging job means giving up other passions in life.
“I am studying nursing and it is not easy, but I don’t want to give up on my music career. I need to balance myself between these two careers,” said 19-year-old Pooja, who creates a balance between her studies and singing.
Taking a cue from famous singers who were discovered after posting songs online, Pooja, who also writes her own music, shares her covers of popular songs.
“I would plan the right time for my studies and once I am satisfied with my work, I would basically treat myself by having a music jam session with my followers or just randomly record myself singing and when I feel it’s good then I will post it on my Instagram page (@isspooj),” said Pooja.
Encouraged by friends and even strangers to pursue a singing career, Pooja – a self-taught guitar player – won the Rara Production Pte Ltd Talent Show competition in Singapore, and recently sang during the Merdeka celebration which was streamed live on Facebook.
For Pooja, the road to a brighter future has just begun.
Do you remember the moment you fell in love with singing?
“I have always loved singing since I was five years old. I remember going up on stage and singing an Indian song in front of my family, or just randomly singing. I was eight years old when my school had an audition to sing for Children’s Day. I decided to sing an Indonesian song (Sakura by Rossa) and my classmates went crazy. They were all shocked that I could sing well. It was the beginning of my singing performance. I would sing a lot in my primary and secondary school. It gave me a lot of confidence to showcase my talent.”
What kind of music genre do you prefer?
“It would be R&B, pop music, hip-hop and EDM. I find those genres really catchy and listening to them makes me feel like I am in my own world.
“R&B, pop music and hip-hop give an exciting vibe or a Monday blues vibe, whereas when I listen to EDM or techno, it sends a crazy vibe down my spine. My body tends to follow the flow of the music.”
What inspired you to become a singer?
“My friends and some of my family members and even strangers encouraged me to pursue singing, but I personally feel that even if I become a singer in the future, I would need an educational background. That is when I decided to take a diploma in nursing.”
How has singing changed your life?
“I became more confident in myself. I feel that singing gives me freedom, every time I post a cover on Instagram, or perform live. I feel like I am in a different world, just me being myself and spreading good energy to people.
“When I do post a cover song on Instagram, I would reflect back on what I have done and try to make the next one better, because it is all about learning and accepting your mistakes in order to be better.”
What do you like about the nursing field?
“What I like about the nursing field is being able to help, and to treat people who are in need. I love the happiness you see on their faces when they are satisfied with the care that is being provided and of course, the end result when they get to go back fit as a fiddle.”
What is your most memorable moment?
“When I was given the opportunity to sing live with Harvinth and Zamaera on Instagram. My friend begged me to [try out for the] live session. I didn’t know if he was going to pick me because there were thousands, who had requested him but by God’s grace, it happened. He accepted and I sang to them.
“There were more than 4,000 people, who were watching it, so, you can imagine how nervous I was at that time, but it encouraged me to start posting cover songs because now that I have my fan base, it’s definitely the perfect time to do so.”
