Assam rocker makes it to finals of international talent hunt

Twenty-five-year-old Queah was one of the four finalists in the Soloist Category from South Asia for the grand finale at New York and Los Angeles slated for August next, said a release of the music company 'SUTASI'.

Queah, who had won the coveted All India DSP Black Rock-i-lution Contest along with his band 'Casino Blues' at the famed Hard Rock Cafe, Mumbai, has appealed to the people of the state, region and country to vote for him by visiting the website www.sutasi.com to enable him to win the contest.

''There are judges who will record our marks and points, but the valuable votes of the people would also help me further to be able to represent the country at the Grand Finale and make both the country and the region proud,'' he told PTI.

There are three categories in the contest viz, Bands, Soloists and Songwriters with one finalist from each category selected from each region -- South East Asia, South Asia and North East Asia -- to participate in the grand finale.

SUTASI is scouring for Asian talents to project them onto the international music stage.

Queah, a familiar name among western music buffs in the Northeast, started his career as a vocalist for the band 'Uphonik Tranze' and later in 'Faith' and 'Casino Blue' emerging as a singer with a rare touch of sensitivity.

''Music is a way of self expression for me -- a way of expressing my emotions and resolving the conflicts that lie within,'' said the singer who recently shifted his base to Mumbai after a brief stay at Goa.

Queah and his band had earlier won several regional and national competitions like IIT Rock Contests, North East Rock Festival, Campus Rock Idol and Independence Rock.

He has been a studio sessionist and sung in Assamese albums including his solo albums 'Janma' and 'Projanma'.

''I am specially intrigued by the original tribal music of the region which replicates the pristine sounds and moods of nature as evident in the monsoon rain, the wind and the waterfall,'' he said.

Queah has also been working on individual production rendering solo numbers and duets in Assamese and English albums and as a playback singer for the theatre.