Beat-boxing may not be the most popular hobby or profession among women. But for Darshini A, a second-year HETT student of Jyoti Nivas College, creating synchronised beats with the mouth came as naturally as singing comes to vocalists.
“It all started when I felt like trying something different for a carol competition when I was in the first year of PUC. It was a major step back then whereas it’s easy at least now. Soon after that competition, I started putting up videos on YouTube with the help of some of my friends, which received a good response. Now, it comes pretty naturally to me because of all the practice I’ve got over the years,” says Darshini, adding that her technique is a combination of open and closed mouth beat-boxing.
She adds that while she was always confident performing in front of her friends and acquaintances in college functions and competitions, it was tough to go for beat-boxing battles in inter-college competitions.
“It got a little scary at inter-college events because it took time and effort to break the stereotype of a girl beat-boxer. People tend to think that we can’t do as good a job as our male counterparts but on many occasions, I’ve proved them wrong. It feels really amazing to break this stereotype because I can actually see the transition in me!” she smiles.
But it hasn’t been all hunky dory for her. “I started beat-boxing for the western acoustic team in my college and remember how during the first few performances, I got booed a lot. But now, if people hear me and don’t know who is beat-boxing, they are actually shocked when they find out it’s a girl!” she says proudly.
What do her parents think of her hobby? “My parents, like all others, didn’t get what I was trying to do in the beginning. It even took them time to get used to the term itself. But now, they are more than supportive and my mother can’t stop talking about it proudly to everyone she meets,” shares the 19-year-old.
She is quite open to the idea of making a living out of beat-boxing. “I’d love to consider it professionally if something comes up. But of course, I’d only do that with more training and mastering of the techniques. My parents sometimes get annoyed with the late practice sessions but at the end of the day, they know it makes me happy,” she says.
Ask her about some of her most memorable performance and she quickly replies, “Every performance is memorable for me, especially when I get to do a sound-check and hear the crowd going ‘Wow’! But if I had to pick one, it would be the ‘Glam Jam’ at Phoenix MarketCity,” she wraps up.