'The Dreamer, Song Weaver, Believer'

Looping sounds of everyday kitchen equipments, she added a zing to one of AR Rahman’s greatest creation Humma Humma.

Believe us when we say it, even we think doing anything to that perfect composition can easily be termed as ‘musical sacrilege’ but this one is an interesting spin on it. As Vasuda Sharma’s playful bricolage for an electrical equipment brand brings her rave reviews as it goes on to empower womanhood through its message #Respectforwomen, Metrolife catches up with this bright singing sensation. 

‘Dreamer, Song Weaver, Believer’. That’s how her site defines her. If memory serves you right, her face would remind you of the erstwhile band ‘Aasma’; a musical reality show’s journey back in 2003 propelled her into limelight. Chandu ke Chacha ne, remember? Ah! Now that we are on the same page let’s introduce you to the evolved avatar of the then 18-year-old singer, Vasuda Sharma.

“Humma has a certain  kind of groove to it. So, when this project came my way, I knew I wanted to work upon this song. The magic of the real composition lies intact. I just recreated it through the everyday kitchen appliances like grinder, switches etc. ,” says the singer who also happened to act in the ad along with the percussionist Sarthak Mudgal. 

“People have liked the idea and its execution. But frankly, I am pathetic at acting, so I was embarrassed to take up that offer,” confesses Vasuda. “Acting was never on the cards for me. My friends have been teasing me, saying, you are going to get a lot of ads now. But what fascinated me was the musical involvement in this project.”After Aasma, Vasuda went onto study music at Berklee College of Music, Boston and with an international ensemble of artistes, she produced her crowd-funded album Attuned Spirits last year. 

“Trained in Braj folk and Hindustani classical music, I went onto study western music in Berklee and amalgamated all these aesthetics of music into fusion. I was never into louder genres such as heavy metal,” shares Vasuda.  “Right now I am digging up Persian music, and experimenting with it for a Parsi film set in India. I am listening to streams of traditional instruments ranging from Iranian to Persian and even Turkish music over the internet,” says the singer in a voice ringing with enthusiasm.

When asked about her former band, she says, “People believe the band has disbanded. But as a band all four of us share a bond. As individuals we all went our way to explore our areas of interest. But we are happy for each other,” says Vasuda, adding, “October 11 was our first concert. Even that date binds us!

We may come together for a gig, but there’s nothing planned for now.” And why not? The singer seems to be enjoying her niche space as she says, “Creating music is my space. I enjoy it even more than a gig.”