‘Music is everything to me’Sudha Hegde *Mumbai-based Kannadiga Vijay Prakash shot to fame when he sang Jai Ho, which became a hit in every household across India. Kannadigas know him as a judge on a music show.* [image: Jai Ho Vijay Prakash]But not many know that before singing for Slumdog Millionaire, Vijay had already sung over 3,000 jingles in various languages, with one famous jingle being Na Sar Jhuka Hain Kabhi.
His tryst with Bollywood began with the film Baaz. But it is the Academy Award-winning song Jai Ho, that earned him national recognition. “Even though I have been living in Mumbai for 12 years, Bollywood happened quite recently. My latest song in Blue, Fiqrana has done well. I have just finished an English project, Couple Retreat with A R Rahman. In Kannada, I have worked in films such as Preetiyinda, Rasa Rushi Kuvempu and Manasare. Now I am juggling between Mumbai and Bangalore to complete my projects,” says Vijay. Looks like fame has had little effect on the modest man, “I am in the field of music because of the passion I have for it. For me, music is everything and I don’t mind whether it is a film song or something else. I take up every song as a new challenge and I tend to finish it by utilising all my creative strength.” Vijay Prakash even participated on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, which was hosted by Sonu Nigam and was able to make it to the finals. Now, he is one of the judges of a music show. “The transformation is good, but the only difference is that now, I am listening to songs inspite of being a performer. At certain times, when I have to decide on who is the winner, it turns out to be a neck-to-neck situation for me,” gushes Vijay. He admires Bangalore for its multi-cultural factor and its openness towards all kinds of arts. “Bangalore is a lovely city with an extra-ordinary buzz. Here, people listen to all kinds of music. They don’t confine themselves to limited forms. In fact, they appreciate any good piece. It encourages an artist to present himself freely before the audience,” he opines. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/40804/music-everything-me.html - Regards ~ ~ A.R.Rajib ~ ~
