Nothing gives me more solace than music

Pop singer-songwriter-model LEKKA recently released her Hindi-Punjabi single, Kaabil-E-Tareef, featuring Punjabi superstar Gurnazar Chattha who has written and composed it too. Born to an HR consultant mother and businessman father in New Delhi, Lekka has an elder brother. Saurabh Tankha talks to the independent stage artiste-singer who is an engineer by qualification and musician by choice.

Tell us about your debut Hindi-Punjabi single, Kaabil-E-Tareef.
Kaabil- E- Tareef is a story of two people who are madly in love and can’t get enough of each other. It’s a song for anyone who’s in love or has ever been in love.

How and when did you get introduced to singing?
I started singing at age four. By the time I was seven, I was singing at local competitions. Over the years, my family’s extensive collection of music exposed me to various genres and developed my love for music. Along with my childhood passion to belt out songs, I soon became keen to pen down poems later honing them into lyrics. I was a part of my school’s Western music choir for many years, and then went on to train in Indian classical music followed by training from a Brazilian Opera Singer. Apart from this, I have self-taught myself over the years.

Who do you credit to have played a major role in your singing career?
My mother. She’s been my biggest supporter from the very beginning.

Who was your first guru and what his/ her play in your becoming an accomplished singer?
Mrs Kumar, the teacher of my school’s Western Music Choir. She may not even remember me, but she impacted me in a huge way.

Your strength in terms of the genre when it comes to singing…
Pop, pop and POP!

Five qualities required to become an accomplished singer and performer.
Only one thing – focus. Take that and then apply it everywhere. If you’re focussed, you’ll have hard work, dedication, and all the other ingredients will take shape. You need keep a single focus and then act on that.

How did the period of Covid-19 treat you?
It made me as well as the entire world realise the importance of artist(e)s. That was a time we were relying heavily on films, music, tv shows, web series – all created by artist(e)s.  It made me proud that I’m part of a community that when the world is down and low, we’re the ones who can bring happiness to them. It made me more focussed as well.

If you were to rate the music lovers of cities in terms of understanding music during a show, which will be the top three cities in the world and why?
I think everyone all over the world loves music as it’s a universal language. The words and language are different but the emotions are always the same and that’s why we connect to it from our hearts. Else how would the world be enjoying Gangnam style?

If not a singer, what would you have wanted to take up as a career?
There’s nothing which gives me more solace than music. If not a singer, then probably a music producer or lyricist.

What is Lekka doing when she is not singing?
I’m an avid sports fan and an ardent Liverpool supporter. Fitness is a big part of my life and I love weight training in the gym. I also love travelling.

Your future projects…
I’m working on my next song already. Three more songs are in the pipeline but I can’t share much details right now. Let it be a surprise!