Read How 11th Grader Kirti Strikes A Chord Between Parents' Expectations & Passion

Saturday, December 31 2016, 01:33:32

Avantika Singhal

Teen JWB Curator/Blogger

Read How 11th Grader Kirti Strikes A Chord Between Parents’ Expectations & Passion

JWB Post

December 22, 2016

Success is not about winning. It’s about making one feel accomplished and content. It’s about being grounded and keeping your head in the game all the time.

A young girl who understands the concept of success inside out is Kirti Sharma, an 11th grader from Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls’ School, Jaipur.

She is a western singer and a proud receiver of seven awards in the field of music. On top of that, she has undertaken Science stream in school and is juggling both quite well.

If there is one thing that you ought to know about Kirti, it is that she has the SWEETEST voice. It is as if God bestowed her with that voice so that she could sing and please the world.

Have you received criticism for your voice?

A lot! Some people judge me based on my voice. I find that ludicrous. Some assume that my voice is made up, that I pretend to make it sweeter. Even today, I was singing my heart out softly in the class and a girl asked me to stop because it ‘distracted’ her.

However, her friend came up to me and apologized later on her behalf.

That’s okay, I guess. Their harsh words make me stronger. However, sometimes, people want to hear me sing so that they can mock my voice and make sarcastic comments on it. I take a break from singing when that happens and contemplate whether the sweetness of my voice is a boon or a bane.

In those tough times, my mother lends me a shoulder.

Anything that you do before you start singing?

I remember my mother. I make sure to tell myself that she is with me in that moment, that she is in my heart. Also, I swear that this ritual is not inspired from ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’!!

When did you start singing, by the way?

Kirti’s mother answers this question for her.

This was a frequent occasion when she was just a baby- she would wiggle her toes and stop her crying at the sound of music. The love for music came to her naturally.

I can’t remember when she started singing, though. She has always had it in her, you know? She seems to sway to the sound of music and she wants to make others sway to her gentle voice too.

“My daughter may have PCM but she sees music as her gateway to revival. “

So, which career do you want to pursue, then? Are you going to be one of those doctors who sings their patients to sleep?

Haha! Originally, I wanted to pursue singing only. However, I am not pursuing it professionally. Thus, my father strongly advised that I fling singing in the back seat for now and focus on career options that guarantee my stable livelihood.

Plus, there is no harm in trying new and challenging subjects, right? But, those chemical equations and laws of Physics haunt me in my dreams sometimes.

I could have chosen Arts stream but some relatives are adamant about the fact that only a doctor or engineer can go about in life peacefully!

Which singer inspires you to sing?

Mom! She’s a good singer too. The song ‘Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaaye’ is our jam! Other than her, I look up to Shreya Ghoshal and Alka Yagnik.

“If you ask me about who my spirit animal is, I’ll reply by saying I am a zoo in itself. I am the graceful dove. I am the sneaky and quiet cat. And sometimes, I can roar like a tiger too.”

Kirti could not tame the singer within herself because while I fished for more questions to ask, she started humming ‘Starboy’ by The Weeknd. Singers, I tell you!

Three singers, you would invite to your fantasy dinner party.

Zedd. Shreya Ghoshal. Kiran Mazumdar (She is an entrepreneur and biotechnologist). This party would be an absurd mix of the singing world and the clinical world!

What advice would you give to younger, aspiring singers?

If you are not learning music professionally but love it nevertheless, don’t let any force stop you from chasing after your passion. And, brace yourself for criticism too. They will question you, doubt you but you be brave and prove yourself to them.

“The sweetness of my voice hinders me in many cases. I want to become a leader in school. But my seniors have stated that my voice is TOO soft and sweet, that it will not be able to calm the storm in school and that I lack firmness. I wonder if my voice is all that matters. What about my sincerity and my constant need to establish discipline in school? My teachers encourage me, though.”

I turned my attention to Kirti’s mother again.

Ma’am, how do you console your daughter when people act the way they do?

Often, she is haunted by those harsh words. But I tell her to carry on. We are like two peas in a pod. I save her from drowning and she does the same. She is my ‘little’ Mom. Things I don’t notice are quickly noticed by her. She is the candle that guides me in the darkness. I believe that our mother-daughter bond is sacred and helps both of us heal.

And we come back to our miraculous singer.

I will list some moods and you have to give me song recommendations for them.

Happy- ‘Happy’ by Pharell Williams

Sad- ‘Chandelier’ by Sia

Post Break-up- ‘Let It Go’ by James Bay

Angry- ‘Rock bottom’ by Hailee Steinfeld

Frustrated- Electronic Dance Music

Inspirational- Any song by Lady Gaga!

We all know that I will make the ‘meat on the feet’ joke now but ha! I did not actually. Such plot twists.

No individual should be judged for who they are as a person and least of all, for their voice. Kirti is an extremely polite and delightfully affable girl waiting to spread her wings and soar through the sky. We hope that the unnecessary judgments are put to a stop and she can keep gratifying us with her songs such as this one.