Singing My Passion, Nursing People is Immense Happiness, Says Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Contestant Daniel

15 Jul, 2022 11:26 IST

Daniel Raju, one of the contestants of Zee Telugu Sa Re Ga Ma Pa knows how to manage both his profession and passion. He says 'Singing is his passion and serving people as a nurse gives him happiness.' He doesn't want to forego singing and at the same time, wants to help the public through his profession. Daniel, a covid warrior, who served scores of patients during all three waves of the pandemic says that words fall short to describe how he feels when a person meets him after recovery. During his graduation days, he worked at a hotel on a part-time basis.

A native of Konkuduru, East Godavari district, Daniel never underwent formal training in music but has come a long way. In an exclusive interview with Sakshi Post, he shares some interesting facts with Priyadarshini.  

What kind of pressure have you faced while singing on a stage like Sa Re Ga Ma Pa?

There is nothing like pressure. I want to prove myself and it's a challenge for me. After so much struggle, I reached this stage and want to give my best.

What kind of support did you receive from the mentors?

I feel extremely happy to be in Sri Krishna's team. I got immense support from him. Despite his busy schedule, he takes time out to give us suggestions. I admire Sri Krishna's voice and am glad to be a part of his team.

Who is more supportive in your family?

Initially, I didn't tell my parents about my singing. But eventually, they discovered my passion and every member in the family extended their support. I'm very grateful to my village people who shower love and support on me. I wanted to thank each and every person who has supported me in my journey of singing.

The first song, I sang on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa stage was "Rayini Matram Kante" from Dasavatharam. My father who works as a pastor in the church kept my performance as his status and captioned it 'Music has no religion'. I got a tremendous response from all corners. 

Sometimes, we unconsciously bring in our slang into singing, how do you handle that?

It's true. Many people face such problems. But by the grace of God, I don't have such issues.

Among all the contestants, who is very close to you?

All the contestants are close to me. We share a great bond with each other.  I have a cordial relationship with Charan, Vinod, Sudhamsh, and others.

After Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, if you get more offers from the industry, would you leave your nursing career?

No. I won't leave my career as a nurse. I will try to manage both. I always want to serve people through my profession.

When were you bitten by the singing bug?

Since my childhood, I used to sing carols in the church. But it was my Class 8 math teacher (Singerayya) in Gurukul school who noticed my talent. He used to support me a lot and used to send me to various competitions. The first song, I sang was 'Ne Tolisariga Kalagannadhi'. I won many prizes at the district level and performed songs at various levels in colleges. One interesting thing is that I didn't tell my parents about my singing till my graduation. But after my degree, I told my parents about my singing. My parents supported me a lot and my father is a huge pillar of support.

To become a good singer, one needs to practice...how do you manage your professional career and singing?

I take time out of my schedule to practice singing and at the same time, I give equal importance to my profession.

How is the elimination process done? There are rumours that makers give importance to those who have more craze and social media following?

This season, Zee Sa Re Ga Ma Pa wanted to have fresh faces who haven't participated in any other show. So, they have selected 24 new faces. Except for two or three, none of us are so famous on social media. There is no truth in the comment of makers promoting contestants who are popular on social media.

Who is your favourite - Koti or SP Shailaja

Shailaja mam. I love Shailaja mam very much. She is very transparent, a great wife, a super mom, and a fantastic human being.

If you have got a chance to sing under Koti sir and Smitha mam - Who would you prefer?

Koti Sir

Who is your favourite Music director and Singer?

Ilaiyaraja is my all-time favourite music director. Coming to singers, I like SPB, Anurag Kulkarni, Hari Charan, Sri Krishna, Karthik.

Few Words About Judges and Anchor of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa:

Koti: He is very energetic and supports us all. He is a powerhouse and has a positive aura. He is a very sensitive and an emotional person. He gives much respect to musicians.

Smitha: She is very sensitive and never steps back from helping people who are in need. Smitha is synonymous with Humanity. She is an emotional person.

Anath Sriram: He is a walking encyclopedia. He is a good orator and can speak on any topic. There is no limit to his knowledge.

Sreemukhi: She is one of the most energetic persons on the sets. She is very jovial and doesn't have any ego. She mingles with everyone and shares a cool rapport with the entire team.

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