Jay Sean on the couch

The suave British singer-songwriter, Jay Sean (born Kamaljit Singh Jhooti) wowed audiences at sold-out concerts over the weekend. Born to Punjabi parents, this platinum selling artist melted the hearts of thousands of fans (mainly Indian) who were smitten by his silky voice and spectacular dance moves. Tabloid Media's, Yashika Ramautar caught up with the dashing singer hours before his Wave House, Gateway performance last Friday, and this is what he had to say.....

Yashika: You arrived yesterday on our shores, what do you think of Durban and it's people?
Jay: I've been overwhelmed, actually. South Africa is one of the few countries, I had not visited, and I'm really impressed. In fact I don't think I've seen so many Indians out of India, I feel like I'm in Mumbai (laughs). Plus the people are really friendly and accommodating, so thats cool...

Yashika: Does your Indian heritage influence your song-writing and music?
Jay: Oh, absolutely. My parents are Punjabi and to us family comes first, so these values definitely filters to my music. 

Yashika: Do you speak your mother tongue, and how well?
Jay: Yeah, I'm Punjabi and can speak it very fluently. I think it's important to learn your mother tongue. 

Yashika: Your songs are very emotional and seems to be personal. Have you written your own songs and are they from your own experiences?
Jay: (smiles) Well..... yes they are. I mean, love and the emotions surrounding it is a universal language. So i guess when I sing about how I feel, people from all over the world can relate. Even your Mayor here (referring to Dep. Mayor Logie Naidoo, sitting next to him) would have at some point in his life, felt the pangs of love, like I did, right? 

Yashika: You are often compared to Craig David. Do you agree with this comparison?
Jay: Well, I'm honoured to be actually, as Craig was the first UK artist to break into the pop RnB genre and attain world success, so I guess he opened the doors for me. Craig is a dear friend of mine from whom i've learnt a great deal from, and still learning from. 

Yashika: Have you heard any local artists or bands as yet, and what is your take on South African music?
Jay: I haven't heard anyone live as yet, but from what I've heard it's awesome. I think the music world has accepted that South Africa definitely has something special to offer.

Yashika: What can your fans expect from your concerts? And will you sing any Bollywood or asian songs?
Jay: They must expect to be blown away! I've actually sampled a few Indian songs for my albums, so yeah, I will surprise them with something. I cant tell you which one exactly, so you will have to wait and see....




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

At home with Jailoshini Naidoo

Image
By Yashika Ramautar YR: Describe your typical morning from the time you get up. JN: I’m not really a morning person, but my TV shoots often start quite early, so my mornings are invariably rushed, with me literally flying around the house trying to get ready on time.  Brush my teeth, shower, hair, make-up, dress up, (I often change clothes a couple of times before I’m completely satisfied). Breakfast is a bowl of cereal with some yoghurt, a cup of green or rooibos tea and a banana. And then I'm off! YR: How long does it take you to get dressed, from after your shower to looking all glam? JN: About an hour and a half...although I've learnt to do it in about an hour if I have to. YR: What are some of your favourite Indian dishes that you can prepare yourself? Can you make Woorunde or any sweetmeats? JN: I’m better at cooking than baking. I make a great curry. Although, as far as Indian sweetmeats are concerned, I make the best Chana Magaj. Got the recipe fr
Read more

On The Couch with Damon Beard

Image
by Yashika Ramautar WG: Firstly and most importantly... Who are you?
DB: My name is Damon Beard, I'm 41 years old and I'm a DJ on East Coast Radio. I present the weekday lunchtime show from 12 - 3pm. WG: Describe yourself in three words? DB: Spontaneous, loyal, approachable WG: What would you describe as the most full-filling aspect of being an ECR DJ?
DB: I have a feature on my show called the Big Favour where I help people in the Province with things they may need. Through this, I've met some incredibly brave and sincere people. Only when you see what other people are going through, do you take a step back and count your blessings. WG: What is the worst thing that ever happened to you on air?
DB: My first night on air, one of the other DJ's decided to pull a prank on me. He swapped the ON and OFF buttons around, so when I was actually live ON AIR, I thought I wasn't, and when I thought I was OFF AIR, I was actually ON AIR...
I decided to sing along
Read more

On the Couch with Elvis Govender

Image
Elvis Govender is a dedicated member of the local cricketing fraternity and has been involved in the game as an administrator, coach and player for more than 45-years. Govender is from a sporting family. He eats sleeps and breathes cricket. He devotes a large amount of his time towards nurturing talent from within Chatsworth as well as Kwa-Zulu Natal. Elvis Govender took some time off his busy schedule to chat to Tabloid Newspapers about his love, family and passion for the game. Tabloid Newspapers (TN): Tell us about your upbringing? Elvis Govender (EG): I was born in 1960 and come from a family which consists of four brothers and one sister. We previously lived in Bluff but were relocated to Chatsworth when I was one-year-old due to the Group Areas Act. I have lived in Chatsworth for 58-years. My father was a soccer player and my three brothers. I played both cricket and soccer. We played cricket competitively and at one stage my brothers Krish, Raymond and Stanley and
Read more