The catwalk girl has finally arrives on the pop scene

CHANDIGARH, Oct 1: Her song seems to have done the final trick for her. For she sang Kahi karta hoga woh mera intezar...'' and real suc...

CHANDIGARH, Oct 1: Her song seems to have done the final trick for her. For she sang “Kahi karta hoga woh mera intezar…” and real success that was eluding her till then came calling on her. And with the song playing on everyone’s lips across the country now, Annamika became a household name in no time. But the bubbly woman’s logic to this sudden status is: “My hard work, struggle and confidence in me. This album has everything that appeals to people of all ages”.

Annamika, till now identified as the “Catwalk” girl and at times referred to as a poor man’s Alisha, has finally arrived at the Indian pop scene. And she shared her thrill about the feat with the City’s media persons this afternoon before she went ahead with her assignment in the City, that was to throw open a bistro. One thing that strikes anyone who talks to Annamika is her candidness which allows her to to call a spade a spade.

“I have never visualised that I would get this kind of response in places like Jalandhar and Pune. In fact the sales report for the North shows that my album has sold the maximum in Chandigarh.” Just back after a promo tour in Singapore and about to fly over to the UK, Annamika is right when she says, “ I am finally tasting success”.

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For though she had been a name on the circuit ever since her first album “Catwalk” hit the market, Annamika served as only a filler. “Catwalk’ was limited to a certain set of people. But still it sold around two and half lakhs. But here in “Annamika,” you have soft songs, traditional ones with pop beat and songs that touch people.” When one of the media persons drew her attention to this latest habit of playing with old songs as she did with the Punjabi folk song Kala sha kala’ in the latest album, Annamika was forthright, “ This is the latest trend. And to be in the stream, one has to flow with the tide”.

With the result that she has tours and events that sell basically on her name now in this post-Intezar scenario. But in this number, Anamika had taken tremendous risk. “This was an old song sung by the legendary Mukesh. But the very fact that people have accepted it justifies the risk. Nobody can beat the old songs but there is no harm in trying out new format. It is like this: don’t we get fed up of old clothes and try out new ones? Even Ashaji changed her track.” For Annamika believes that music has no language.

Do you think the Indian pop scenario has matured over the years or is it being inundated with singers of all types, talent or no talent? She flashes her characteristic smile and remarks, “Some people have godfathers and influences. I did not have any godfather. When Edwin her music director and I made the demo of our first song, the companies just refused to accept it. And we had to record the entire album on our own and sell it for peanuts.

We are no great talents but have our own potential.” “I really hope that music companies promote real talents,” she adds. But now Milestone, the company that promoted Junoon here, has discovered that this girl and her companion Edwin A J Fernandes are cash crops.And what is the secret behind her popularity on stage? “As long as you don’t show attitudes, people just take to you. I just become part of the crowd.” No wonder Chandigarh asks for more every time this Jalandhari kudi performs here.