Dubai singer releases debut song

No one is more excited about Valentine's Day than UAE-based singer Poornima Das. After all she's releasing her first original song Samandar Saa Ishq. Poornima, who has lived here for more than two decades, said the song is totally a local effort. It is targeted towards expats from the Asian subcontinent region. Popular Pakistani musician Atif Ali has written the lyrics and scored the music. We speak to the Dubai singer to know more.

Tell us a bit about your debut song?
Samandar means ocean and Ishq means love. So Samandar Saa Ishq means love as deep as the ocean. The track was conceptualised as an emotional song and compares love to the ocean. When were were doing the video for the song,  we wanted it to depict love between India and the UAE. The lyrics also dwell on the cordial relationship shared between the countries. That's why we have featured some stunning shots in our video, including a white falcon (national bird of the UAE).

Who wrote the song and arranged the tune?
It was done by Atif Ali of Playback Lounge in Dubai.

How long have you been living in Dubai, and when did you start singing?
I have been in the UAE since 1995 and have been singing since my childhood.

Did you have any formal training?
No. I am a self-taught singer.

Why did you decide to release your first song now?
Well, as they say, there is a perfect timing is everything. I guess, for  me, it's the perfect day to release my first song.

Why did it take you so long to come out with the song?
Life has been tough and challenging for me. I hail from a family where the priority was only studies, music was not considered as any sort of career option. So I completed my Masters, then took a job in banking and finance and when I had done it all, I decided to revisit my passion for singing.

Why did you do covers?
I was not sure how I would be received in the world of music. I wanted to test the waters first and once I started getting appreciation from people and I got confident about my singing, I decided to come out with my first song. Just to let you know, my cover of the song Samjhawan (from Humpty Sharma ki Dulhania) got more that half a million views on Facebook and the cover of Jag Ghoomeya (Sultan) received 250K views.

How has your musical journey been so far?
Full of ups and downs. From the fun time when me and my dad used to sit up all night singing, to the time when people would refuse to let me sing at any social gathering. Probably that's what got me motivated and come up eventually with my own song.

Name one Bollywood singer who has inspired you?
Indian legend Asha Bhosle. I'm a huge fan of her style - be it romantic, sad, ghazals or uptempo fun numbers. Her voice is evergreen; besides, she can sing playback for heroines half her age.
 
What's on your playlist?
All types of music - from songs from the black and white movie era to modern songs. Singing along to the songs has helped me train my voice.

What's next for you?
Sing songs in different languages. I want to do an Arabic song.
michael@khaleejtimes.com