Always on
a winning noteRonkini Gupta
"I grew up in a quintessential middle-class Bengali family in Jamshedpur, and my parents enrolled me into a myriad of culture-enhancing classes like classical dance, music, art, etc. As a norm in many Bengali families, the plan was to see which one of those I discover an interest in and then pursue. It was always about enhancing my creative intellect—I never thought this could have become a career," says 35-year-old Ronkini Gupta who has now made music her way of life.
From winning the reality TV show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, in 2004, to a Broadway performance, to being nominated for a Filmfare award in 2018 for her song Rafu from Tumhari Sulu -- Ronkini has had quite a journey.
However, none of this was ever easy, especially as she came from a family that had no connection to the music world. This meant establishing contacts from scratch, long waits, and immense amount of practice.
It was more of her and her family's interest in music and several culture-related activities in general, that molded her since the beginning. Ronkini started learning Hindustani Classical music at the age of 6 and credits that training as something that helped her grow in different genres and directions.
After her TV show debut, Ronkini got three years of enriching exposure to different kinds of music and audience all over the world. She then did her MBA and even got a job in an advertising firm. However, in just six months, she realised this was not her path, and came back to music to start The Kheyaal-E-Jazz Projekt, a fusion band. But the search for a reach to a larger audience was still on.
"My journey to the place I am today has been slow but steady," she says. In August 2019, she came across information on HCL Digital Concerts on Facebook which turned out to be instrumental in her successful music career. The concert opened new doors of opportunities for the singer.
"In a country that has no shortage of talent, the challenge is to find the right opportunity at the right time. How does one branch out from being a musician to becoming a performer, and reach out to a large audience? For an artist who doesn't come with lineage, it is even more difficult. HCL Digital Concerts bridges these gaps to help talent get their deserved spotlight. It gives a lot of power to independent artists like me with its phenomenal reach. For me, it started with the web concerts, and I recently performed in Bengaluru for an audience with over 1200 people," she adds.
HCL Digital Concerts is a platform meant to identify aspiring musicians and provide them with opportunities to showcase their talent through digital as well as physical music concerts.
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