#tripet

When I first started learning to sing I thought a voice was just a voice. Sure mine is a bit sweeter and softer than others, but what’s the big deal? I never really paid attention to the voice itself as I was so hung up in just wanting to sing and spent more time listening to other people’s voices i.e. Lata, Shreya etc. Listening to these voices wasn’t just learning but relaxing. 

I never really stopped to think about my own voice as I was too busy developing it. Looking back I dont even know how I developed it. I remember a vocal teacher trying to teach me to sing with emotion quite a few years back. Well that clearly wasn’t happening. You can’t force someone to sing with emotion. Either they feel it or they dont. In my case I dont feel it, i live it. I live the song before I recorded, during the recording and after I recorded. It’s like it takes over my whole spirit. With the Album being really full on I never had the time to even stop to think about my voice. Don’t get me wrong, I hear it, but I never really paid any special attention to it. Until today. 

I was sat here appreciating all the people who send me messages daily complimenting my voice. Some people ask me how I learnt to sing in Hindi / Urdu living in London. Truthfully I dont even know the answers to these questions. 

A lot goes into the production of a song - the music, lyrics, composition etc. Atif Ali is my Producer. He is also my Music Director. Guiding me in the studio, vocally getting it out the way he wants it. He also happens to be my Mentor. He’ll put me in the right direction. Especially when I tend to lose focus. 

Every time I step foot in his studio – I feel like I need to get a cab and go back home and do some more prep…learn the lyrics, learn the pronounciation.. and of course learn the notes, learn whatever I can.

But once you landed in the Playback Lounge, from 3396 miles away, there’s no turning back. Going back just isn’t an option.

Last night I felt so bad when the Waiter bought me chips instead of mash potato – he was my stressball, “Do I look like someone who eats Chips to you!.” As an Artist I just want people out of my face. And the ones that are there I just want it to be worth my while. Especially when they brought me mash the second time but it turned out to be cold on the inside.. I was fuming. “Mate listen up, I got no time for supervising how mash needs to be made.. but here goes.. boil two potatoes, when boiled mash em up and put em in a plate, add some salt and pepper and wallah.”

Anyway after this incident I decided to catch some much needed recovery sleep especially after a long day of rehearsals and supervising a chef on how to make mash.

Next day when I woke up I felt fine, when I had breakfast the recording felt like a long time away and I knew I still had a few more hours to prepare, so no need to skimp on the Foul Medammes. By the time I’m in the shower I’m all relaxed and by the time it’s 12pm it’s WAKE UP TIME. Reality kicks in. “Hello, you’re recording in 2 hours!”

Honestly speaking I’ve been preparing way before I even left London. Not a day went past when I didn’t rehearse. In fact my first song with Atif, I’ve been rehearsing for 8 months almost daily and I’m still here hours before the recording feeling like I need to do more preparation. 

So I get my cab start making my way to the studio and feel kinda nervous but the way these cab drivers drive I’ve got better things to worry about than nerves!

But I still listen to the song on headphones.. still feeling like I need to prepare. Prepare what though? Well its my way of re-capping on the song.. I just wanna be totally absorbed .. I don’t wanna hear the taxi driver’s bullshit. I just wana focus.. yes we know Atif likes it when I focus.

@jessieTHEjazz #oceans_

Crusaders, Triplet-Street Life 

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