The popular audio-focused Clubhouse app is emerging as a favorite platform for many to voice their opinion. But artists, especially aspiring singers and musicians, use this platform to connect with people and show off their talent.
Music producer and songwriter Ashwin Vinayagamoorthy, singer Chinmayi Sripada and singer-actor Swagatha S Krishnan hosted the very first Tamil singing competition on Clubhouse titled Voice of Clubhouse.
Launched two months ago, the competition is a launching pad to launch the careers of aspiring playback singers in the Tamil film industry.
Ashwin Vinayagamoorthy, host of Voice of Clubhouse, said: “With the world reeling from the lockdown restrictions, I conceptualized the idea of a virtual reality show where it was all about art and not drama. Thus, Voice of Clubhouse was born. The challenge, however, was not to conceptualize the show but to execute it. Who would have thought that the virtual world of audio would connect with people all over the world, from IT pros to housewives. Our competitors come from all over the world. From the United Kingdom, the United States to Vietnam, the show being virtual allowed people from various backgrounds and time zones to compete on the fairgrounds. One of the contestants, Apoorva Ramaseshan, entered the show just to test the waters and give it a shot. The youngster thinks shows like this at the Clubhouse are 100% a launching pad for budding musicians.
“Many musicians and music composers actively listen to shows at the Clubhouse, creating the opportunity for us to be called up for a song or concert based on the performance of the show. We interact with many musicians and artists on the show, thereby learning and gaining knowledge about various aspects that we wouldn’t otherwise have, ”Apoorva Ramaseshan told DT Next.
She is indeed happy that the show is taking place in a virtual space. “Well, there’s no camera involved. So all of our concern and focus is on how we sing and how we sound and not how we look on screen. It might not sound like a big deal, but from an artist’s point of view, it’s a huge boon. We don’t have that pressure. Also, we were at a saturation point with social media where I had personally finished releasing covers and songs endlessly without much going on or moving elsewhere. Being on the show and having my voice validated gave me a new lease of life and it’s something I never thought would happen virtually. It’s brand new, fun and amazing, ”she smiles.
Another contestant, Ambika Jois, learned about the show through Ashwin’s Instagram post. She hopes the show can be an effective springboard for her career in the Tamil music industry. “I have performed Tamil songs before, but my singing experience in front of experts is limited. I am very happy to be on board with such beautiful singers. I have so much to learn from each voice of my lot. Competing in a virtual space is a rather strange experience, but it has the advantage of having to focus entirely on the vocal delivery as opposed to the appearance and props and style of the performance. This process has taught me a lot about how to perfect every detail of what everyone hears from me, ”Ambika Jois tells us.
What drew Chinmayi Sripada, another host of Voice of Clubhouse, to the concept Ashwin brought up was the fact that everything happens virtually, with no one meeting anyone at any time. “We didn’t even ask people to video call or chat with us at any time. This opens up the possibility for a larger pool of competitors to compete, without restriction of age, place, nationality, origin or education. It was the voice of a singer and not the singer himself in a way. It wasn’t about their appearance, not their hair or their clothes, ”Chinmayi shares.
Singing-based reality shows often miss most of the song – vocals, and spotlight everything else for sensationalism, she says. “Even if we keep the drama to a minimum, there is something about hosting a live competition. It’s exciting, you don’t know what’s going to happen next and that sense of urgency and uncertainty is what keeps listeners, hosts, and applicants glued together. It can be anyone’s day or not in a fraction of a minute. There is no recovery. You have a shot on every show, ”she said.
