National
Filipino ‘Dancing Queen’ wows Mumbai audiences
Mumbai, Dec 28 (IANS) Remember Swedish pop group ABBA’s effervescent “Dancing Queen”? Well, a Filipino “Dancing Queen” has been wowing audiences at a tony eatery here as the lead singer of the Sino Sikat band that is known for its mix of jazz, soul, funk, rock and groovy beats.
“I was born with it, I think,” the 30-somethingish Kat Agarrado, much-loved for her sultry, cool voice, told IANS in an interview when asked how the music bug bit her.
“My mother said she would pray to God and asked Him when she was pregnant to give her a daughter that could sing. She would always bring me to auditions and I was singing on TV at the age of 4,” said Agarrado, who has been performing with the band at the Finch Rhythm & Brews jazz-blues bar in Andheri for the past week and will continue to do so till December 31.
“My mom was very supportive of my talent and helped me nurture it. A voice teacher would come to the house and my mom exposed me to singing competitions and I would always win. She would always buy me tapes back then so I could practice. I started singing professionally with a band when I was 16 years old and I never stopped,” she said of her training in her formative years.
“My experience has taught me a lot and it is indeed the best teacher,” added Agarrado, who won the “Vocalist of the Year” title at The NU Rock Awards in the Phillipines in 2007.
Being exposed to the music industry at a very early stage, she then worked with many reputed bands like Kindred Garden, Passage and Wally Gonzales as a key vocalist in Manila, exploring a wide range of musical styles — hip-hop, RnB, jazz, blues, classic rock and electronic music.
“Our music is a fusion of jazz, soul, funk and rhythm & blues. We do cover songs but we try to make it our own by making interesting arrangements,” she explained of the band’s repertoire, adding: “But in Manila we play mostly original songs.”
Little wonder, then, that Agarrado has performe around the world in different countries like Australia, Vietnam, Japan and America, as also Europe for concerts and got invited to prestigious international music festivals like the Java Jazz international Festival in Jakarta Indonesia and for the Blues Challenge in Memphis with the band, whose other members are Niki Cabarado, Carlos Jesena, Tim Davivas and Bergan Nunez.
“This is our first time in India and we are very excited about this,” the singer said.
How did the India visit come about?
“I was contacted through my Facebook fan page and told that my performances had been seen on YouTube and that I should sing at The Finch. And I am very grateful & excited to perform for all of you,” Agarrado signed off.
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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