Avaya Dutta Channeling the purity of Tagore

Avaya Dutta has been touted by the likes of Mita Huq as a promising prospect in Rabindra Sangeet. Formerly a Chhayanaut graduate and now a teacher in the institution, Avaya's golden voice resonates the purity of Rabindra Sangeet at its best. The Daily Star has a chat with the singer, after the release of her debut album 'Alok Malar Saje'.

Congratulations on the release of your first album, Alok Malar Saje. Tell us about your experience while recording it.

Thank you very much. I had been working for this album since 2014, and had been through a lot of ups and downs while at it. In 2017, Bengal Foundation agreed to publish it, and that gave me a huge confidence boost. I would like to thank the institution whole-heartedly for it.

Who would you say has the biggest contribution in your musical career until now?

It would definitely be my guru and elder brother, Ashim Dutta. He has played a huge role in planning and executing my album. The contribution of Durbadal Chatterjee, who directed the music in the album, cannot be overlooked.  Besides, I am grateful to everyone who encouraged me to keep singing after watching my performances.

Amidst a lot of fusion and covers of Rabindra Sangeet, your album seems to belong to a more traditional household. What philosophy did you follow while recording the songs? 

Be it fusion or traditional, everyone does music from their own school of thought. Personally, I tried to sing the songs as close to what Rabindranath Tagore himself envisioned them not only in terms of tune, but in terms of context and background as well. I hope that the audience will like it.

Who are your favourite Rabindra Sangeet artistes?

I am a huge fan of Kanika Banerjee, who was one of Tagore's adored students.  My elder brother always told me that if you want to learn this craft, you have to listen to the oldest recordings in order to grasp the purest form of learning. I always listened to her records and tried to learn accordingly. In Bangladesh, I love the singing of Laisa Ahmed Lisa, Mita Huq and Sanjida Khatun.

Can we expect music of a different genre from you in the future?

I just want to keep on singing Rabindra Sangeet, since that is where my passion lies. However, I am not shutting down the possibility of other genres; we have to wait and see what the future holds.