Kanak Chapa: Melody unbound

Kanak Chapa’s exemplary voice and Lata-esque nuances have taken her to different parts of the globe where she has managed to mesmerise non-resident Bangladeshis (NRB). Recently, Kanak had cast her magic in Italy and Qatar, where thousands of NRBs had the privilege to attend the concerts.

Going over her recent tour, Kanak said, “We were a team of six — Kumar Bishwajit, Andrew Kishore, Salma, Sonia, Biplob and I — who performed at the concerts organised by Bangladesh Association.” The concert in Qatar was called the ‘Bangladesh Mega Nite’ and the artistes took the audience on an engaging musical journey. Describing the audience Kanak said, “The hall was packed. Everybody loved our performance and it went on for four hours. Each song was greeted with rapturous applause.”

Kanak who is also a serious advocate of charitable causes partook in a conference with an objective to assist the Bangladesh Association in supporting the disadvantaged and the destitute people of the country during natural calamities and disasters. Talking about the conference, the singer added, “You see, I don’t always work for commercial purposes alone; I’m often involved in voluntary work both home and abroad.”

After Qatar, the talented singer flew to Milan to perform at another concert called ‘Poush Mela’. The performance saw a standing ovation from a 12000 plus crowd in a beautiful hall. Kanak reached out to every section of the audience by smoothly switching from old folk to ‘adhunik’ and Bangladeshi film songs, involving the young and the old.

According to Kanak, “The ‘probashis’ (NRBs) love to hear ‘matir gaan’ (songs of the soil). The middle-aged group wants to hear Bengali film songs while the new generation is interested in folk, Lalon and modern songs.”

Kanak’s undaunted and dedicated efforts to excel in the field of singing have brought her several accolades, and a large fan following globally. How does she deal with stardom? The singer responds, “When I go out of the country it feels like they are all my own brothers and sisters. The NRBs are the biggest assets of our country; they contribute through remittance and play a big role in the national development. I respect them a lot. After the end of a show one tends to get a bit exhausted, but I never let that be an issue. I try to talk to everyone who approaches me.”

Undoubtedly one of the favourites of the masses, the talented singer with her melodious voice and versatility has made a unique place for herself amongst the artistes of today. She has received a number of awards and accolades and also possesses a large array of hits in the competitive industry.

Syeda Shamin Mortada
Source: The Daily Star, November 30, 2008

Tags: Andrew Kishore, Concert, Kanak Chanpa, Kanakchapa, Kumar Bishwajit, Mila, Sonia