YOVANI Naidoo, a Durban musician, was recently awarded with one of the highest honours at the Telegana Music Awards in India.
The Shruti Laya Music Academy, based in Telegana, nominated Naidoo for an international Telegana Music Award based on her music profile and her performance at the 2021 NRI Telugu Idol. It is the Telugu Indian Idol music competition television series, part of the Indian Idol franchise.
“I was honoured with the international award, titled Visishta Seva Puraskaralu. It was presented by RP Patnaik (Telugu music composer and director). Laxman V Reddy (Telugu ambassador) and Dr K Swaroopa (international ghazal singer) recognised and nominated me for this award.
“I was nominated on the basis of outstanding talent, dedication and passion I had shown towards the Telugu language, music and culture and this was recognised by the academy,” said Naidoo.
Naidoo was born and raised in Verulam and lives in uMhlanga.
Her love for music started at age five.
“At the time, my parents used to have weekly prayers at home and I used to mimic the Tamil words and sing according to the tune of the different songs. My parents noticed this.”
At age nine, her parents enrolled her with the Guru Beama Naidoo where she was trained in the harmonium and keyboard.
She was also tutored in five other areas: Carnatic music by Pragalathan Vadival, Tamil by Mala Lutchmanan, sitar by Dr Kanada Narahari, violin by Rozanne Botha, and thalum by Ashley Kiston.
Naidoo, 23, has been trained in the Eastern and Western genres of music and can sing in Tamil, Telugu, English and Hindi. Her debut CD, Dheiveega Dharisanam, features on some local radio stations.
She believes it is important to be proud of of one’s culture and where one comes from.
“I am being recognised in the motherland for music and India is known to produce the best musicians and artists, but I’m regarded as fit enough to stand on the same stage as them. It must mean I’m doing something right and besides, it’s my identity and I’m proud to be South Indian.
“I look up to music composers such as AR Rahman and D Imman. Their range of musicality exceeds expectations and every composition is created with skill and creativity. I strive to create music of their level and standard.”
Since her debut album released in 2016, Naidoo said, online platforms helped her with exposure.
“Seeing that this techno-savvy world is taking to music videos and streaming platforms, I have been releasing the majority of my music content on Facebook and TikTok. I’ve grown significantly in my following and audience. I have been to the United States, India and the UAE to perform live.”
On October 29, Naidoo will perform at a fund-raiser concert at the Umdloti Drift Temple.
“This is to raise funds for the temple building that was affected during the April 2022 floods.”
For more information, see the Facebook page: Yovani Naidoo