मैं कभी भी साफ़ और सजी-सवर्री आवाज़ नहीं चाहती थी। मैं हमेशा चाहती थी कि मेरी आवाज़ में एक स्वाभाविक सी खनक हो, और काश वह जितनी है, उससे थोड़ी और खुरदरी होती।
I never wanted to sound clean and pretty. I always wanted to have kind of a certain natural quality to my voice, and I wish it were more rough than it is.
I never wanted to sound clean and pretty. I always wanted to have kind of a certain natural quality to my voice, and I wish it were more rough than it is.
शास्त्रीय गायन में हर चीज़ एक जैसी होनी चाहिए थी, और ऐसा महसूस होना चाहिए कि यह ऊपर से नीचे और नीचे से ऊपर तक बस एक लगातार बहती हुई धारा है। लेकिन जैज़ (jazz) में मुझे लगा कि अरे, अगर मैं चाहूँ तो ये गहरे, भारी-भरकम सुर भी गा सकती हूँ और फिर चाहे तो सुई की नोक जैसे बहुत ही बारीक, लेज़र जैसे ऊंचे सुर भी गा सकती हूँ। और मेरे ऊपर ऐसी कोई मजबूरी नहीं है कि यह सब बस एक ही लगातार बहता हुआ प्रवाह लगे।
Classical singing - everything had to be homogenous, and it had to just feel like one continuous flow from top to bottom, bottom to top. And in jazz, I felt like, oh, well, I can sing these deep, husky lows if I want and then sing these really, like, tiny, laser highs if I want, as well. And I have - I have no obligation to make it sound like it's just one continuous flow.
Classical singing - everything had to be homogenous, and it had to just feel like one continuous flow from top to bottom, bottom to top. And in jazz, I felt like, oh, well, I can sing these deep, husky lows if I want and then sing these really, like, tiny, laser highs if I want, as well. And I have - I have no obligation to make it sound like it's just one continuous flow.
मुझे याद है कि बचपन में मैं बस हर किसी की लिखावट की नक़ल करती थी, और अब मेरी लिखावट में कुछ-कुछ मेरी बहन की लिखावट की झलक है। और मुझे लगता है- कई बार मुझे अपनी आवाज़ के बारे में भी ऐसा ही महसूस होता है।
I remember as a child I just would copy everyone else's handwriting, and now I have sort of a version of my sister's handwriting. And I feel like - sometimes I feel that way for my voice.
I remember as a child I just would copy everyone else's handwriting, and now I have sort of a version of my sister's handwriting. And I feel like - sometimes I feel that way for my voice.
जितना ज़्यादा मैंने संगीतकारों को सुना और उनके प्रति जुनूनी होती गई, मुझे उतना ही ज़्यादा यह एहसास हुआ कि मेरे पास भी करने के लिए अपना एक छोटा सा हुनर है।
The more I listened and became obsessed with singers, I feel like the more I realized that I had my own little thing that I could do.
The more I listened and became obsessed with singers, I feel like the more I realized that I had my own little thing that I could do.
मुझे मंच पर होना वाकई बहुत पसंद है। और मुझे हमेशा से कोई किरदार निभाना और ऐसा करते हुए लोगों द्वारा देखा जाना अच्छा लगा है।
I do love being onstage. And I've always loved playing a character and being watched doing that.
I do love being onstage. And I've always loved playing a character and being watched doing that.
मुझे लगता है कि मैं इतिहास से—और आम तौर पर हर चीज़ से—बहुत आकर्षित रहती हूँ। और मैं हमेशा यह जानने के लिए उत्सुक रहती हूँ कि यह सब कैसे बना? यह जैसा है, वैसा क्यों है? यहाँ तक कि शास्त्रीय गायन करते हुए भी, मेरा झुकाव बहुत जल्दी शुरुआती संगीत और बारोक गायन (baroque voice) की तरफ बढ़ने लगा। और वह मेरे लिए एक जुनून बन गया—बस यह पता लगाना कि इन सबका मूल स्रोत कौन है, इनके पूर्वज कौन हैं।
I think I'm fascinated with history and - just in general. And I'm always interested in how did - how did this come to be? Why is this the way it is? And even singing classical voice, I quickly became more and more interested with early music, baroque voice. And that became an obsession to me - just figuring out how - who are the ancestors of whatever it is.
I think I'm fascinated with history and - just in general. And I'm always interested in how did - how did this come to be? Why is this the way it is? And even singing classical voice, I quickly became more and more interested with early music, baroque voice. And that became an obsession to me - just figuring out how - who are the ancestors of whatever it is.
मैं नए गायकों, अनजान गायकों, ऐसे लोगों को ढूँढने के प्रति जुनूनी हो गई जिन्हें शायद भुला दिया गया हो, और वाकई उन्हें परखने, उनके काम का विश्लेषण करने और जुनूनी होकर सुनने में लग गई। मुझे लगता है कि मेरे संगीत के काम का केंद्र यही रहा है—चीज़ों को सुनना और गायकों को सुनना।
I just became obsessed with looking for new singers, unknown singers, people that maybe have been forgotten, and really checking them out and analyzing what they do - and obsessive listening. I think that's the core of my work on music - has been just listening to things and listening to singers.
I just became obsessed with looking for new singers, unknown singers, people that maybe have been forgotten, and really checking them out and analyzing what they do - and obsessive listening. I think that's the core of my work on music - has been just listening to things and listening to singers.
मुझे खुद अपने अंदर रहना पसंद नहीं है—मैं पहले से ही खुद वही हूँ, इसलिए मुझे खुद को देखना—यानी खुद के दायरे में रहना पसंद नहीं है।
I just don't like to be in my own - I'm already myself, so I don't like to be in my own - like, watch myself.
I just don't like to be in my own - I'm already myself, so I don't like to be in my own - like, watch myself.
मैं खुद पर बहुत शक करती हूँ। और मैं अपनी बहुत ज़्यादा, हद से ज़्यादा आलोचना करती हूँ।
I doubt myself a lot. And I'm very, very just overly critical.
I doubt myself a lot. And I'm very, very just overly critical.
मुझे ध्यान का केंद्र बनना पसंद नहीं है। यह मुझे बहुत असहज कर देता है। और यही एक वजह है कि मैं कभी अपने वीडियो नहीं देखती, या बहुत ही कम अपना संगीत सुनती हूँ या उन चीज़ों को पढ़ती हूँ जो शायद मैंने कभी कहीं हों।
I don't like being the focus of attention. It makes me very uncomfortable. And it's part of the reason I never look at videos of myself, or I very rarely listen to my music or even read things that I might've said.
I don't like being the focus of attention. It makes me very uncomfortable. And it's part of the reason I never look at videos of myself, or I very rarely listen to my music or even read things that I might've said.
मैं बहुत ज़्यादा शास्त्रीय संगीत नहीं सुनती थी—बाकी चीज़ों से कुछ ज़्यादा नहीं। मैं बहुत भाग्यशाली थी कि मेरे माता-पिता को हर तरह का संगीत पसंद था।
I wasn't listening to that much classical music - not much more than anything else. I was really lucky to have parents who loved all kinds of music.
I wasn't listening to that much classical music - not much more than anything else. I was really lucky to have parents who loved all kinds of music.
मेरी आवाज़ में एक खालीपन था। आवाज़ का एक ऐसा हिस्सा जहाँ सिर्फ हवा थी। मतलब वहाँ कुछ नहीं था—बस बहुत हवादार था। और मेरे शास्त्रीय संगीत के शिक्षक मुझसे बहुत परेशान रहते थे क्योंकि मेरे पास कुछ गहरे, नीचे के सुर थे जो बहुत मज़ेदार थे, और ऊपर का सप्तक (register) भी मज़़बूत था, लेकिन ठीक बीच वाले हिस्से में गाना बहुत मुश्किल था। वह एक संकरे रास्ते की तरह था। और कई गायक इस दौर से गुजरते हैं और इसे सुधारते हैं। लेकिन मुझे समझ आया कि जैज़ में मैं इस बात का फ़ायदा उठा सकती हूँ और ऐसी आवाज़ का फ़ायदा उठा सकती हूँ जो अलग-अलग हिस्सों में बिल्कुल अलग लगती है।
I had a hole in my voice. It's an area in the voice where it's air. It's just - there's no - it's just very airy. And my classical teachers were just so frustrated with me because I would have these deep, low notes that were really strong, and the higher register was strong, but right in that middle area, it was really hard. It was like a passage. And many singers go through this and work it out. But I realized in jazz, I could just take advantage of that and take advantage of having a voice that was very different in different areas.
I had a hole in my voice. It's an area in the voice where it's air. It's just - there's no - it's just very airy. And my classical teachers were just so frustrated with me because I would have these deep, low notes that were really strong, and the higher register was strong, but right in that middle area, it was really hard. It was like a passage. And many singers go through this and work it out. But I realized in jazz, I could just take advantage of that and take advantage of having a voice that was very different in different areas.
मुझे स्कूल के दिनों की बात याद है—प्राथमिक विद्यालय में—मैं कविताएँ सुनाया करती थी। हमें कविताएँ सुनानी पड़ती थीं। और मैं हमेशा फर्श पर लोट-पोट हो जाती थी, मतलब उस कविता का इतना बड़ा, नाटकीय ढंग से प्रदर्शन करती थी, चाहे जो भी हो।
I remember in school - in elementary school - I used to recite poems. We'd have to recite poems. And I would always just, like, roll on the floor, like, just make it such a huge, melodramatic portrayal of whatever it was.
I remember in school - in elementary school - I used to recite poems. We'd have to recite poems. And I would always just, like, roll on the floor, like, just make it such a huge, melodramatic portrayal of whatever it was.
मैंने शास्त्रीय संगीत से मिली किसी भी तकनीकी चीज़ को जैज़ में न लाने के लिए पूरी कोशिश की। और मैंने इसे पूरी तरह से अपनी बोलने वाली आवाज़ पर आधारित बनाने की हर मुमकिन कोशिश की और कभी यह कोशिश नहीं की कि यह सुंदर सुनाई दे।
I did everything I could to not bring in any of the - any of the technical things I got from classical into jazz. And I did everything to really base it on my speaking voice and to just not try to make it sound pretty.
I did everything I could to not bring in any of the - any of the technical things I got from classical into jazz. And I did everything to really base it on my speaking voice and to just not try to make it sound pretty.
मुझे लगता है कि जब अश्वेत कलाकार ब्लैकफ़ेस (चेहरा काला करके) प्रदर्शन करते थे, तो वे एक तरह से गुलामों के गीतों को वापस अपना रहे थे, लेकिन यह फिर भी थोड़ा संदेहास्पद था क्योंकि वे अक्सर ऐसे श्वेत दर्शकों के लिए प्रदर्शन करते थे जिन्हें यह बेहद हास्यास्पद लगता था।
I think when black performers performed in blackface, they were kind of taking back slave songs, but it was still a little bit iffy because they were performing, a lot of times, for white audiences who found it hilarious.
I think when black performers performed in blackface, they were kind of taking back slave songs, but it was still a little bit iffy because they were performing, a lot of times, for white audiences who found it hilarious.
बस यह पढ़ना—सिर्फ यह पढ़ना कि कोई व्यक्ति अश्वेत होकर भी ब्लैकफ़ेस में प्रदर्शन कर सकता है, अपनी आजीविका के लिए अश्वेत लोगों का मज़ाक उड़ा सकता है, और साथ ही एक जीनियस और अद्भुत कलाकार भी हो सकता है, और साथ ही अत्यधिक मानसिक द्वंद में भी हो सकता है—यह महसूस करना कि ऐसा करने के लिए उसे अंदर से बहुत बुरा लगता है, मूल रूप से बर्ट विलियम्स (Bert Williams) ने यही महसूस किया था, जहाँ तक मैं समझ पाई हूँ, जहाँ तक मैंने पढ़ा है—यह सब मेरे लिए बहुत अविश्वसनीय था।
Just reading that - just reading that a person can be black and still perform in blackface, making fun of black people for a living, and at the same time be a genius and be an incredible entertainer and at the same time be extremely conflicted and feel like - just feel terrible for doing that, essentially, which is what Bert Williams felt, from what I gather, from what I read - all of that just made - was so incredible to me.
Just reading that - just reading that a person can be black and still perform in blackface, making fun of black people for a living, and at the same time be a genius and be an incredible entertainer and at the same time be extremely conflicted and feel like - just feel terrible for doing that, essentially, which is what Bert Williams felt, from what I gather, from what I read - all of that just made - was so incredible to me.
इसमें मुझे बहुत समय लगता है, और कभी-कभी यह उन लड़कों के लिए निराशाजनक हो जाता है क्योंकि वे एक नए गाने का इंतज़ार कर रहे होते हैं। और मेरे लिए—बिल्कुल सही, सटीक गाना ढूँढना बहुत महत्वपूर्ण है।
It takes me a lot of time, and it's almost frustrating for the guys sometimes because they're waiting for a new song. And I - it's just so important for me to get the perfect, exact, right song.
It takes me a lot of time, and it's almost frustrating for the guys sometimes because they're waiting for a new song. And I - it's just so important for me to get the perfect, exact, right song.