There was a preconceived notion that all good girls had Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle-like voice, while the bad ones had Usha Uthup’s voice, the latter said during a concert on the last day of the 7th Dehradun Literature Festival Monday.

On Monday, while engaging in a conversation with the crowd, the veteran singer recalled her nearly six-decade career and how she remained true to herself all this while, for which people still loved to listen to her songs.

“I realised I could never sing like Lata ji or Asha. There was a preconceived idea that all pure and good girls only got Lata Mangeshkar’s voice. So all the good girls got Lataji and Asha… and all the bad girls got me. So, yes, I could never sing like anyone else. But staying true to myself is why people still love me,” said Uthup, as per a PTI report.

Her statement was received with a huge round of applause.

At the festival, Uthup sang some of her iconic songs, including her cover of Oscar-winning song Skyfall, titled Skyfall in a Sari, American singer Lionel Richie’s 1984 ballad Hello and the Saat Khoon Maaf song Darling.

“If you realise your limitations and turn them into your strengths, it becomes fantastic. Even today, people accept me because I’m different,” she said at the event.

Also, the 78-year-old singer shared a ‘hilarious’ anecdote about the time she was mistaken for renowned Bangladeshi playback singer Runa Laila.

“There was this girl who walked past me two, three times with her phone in hand. I thought, ‘Wow, she’s going to take my selfie. ’ I got my sari right, smiled, and everything was ready. Later, when she came up, she asked, ‘Are you Runa Laila?’ And I said, ‘No, I’m Usha Uthup.’ So she put her phone away and just walked off. Didn’t even take a selfie!” “So, 'aisa bhi hota hai' (this also happens). Don’t take yourself seriously. Remember, everybody will love you if you give them a chance,” she said.

Usha Uthup is recognised for her extensive work across multiple languages, international performances, and contributions to Indian pop music. The singer is awarded with the Padma Bhushan (2024) and Padma Shri (2011) awards.

The 7th Dehradun Literature Festival (DDLF) took place from 14 to 16 November at Doon International School. The theme was "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (The world is one family), and it featured prominent figures like Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Ruskin Bond.