Vocalist Sagarika Pradhan during a performance. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, July 25: Hindustani classical vocalist Sagarika Pradhan feels she has only explored “only a drop from the ocean of music”. The singer, whose voice reminds people of legendary Oriya singer Sunanda Patnaik, wishes to remain a student of music throughout her life.

“I’m addicted to music. There is a magic in music that keeps me lively even during an illness or emotional setback,” says the young singer.

A Sangeet Visarad from the Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh, Sagarika began training in music at the age of five under the guidance of Guru Uma Charan Das Maharaj. She has also received taleem from Guru Harihar Khuntia. At present, she is training under Das Maharaj in the city. Moreover, every year, Sagarika spends few months in Benares with former head of the department of music, Benares Hindu University, Manju Sundaram, to enhance her techniques and knowledge of music.

“I believe in listening and learning rather than jotting down the notations and just reproducing them on stage during a performance. This helps me give finesse to the rendition,” she says.

Sagarika is known for casting a spell on her listeners during performances by presenting compositions on their demand.

“I spend the last quarter of the year in south India for stage performances, something that has been continuing for the past five years. I love performing there since the audience is very interactive and they demand for either dadra or thumri or even kajri,” she says. “Once during my performance at the Guruvayoor temple, I did not realise that I held the audience for three hours and they, too, kept requesting for more. That was a wonderful experience, as if all of us were lost in the world of music,” says Sagarika.

A number of raga-based semi-classical devotional music albums by the singer are all set to release in Kerala, where her programmes have received rave response. She has also been offered playback singing in Malayalam films.

“I have always loved raga-based semi-classical vocal, as I feel there is more opportunity to express emotions in them,” she says.

Hailing from a family of music lovers, the sibling of Odissi dancer Utkalika Paharsingh, feels her mother has been the greatest support and father, her best critic. “I’m glad that they pushed me back to music, when I was almost settling for a salaried profession,” she reminisces.

An economics graduate and trained in advanced computer courses, Sagarika quit her lucrative job for her passion for music. “I don’t think I can survive without devoting full time to music. It is my only priority and that is the reason I have no plans of marriage since that would mean shifting of attention from music to family,” she says.