Don’t smoke, shout, is singers advice

Their musical hits may sound magical. And, there’s a method to their delivering melodies with  consistency.

A simple conversation with noted playback singers Sujatha and Srinivas gave us a peek into what they do to keep their voices mesmerising and mellifluous.

“Although my voice may be god’s gift to me, it is my duty to ensure that it is maintained properly,” Sujatha, who began her career by performing on stage shows, told City Express, at the launch of KKR ENT Voice Care Clinic, on Thursday.

She added that she sought to reduce the strain on her vocal chords with simple measures such as limiting talking. “Singers, especially women singers, are susceptible to straining their vocal chord excessively,” she said.

Sujatha, who has a repertoire of hits across languages such as Gentleman, Roja, Taal, Minsara Kanavu and Pudhiya Mugam, stressed the importance of ‘warm-up’ and ‘cool-down’ periods before and after shows. The kind of food one consumed, the singer added, played a vital role in this regard. “Acidic, spicy foods, even pickles, are strictly a no-no. The same holds good for smoking and drinking, too,” she said.

Singer Srinivas, meanwhile, said that people must understand the limits of their vocal chords, more so if they were singers. He added that shouting, even for short durations, must be avoided. “You are the best judge of your voice; hence, you know whether you are comfortable with the loudness levels of what you are singing,” he said.