Cultural
Artistes
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Shivanna
Ragoonan
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Shivanna Ragoonan is the
winner of the 2001 series of Mastana Bahar.This
bright , talented teen is just sixteen years
old and is a student of the St Augustine Girl's
High School.She won the competetion with a superb
delivery on our national instrument the steelpan,
the immortal hit EK PYAR KA NAGMA HAI.
Her career began when she
was only four but blossomed when she reached
five. Shivanna entered the Baal Vikaas competetion
when she was barely out of nursery school and
at that young age, became the centre of controversy
when someone objected to her playing the steel
pan in a Hindu competetion." At that time,
I was attending the St Helena Hindu School.
However, I didn't drop out of the competetion,
i stayed in by playing the keyboard," the
proud and versatile musician added.
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Shivanna was taught the
steel pan by her father, who played with the
Tunapuna All Stars. From the time she could
hold the sticks properly her dad had her pounding
away on the pan" There were times when
i would not want to practise, but he would push
me. Sometimes, I would want to give up, but
he was always adamant about my education too,
as he not only wanted me to excel in pan, but
also do my school work."
Shivanna has also participated
with distintion on the Children of Mastana and
Twelve and Under Television shows and represents
her school at the Schools Panorama competetion.She
is a member of the Nada Sagama Steel Orchestra,
playing alongside her dad.
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Sushma Rajpaul
Originally from Joyce Road in Chaguanas, Sushma started letting her voice be heard at the tender age of 5, during Satsang with the Montrose Sai Centre. Being an only child she was supported and encouraged by her parents to continue exploring her gift for singing, which she certainly did. She performed throughout her academic years at various schools and cultural functions. At age 16, she accompanied her dad to the band room of Melody Stars Orchestra. Of course, little did she realize, what was supposed to be a mare audition would be the beginning of a wonderful singing career.
It was not long before she was approached by the sensational
Dil-E-Nadaan team. Sushma thanks the Dil-E-Nadaan crew for their training, guidance and support which gave her the confidence needed to becoming recognized internationally. As the years went by, she had the privilege of recording CDs with other bands such as D Rampersad & Triveni. She then became a member of yet another extremely talented band, T&TEC Gayatones. Again, the opportunities for her to explore her talent continued with this band. |
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Topping off her singing whirlwind were the amazing tours allowing her to delight audiences in New York, Miami, Canada & Guyana.
Her passion for the Cabaret style of songs is what made Sushma unforgettable. Singing songs of Asha Bhosle, Alisha Chinoi and Lata were definitely her favorites and which brought out the best in her performances. She now resides in Canada and continues to captivate her audiences there. She is currently a member of The Wave Band in Toronto and will be releasing yet another exciting CD in the near future.
Sushma would like to express the heartfelt admiration, gratitude and love she feels towards the most important people in her life, her parents Mr & Mrs Rajpaul for their love and support throughout the years and to her husband Kemal who’s always at her side while she continues her passion for singing.
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Tricia
Ramdhan
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Tricia Ramdhan is presently
the lead singer with the Rangeela Orchestra.
Professionally, she is a registered nurse at
the San Fernando General Hospital and is the
holder of an associate degree in general nursing
obtained at NIHERST. She has completed a three-year
degree programme in nursing.
Tricia has shown her passion
for singing since her early days having entered
the Children of Mastana in 1996 placing fourth
in the Grand Finals.
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In 2003 she completed the
double placing second in the grand finals of
Mastana Bahar She is actively involved in religious
activities as a member of the Trevini Mandir
of Williamsville. Tricia is a firm believer
that without God nothing is possible.
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Andre
Ramsaray
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Andre started at the age
of 17 and placed 2nd in the 2001 and 2002 semi-finals
programmes of Mastana Baha. He is presently
the lead singer in the Doc's Sapphire Orchestra.
He has also appeared with
Naipaul's Extra Food Dream Team, Trishul, Xitaaz
and other bands, performing with them in countries
such as Miami, Canada, Jamaica, Venezuela, St.
Croix, Guyana, Suriname andTobago. He also participated
in cultural trips with the local government
(CTTRC- Couva Tabaquite Talparo Regional Corporation).
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He also appeared in "Under
The Trees" with the Dream Team Ruby and
Nazimool Khan, singing Kumar Sanu and Kishore
Kumar selections.
Any further information
required please email at satima_r@hotmail.com
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Kires
Ramkhelawan
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Well
known as the chutney, baithak gana and qawali
singer, Kries Ramkhelawan is specializing
in ghazals, bhajans and nirguns. Now, almost
nine years since his divorce, he is also fulltime
father and mother of his four childres: Krieshen(21),
Avinash(18), Kamlesh(13) and Prya(11). Just
like he has proven to be a succesfull artist,
he accepts this challenge to proof to be a
good parent.
Ramkhelawan starts his
day with a prayer and yoga, after that he
prepares the children for school. Most of
the day he is in his shop, Amrish Store, where
he sells music cassettes, C.D.'s, saree's,
pooja requisites and household products. All
of his children are musically talented. Krieshen
and Kamlesh sing and play, while Prya dances
kathak, classical indian. Avinash loves music
and is still exploring on that field. Ramkhelawan
says never to have pressured his children
into music. He just wants them to do good
in school. An artist can not live of music.
That may be possible in other parts of the
world, but not in Surinam.
As a boy he felt drawn
towards the spiritual life. He visited the
mandir a lot and started of as a 12 year old
boy singing bhajans in the mandir. It
did not take long to profile as a good singer.
His interest in music was so deep that he
stopped school after finishing high school.
The circumstances in
Saramacca, a district in Suriname. were also
not ideal to study. In the following years
he gave his life to his music career. His
first hit released in 1975.
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A album with four baithak
gana tracks. It was recorded in Surinam Television
Foundation (STVS). The promotor was Samsoedien.
Ramkhelawan's interest
is mostly in music styles that are fading
away . He does not approve and definitely
does not sing music styles in which there
are cursing. In 1980 he released his first
qawali album, which was a international hit.
This inspired him to go a step beyond, which
led him to bhojpuri. This music style was
almost forgotten in Surinam. In this stage
he also made a hit, Bhoj Puri Bahaar. Bhojpuri
is now a well known music style all over the
Caribbean.
Ramkhelawan aims at a
broad audience by not only specializing in
one style but in many. He has recently
finished a three year course classical vocal
in Surinam at Indian Cultural Centre. He does
not perform a lot in Surinam. On occasions
such as the Hindostani Immigrationday he is
asked to perform.
Kries Ramkhelawan has
a repertoire of more or less 500 songs of
which more than half are his own lyrics. His
inspiration for writing comes from day to
day life. His experience, analyses and
philisophy makes it possible to deliver a
message in the form of a song.
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Jamie
Ramkissoon - Chutney
/ Bhangara Performer
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Jamie placed second
in the finals of Mastana Bahar in 1999 and
shocked everyone with her dazzling performance.
Her unique style of singing and brilliant
stage mastery will delight all at the Mother's
Day Spectacular. She sings Chutney, Bhangara
and folk songs with equal gusto and is sure
to set the stage on fire with her renditions.
This mother of one currently has two hits
that are rising up the charts - Angoori
and Churi Chamkay from the album Xsitaaz
Masti.
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