Odisha’s Barnali Hota Shines At DD’s ‘Bharat Ka Amrit Kalash’

Odisha’s Barnali Hota Shines At DD’s ‘Bharat Ka Amrit Kalash’

Airing on Doordarshan National and recognized as India's first folk music reality show, ‘Bharat Ka Amrit Kalash’ is receiving rave reviews for its fresh approach to Indian folk music and talent. As we all know, Odisha never disappoints when it comes to art and artists. Our very own singer, Barnali Hota, is spreading magic with her voice on the show. Featuring contestants from all 28 states and 8 Union Territories, this competition aims to crown the Folk Champion of Bharat. Barnali has already gone viral with her performances of Odia songs like, ‘Hi Krushna’, ‘Furr Kina Udigala Bani’, ‘Bajare Baja Bala’, “Dekha Lo Sangata’, and many more such songs while embracing her roots.

At the tender age of eleven, Barnali Hota took her first step into the limelight by participating in  the reality show ‘Saregamapa L’il Champs’. After six years in 2017, Barnali once again showcased her talent on another music reality show, ‘Dil Hai Hindustani’, where her powerful performances left a lasting impression.

Barnali learned from her parents that when she was only 3 years old, she was able to memorise and sing the title tracks of two very popular serials, 'Kasautii Zindagi Kay' and 'Kumkum Bhagya'. She said, “Recognizing my passion for singing, my parents arranged for me to learn music from my Guru, the late Shantilata Barik. She cared for me as if I were her own daughter, and I spent my days with her from morning to evening. She even fed me with her own hands. She was the one who encouraged me to perform on stage for the first time. I sang one of her devotional songs, ‘Tu Ede Ajhatia Re Kanha’, in front of the Singhadwara of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri during a festival when I was only 3.5 years old. After that, she took me to every stage show she attended. She would have me sing first, and then she would start singing her songs. When I was in the 2nd grade, I joined Guru Basant Patra to learn Indian Classical music.”

“When I was in 7th grade, I had the opportunity to audition for ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs’ in Bhubaneswar. Fortunately, I was selected and performed on the show, making it to the top 5. During that time, I also had the chance to participate in international shows like the South Africa tour with Adnan Shami sir and at a few other places too.” she added.

She was under contract with Zee TV when she received a call from a popular music composer for playback singing. Unfortunately, due to the high demand for remuneration from Zee TV, they couldn’t collaborate. She said, “Maybe it’s my bad luck; after this incident, rumours spread that I am very arrogant and my father is also very arrogant, and we charge a huge amount of money. Odia songs, especially female parts, are usually sung with a high pitch. My voice range is close to renowned singer Rekha Bharadwaj's. 

So, when I tried to do playback singing here, I was told that I don’t have the range for it. As a performer who loves interacting with live audiences, I have focused more on stage performances. I am fortunate enough to work with music composer Soumitri Palai, who has been a great support. He is the person who creates songs that fit with my voice. I have never blamed anybody for not getting much work here. I was offered to sing a very popular Odia dance song from a film, but I declined because I didn’t like the lyrics. I always believe that when Lord Jagannath wants, a miracle will happen for sure.”

After participating in ‘Dil Hai Hindustani’, Barnali hasn't wished to do any more reality shows. However, at the last moment, two other contestants from Odisha withdrew their names from the list, stating that there was no representation from Odisha. That's when she changed her mind and joined the show to represent her state. “The challenge is to change the lyrics due to copyright issues while preserving the emotional connection that a folk song carries. Sometimes the audience accepts it, and sometimes some may become angry. 

But my vision is clear – to promote the folk songs of my state through my art. Like ‘Rangabati’, we Odias have many popular and melodious folk songs such as ‘Hi Krushna’ (Sambalpuri), ‘Maira Dada’ (Koraputia), ‘Raja Gita’ (Banaste Dakila Gaja), ‘Furr Kina Udigala Bani’, ‘Dekha Lo Sangata’, and many more to offer to the world. So, I am trying my best to explore more possibilities to promote such songs from my state. I am glad that the audiences are very supportive of it,” she added.

Inspired by legendary singers like Rekha Bharadwaj and Akshay Mohanty, Barnali feels that music has always been a constant in her life. “I don’t know if you'll believe me or not, but I have always wished to have a 9-5 job and lead a very simple life. I have sung a new album song in Odia for August 15, which will be released soon. I remember a person from the UK who messaged me on social media saying that as an Odia, he had completely stopped listening to Odia songs, but after listening to ‘Furr Kina Udigala Bani’, he said he was so happy to listen to this. He appreciated my work and requested me to continue doing this. So, as an independent artist, I’ll continue promoting our folk songs like a mission,” signed off Barnali, who recently shifted to Mumbai a few months ago.