by Viju Mangalore - Daijiworld News Network
Dubai, May 18: His roots are in Mangalore, but has made name worldwide. That’s bubbling Preeth Noronha for you.
The third child of the late Roman Ignatius Noronha from Falnir (later settled in Mumbai), Preeth’s got something which keeps him above the rest of his age.
According to his parents, Preeth started humming when he was as little as 18 months. From then on his singing never ceased. He reached the crescendo with his debut entry into the prestigious ‘Zee Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ contest which was aired on Zee TV on May 14, 2006’
Preeth with Shaan
“It came my way through sheer luck,” admits young Preeth who accidentally stumbled upon an e-mail from Zee TV to the company he is working for, seeking sponsorship for their Middle East Muqabala 2006 programme.
“I casually wrote to them asking whether I could take part and what are the procedures. I registered and give my audition.” Out of a strength of around 1,000 contenders from the UAE alone, I was one of the 20 selected for the finals of Zee Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Middle East Muqabala 2006.
Preeth’s initial training in music was from his father who also was a singer.
“My brother Prem was a late starter with singing competitions as he was a little shy. My sister Preema, (who is a nun in Hubli) and I have been competing in singing competitions right from the time we started school and have been consistently winning prizes. Apart from my Dad, I was trained in school by Brother Bruno a Jesuit who used to encourage singing in my school and who accompanied me to all the inter-school English and Hindi singing competitions.”
A feather in his cap, Preeth bagged the Golden Voice award for the highest marks among all age groups in the English singing competition organized by ‘La Octet’ Bombay in the late 80’s. The All Bombay Campa Cola singing Competition organized by Pure Drinks won him wide recognition where he appeared in Doordarshan channel collecting his award.
Following his roots, Preeth has fond memories of his annual visits to Mangalore where he was asked to sing at roce ceremonies, weddings and plays (nataks). “Singing English songs well in Mangalore those days and even now is considered stylish with most people looking at you with awe!” says Preeth.
Preeth who left his motherland India in 1993 for better prospects in the Gulf and started working in Sharjah. Being a bachelor at that time he used to eat in the restaurants and one afternoon during lunch heard on radio Hum FM a programme called ‘Gaiye Aur Suniye’. What followed was a song sung by the great Mohammed Rafi. Preeth took part in the contest and ended up winning the competition. His first recognition in Gulf led the rest. He later took part in numerous singing competitions organized in Dubai and won prizes in solo and duet singing.
Currently working for Damac Holding, Dubai, Preeth wants to make a career out of his singing. Singing Mangalorean Konkani Ballads, slow sentimental English numbers and pop and semi-classical Hindi songs drives Preeth crazy. His all-time-favorites are Wilfy’s Mog Tuzo Kitlo Asehlon’, Kishore Kumar’s Hame Tumse Pyaar Kitna and George Benson’s ‘Nothing’s gonna change my love for you’
At ‘Zee Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ he sang the title track of the Hindi film "Tere Naam" which fetched him appreciation from the famous Hindi music director Aadesh Srivastav. "Bhai, you are the man who sings with a sincere heart and I liked it very much," said Srivastav.
His determination is what moves him forward. Preeth has his goals spelled out and works towards it.
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