Stepping it up
When we meet Natasha Rathnayake the first thing she says is that “it’s been a crazy week!” Crazy seems to define Natasha’s daily schedule, from her gruelling morning workouts to the insane hours spent recording and rehearsing.
We know her on television as a judge on a popular talent show. But more recently, Natasha will travel to Russia for her first stint as a judge on the talent show Pirogovsky Rassvet, which will see singers from CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries vie for the crown. “I’m very excited,” she enthuses. “This is my first time judging on an international platform and I’m thrilled to be able to represent Sri Lanka.”
Natasha has been on stage for years, ever since she first started out on her own at the age of 17. She schooled at Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya, and sang from a young age although she never set out to become a performer. Largely self-taught, Natasha had her first big break in a rather unlikely place-her landlady recommended she audition for the band Dream Team. “My first gig with the band was at the Mount Lavinia Hotel,” she remembers. “I was so nervous, but managed to settle into it after a while. I realized that being on stage was pretty fun!”
Since then, her career has been colourful and exciting, taking her to unexpected places and helping her meet new people and make contacts. Natasha was first asked to judge Yes FM Superstar in 2009 and says “it was quite an experience.” She found it tough at first, but soon realized that “you have to be true to your own conscience as a judge and not let yourself be swayed by people around you.”
Criticism is important if it’s constructive, she notes. “But the contestant has to be willing to learn. I can tell someone that they need to work on their voice all day but if they’re not open to it, not willing to do something about it then you’re talking to deaf ears”. “I’ve been impressed over the years by the talent this country has and I would love to see our artistes reach an international audience one day. We have so much potential.”
Pix courtesy Natasha Rathnayake
- Pix courtesy Natasha Rathnayake
The best thing about being a judge? Learning, she says. “Sometimes I sit on the panel and I’m just absorbing from the contestants. I’m not ashamed to say it-you have to be humble, and learn from whomever you can.” It works both ways-one contestant moved Natasha to tears by picking her first debut single for a performance. “I was overwhelmed-you put so much of your heart and soul into the music you make and it just meant a lot to hear someone else singing it.”
As a judge on Pirogovsky Rassvet, Natasha hopes to meet likeminded souls from around the world-the show has drawn in the participation of singers from 29 countries since its inception in 2011. Natasha will sit on a panel of five other judges from around the world. “I was asked to judge because it turns out they know my music in Russia,” she explains. “It’s amazing. I mean, my album made it on to the radio charts here but when I realized that it was also playing in Europe I was stunned.” It just goes to show, she says, that all Lankan talent needs is some nurturing and respect. “We don’t support our own musicians enough,” she says. “That’s such a shame, because if you listen to the homegrown chart shows on radio you’ll know that we have a lot of untapped potential.”
Natasha will also perform at the finale, which will be watched by an estimated audience of 30000 around the world. “I’m really, really looking forward to debuting my new single,” she shares. “I’ll be performing a medley of my music, so it should be fun.”
You can catch the online broadcast of the show on http://www.prazdnikrf.moscow/pirogovsky-rassvet.html
