I had to write a new bio because the old one was starting to sound…well…old. Okay, so here we go. Since we're not big budget yet, let's do this Q&A style. We'll keep it simple…like two people chatting over coffee but one person is strangely more interested in the other.
Oh and here's my disclaimer. I'm respectful but not always politically correct and sometimes my sentences run on forever so if you don't pay attention, you're liable to get lost.
Tell me about yourself.
Well, that's not much of a question now is it? Anyhoo, I grew up in Cerritos, California, a city that is well known for its Auto Square and large Indian/Asian community. I sang in choirs while in elementary school and later performed with jazz bands and gospel choirs in high school and college. I honestly learned how to sing by mimicking Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion at a very young age. Some girls played with Barbie…I sat in my room singing into a tape player. Who am I kidding? I wasn't a Barbie gal but I definitely had more My Little Ponies than necessary. Just FYI. At age 10, I received an opportunity to perform in the Broadway musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" along with my school choir. It was the first time I felt the rush of excitement that comes from performing for a big audience. But it wasn't till around age 16 when I started singing the Star Spangled Banner around town that I realized how great it would be to pursue a career in music. Not wanting to miss out on college, I went to UCLA to pursue a degree in Sociology, all the while developing my songwriting and singing skills as new experiences saturated my life. After graduating college, I decided to go for my dreams. So there I was.another waitress in the city of Angels.
What kind of music do you perform?
The first album was definitely Soul, Funk and R&B. It was snapshots of my life as Stevie Wonder or Earth, Wind and Fire. I'm a big fan of this genre and wanted to make a groovy album that spoke to young and old alike. But this next album is going to show you a different side of me. The one that can listen to a pop, rock, country and hip hop song all in the same drive to the grocery store. I have a big palate when it comes to being a listener and it's about time to bring that variety into my own music. I can't say for sure what we're up to but I can promise it will be the best me yet.
What kind of obstacles have you encountered along the way?
Uhm.how much time do you have? Just kidding…okay, not really. It's been an uphill climb. It's definitely not like the anomalies you hear about where some industry big wig overheard me humming at a gas station and offered me a contract on the spot. Actually, it kind of was like that except the big wig turned out to be a con artist. Folks, welcome to Hollywood. Battles between myself, my parents and the ever-so-critical industry have brought to place where I learn more and more about myself everyday. And yes, I did say my parents. Some might say that not picking a traditional career (whatever that means) puts me at a risk of living dangerously and to those people, I thank so much for your concern but for me, there is no living without music. I can't tell you how many tables I waited on or files I filed where I had to hold myself back from breaking into song. Very Bollywood, I know…but you get the point. Whether I wake up doubting myself or feeling like the next big thing, I know that I was meant to tell you about it in a song.
What do you hope to accomplish through music?
I hope to share a few stories, travel this big big world, connect with as many people as possible, make a couple bucks doing what I love, spread some much needed positive vibes, learn more about myself and maybe even inspire others, rescue another dog or two, thank the many folks that influenced me, give back to those that supported me every step of this crazy journey and hopefully, heal the world. Cheesy I know but I never said I wasn't a hippie.
That was fun. We should do this again.
Love and lots of it,
Seema J
P.S. Even if we were big budget, I still would have done it this way. =)
