On a Song

“I got a few awards for singing while I was studying at Government College 46. I was even declared the “Voice of Panjab University”. Later,in 2010,I moved to Australia to pursue my Master’s degree in information system,” says Saroch,adding that although he got out of the “singing business” in Australia,he could not get the singer out of him.

“I formed my own band there called Brisbane Baba’s Band and started performing at concerts,” he says. Saroch was surprised to see how many people in Australia loved Daler Mehndi and Bollywood music. “One day,I chanced upon an advertisement inviting entries for Indian Australian Idol 2011,and I jumped at the opportunity,” he says.

Ever since the results were declared last month,his phone has been ringing non-stop and people have been contacting him to perform at shows across Australia and India. “It is a dream-come-true,” says Saroch,who is in Chandigarh these days to celebrate the success with his friends and family.

After all,he competed with 1,500 participants to emerge as the second best. The Indian Australian Idol is a national-level singing competition meant for the Indian community in Australia,and the auditions were held in all major cities — Sydney,Melbourne,Adelaide,Perth,Brisbane and Canberra.

Saroch says once he was shortlisted in the top 30,it became a smooth ride. He sang Bollywood remix numbers such as Humma Humma from Bombay and Main Jahan Rahoon from Namastey London during various stages of the competition and received huge applause. “People in Sydney know me as “the Bollywood singer”. Now,I want to take up the Indian classical music and promote it in Australia,” Saroch signs off.