Strive to develop authenticity, Porshi tells beginners

Singer Sabrina Porshi finds genuine achievement takes much longer for an artiste and she considers if a song or a piece of music sustained for 50 years among the masses can be called a meaningful achievement for the artiste.

While talking to The Business Post, Porshi said appearing on a screen should not be considered the epitome of success for a performer. “They would still have miles to go. It’s fine to go with trends, but protecting authenticity should come first,” she added.

Porshi has recently grabbed headlines after appearing in the judges’ panel of the ongoing musical reality show ‘Young Star’ on RTV, presented by Danish.

As a talent hunt judge, she recalled her days in a 2008 reality show through which she formally stepped into music.

Porshi reminisced lessons from her mentors, who alerted her to the many hardships that emerging artistes go through. Despite the many ups and downs that were sure to come, the mentors encouraged her to hold on to her dedication and consistency to pursue her dream in the long run.

“Grooming is very important for beginners. To survive the test of time, they must strive to develop their own essence and authenticity,” she said.

On the boom of digital music platforms and online-based production, she says while there are more opportunities for the artistes, competition is more rigorous and challenges are harder than ever before.

“Before, there were only a few TV channels. The audience used to listen to the same few songs and see the same few faces. But now they can choose to watch more channels and even go for YouTube. They get access to many new songs released every day, so the competition has increased exceptionally,” she added.

Creating a unique identity is the only way to sustain in this situation, Porshi said. “Following someone else would not be fruitful. There is no alternative to nurturing the love for music, dedication, sincerity and preserving one’s own style to sustain in the music.”

“It’s not important whom you follow. Imitation will not help to create an identity. People will listen to the original performer, not the follower. Nothing will work out until you can build your own style which defines the identity,” she warned.

Talking about the existing overall music landscape in the country, she praised musicians who are trying hard to create quality music with a high longevity and also on par with international standards.

Porshi claims the present time to be a transition period for the nature of music and artistes should accept the struggle. She hopes that this unstable period will soon be over, and a specific pattern of songs will emerge again.

“I believe that those who fell in this changing period have no choice but to struggle. The changes are not easy or smooth. But we must go through this change and appreciate the good works that are created in the meantime,” she said.