Meet the youngest contestant of Indian Idol…
From Ambala Cantonment to Mumbai, Abhijeet Sharma, a young and versatile singer, has impressed his listeners and the judges of the Indian Idol Season 16 with his soulful voice, securing his place in the Top 16 in the singing reality show.
The 17-year-old, who is in Mumbai for the weekly performances, says, “I am happy to be among the Top 16. I am youngest among the boys. Though the others are also singing very well, I am confident that I will advance further in the show and continue to perform well. The judges have been giving a very good and positive response, and I also want to continue to impress everyone with my voice.”
Abhijeet, who also composes, adds, “So far in this journey, I have been signing the songs which are given to me but at some stage I would like to present my own compositions too. Like Arijit Singh, I want to become a big singer. I have been getting a positive response from everyone and I am hopeful of winning the title this year.”
The confidence comes from the fact that Abhijeet’s talent is firmly rooted in Indian classical music. He first performed on stage at the age of three and half. That caught the attention of his teacher, who suggested Abhijeet’s parents to focus on his singing.
“He started learning music at the age of 4, and since 2020 he has been learning music from renowned music director Santosh Kataria. We travel to Mohali every day around 4 in the morning for music lessons, and Kataria has played a major role in shaping his voice and personality. He taught Abhijeet how to catch the soul of the song and feel the emotions,” says Abhijeet’s father Rajeev Sharma, who runs a business in Ambala Cantonment.
Abhijeet had auditioned for the previous season as well. However, he didn’t get a chance then. This year he managed to clear all the rounds and secured his place in the Top 16.
Rajeev says, “Initially, when he started sharing his music videos on social media platforms, people used to comment that he was only lip-syncing, but over the years, the number of such comments has gone down. He is receiving an overwhelming response from the people as well as the judges (Vishal Dadlani, Shreya Ghoshal, and Badshah) of the Indian Idol. He has won many awards in music competitions across the country.”
Meanwhile, his mother Geetanjali Sharma, who is also in Mumbai with Abhijeet, says, “There is no pressure on him and everybody is cooperative here. He has been practising well with other participants, and if he continues to sing well, we are confident that he will win.”
Lifestyle