Sizzling Sarika

One glance at the woman waiting to go in front of the television cameras and you would never believe that she has a powerful, melodious voice. Sarika Mahabir left the audience spellbound as she delivered “Mere Mehaboob” (an original Lata Mangeshkar song). This beauty has a magnetic charm that just draws the stares of others.

Sarika, 21, is no stranger to the stage. She, has turned down several offers to model in the USA and TT because she believes it could affect her singing career. Sitting at her home in Bagna Trace, Chase Village, Chaguanas, Sarika’s large eyes light up with the comment, “you are a true celebrity”. “It was a difficult path but I am now enjoying a good stage life. I followed my dream step by step and after a lot of climbing I have arrived at a position where I am in demand on many of the local and foreign stages in the world. It feels good, especially because of the fact that I am a chutney and soca singer,” she emphasises.

As a frontline singer with JMC Triveni, her days are filled with rehearsing and performing. While there is a need to communicate with other band members, she noted that when the spotlight falls on her she is very much alone and she has to deliver her best. “The people out there only appreciate that which is excellent. If you, as a performer, fall short of this, then in an instant you are condemned. It can affect every other performance you do. So you must be at your very best for each performance,” she said.

Sarika admitted that it was her parents’,  Sacenarine and Sita Mahabir’s  wish for her to become a singer. When she attended the Freeport Presbyterian School, she listened to the older girls performing Christmas songs and wished she too could be a singer. Sacenarine, who is also a vocalist, encouraged his daughter to sing Bollywood movie songs and invested a lot of his time in training her. He often wrote down the lyrics and taught her until she perfected the pronunciation of the songs.

While attending the Couva Government Secondary School she began classes with the renowned musical Mungal Patasar. She spent two years studying vocals at the Trinidad and Tobago Institute of Music. When she graduated at 12, she made her first public appearance at Rienzi Complex performing a Bollywood film song, “One Two Cha Cha.”  “I was nervous at first but when the music started playing, it comforted me on stage. The music helped me to relax and I made it through that first time and thousands of other times on stage,” she said laughing. Sarika also wanted to pursue a career in broadcasting, but her life has taken a different twist and she cannot find the time for anything else. “I would like to go into business, and also do broadcasting.” Predicting her future, she said: “Later on I am sure going to get into both of these fields.”

Having spent ten years singing, it seems that she has just started her career. Among her many achievements are: winning the Sugar and Energy School’s Chutney Singing Competition in 1996/1997 and placing second in 1999;  placing second in the National Ladies Indian Singing Competition in 1999; becoming a finalist on TTT’s Mastana Bahar, a finalist in Chutney Soca Monarch 2003 and a semi-finalist on TV 6’s current cultural programme, Caribbean Tarang. She has performed with orchestras such as Naya Akash Orchestra, the SSL Melobugz, T&TEC Gayatones, Trishul Indian Orchestra, KFC Beena Sangeet, Docs Engineering Sapphire, and the D Rampersad Indian Art Orchestra. She toured Guadeloupe with KFC Beena Sangeet, Guyana with SSL Melobugz, and this year, she has been to New York, Montreal, Toronto, and Baltimore with JMC Triveni.

Her biggest hit song remains “Apane”, which is on the CD Leadership 5. For the 2003/2004 season she in on JMC Triveni’s NV (Nice Vibes) with the songs, “Chalka Chalka”, “Jhumka”, “Duppatta” and Allah Kare Medley, and the traditional chutney Khoyal Bin Bhagiya. Her soca chutney, Meh Neighbour Man will be her main competition song this year. “I’m looking forward to 2004 because I will be competing in the Chutney Soca Monarch Competition again, and also in Caribbean Tarang. Bursting with confidence, she said: “This year I come out to win, and I think I can do it.” Reflecting on her accomplishments so far Sarika noted: “I owe my parents a lot because they have been very supportive to me and very patient and kind. They were both there with me through thick and thin. Thanks to Veerindra Persad and JMC Triveni for giving me the opportunities which I was lucky to have.”