Interview - Cinegoer.com

Interview in Cinegoer.com 

Orange might have tanked at the box-office but none can deny humming it's lilting melodies even after so many months. The 'Ola Olaala Ala' number has been sung by our own Ranina Reddy a Telugu girl, born and brought up in Bangalore and now settled in Chennai. Veera, Rangam, Sarai Veerraju, U & I, Engeyum Kaadhal and more, the lady has 26 Tamil and 8 Telugu songs in her kitty and is now looking to spread her wings in the Telugu music field.

"Singing is in my gene, appa is into theatre and amma is into light music," says the effervescent young lady who became a thorough professional at the age of three when she sang for a Kannada tele serial Nanaganada Hero.

She started performing on stage regularly when she was 14 years old and became the first Minus Track singer in Bangalore. She explains the word Karaoke is wrong, it is actually termed a Minus Track where there is no live band on stage, the music is played on CD and there is live singing. At that point of time she couldn't afford a live band, wasn't that famous so she took up dances as a back up. Very passionate about a career in singing, she was busy 365 days and doesn't lament neglecting her studies; did not complete her graduation.

While her first break as a playback singer came through Silanthi, she became a celebrity overnight through Kodana Kodi, a hit number from Saroja. She followed it up with Devisri's number in Current and the 'Ola Olaala Ala' helped her get a zillion followers on Facebook.

She recollects, "I was at the gym when Harris Jayaraj called and asked me to be there in half an hour. I thought it was a prank call and disconnected but again my phone buzzed and it was for real. I was asked to write the rap." Ranina Reddy's forte is hip hop. She says pop is more girly, our films are more based on R & B (Rhythm and Blues) plain compositions without too many percussions. Hip hop has a rap, singing is less. There is more importance on rthym though the tempo is less. It is groovy.

On the personal front she freaks out Sufi music and adds, "I love the rawness, the message it carries, the original and divine feel." The singer is glad at the number of opportunities being given to youngsters and gives the entire credit to the parents, she says earlier they would stress only on studies, would be narrow-minded and they now understand that their kids are far more mature, expressive and have their priorities right which is very good."