Profile

Usha Uthup or Didi as she is fondly referred to, was born in independent India of parents who came from the traditionally rich states of Madras and Kerala and was raised in the bustling metropolis of Mumbai. Although Usha had never learnt music formally, her passion for music was present right from the moment she uttered her first words!

Persistence and conviction drove Usha to pursue a professional singing career in 1969. This move later went on to prove vital in removing the stigma attached to singing in night clubs in India.

With her gifted, velvet, smooth voice she was the only artist to have recorded six albums in English with HMV/EMI. Today she sings in more than thirteen Indian and eight foreign languages. This is an achievement by itself.

If there is a legend bridging the East and the West, it is Usha. With her music and charm, she has transcended the barriers of caste, creed, language and nationality. Accolades have come from all over the world and she has sung for Prime Ministers and Presidents alike. Indira Gandhi, Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Arap Moi and more recently Nelson Mandela have all been her ardent admirers. Her endearing charm and powerful vocal chords have given Usha fans of all ages, from all over the country.

With her trademark passion and a speed of delivery that would wear out wannabes a third her age, Usha has just completed a brand new studio album and is all set to release it during the course of the year. A gift her fans eagerly await. The original Diva of Indian pop music celebrates threedecades in the entertainment business, and while her contemporaries might be thinking of gentle retirement, Usha will be back in the thick of what she does best - singing.

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