She started the programme with an anjaam (ending) by singing “Ae Mohabbat Tere Anjaam Pe Rona Aya”, the famous ghazal written by Shakeel Badayuni, as a tribute to Begum Akhtar and the audience were seen speculating more such classics to witness live as the performance proceeded. As her fingers were running lightly on the harmonium, the audience were getting immersed in the deep voice and reciprocating daad (praise) in her honour. One was at the Reflections, an evening of ghazal where seasoned singer Pamela Singh mesmerised everyone by her renditions of ghazals sung by Begum Akhtar and Mallika Pukhraj. Singh, who retired as the head of the Music Department, Government College, Chandigarh and the lead singer for a repertory- The Company, was in Capital for an evening of ghazal at India Habitat Centre .
Emphasising on r iyaaz as the most important lesson which she got from maestro Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Singh brought attention to the need of it in today's generation of singers as it is one thing that keeps music and the voice alive. "Try to sit quietly for hours. If you learn that as a first lesson then patience for music will also come . This I learnt from Panditji and I had taught it to my students too as to be a true artist, one has to learn to be patient first,” said Singh recalling her brief encounter with the maestro in a green room .
She remembered her earliest memories of music when in Lahore, she used to run to her neighbour’s house where the legendary Mallika Pukhraj used to live and where she as a child listened to her in wonderment. “That was my first exposure to this fascinating world of music and my love for music grew as I started attending the musical events whenever I get time,” said Singh. She described how her liberal parents encouraged her to learn music in times when singing was not used to be considered as a respectable profession. “I gave my first performance at the age of 14 when I went on to learn classical music and since then there were no second thoughts on it and my marriage also contributed to my musical career further as my in-laws and a husband were music lovers,” said Singh on her passion for music since childhood.
Music gave her respect as a teacher and as a practitioner and also took her to places like England, France and Germany and theatre honed her voice as she has also acted in films like Love Aaj Kal and Band Baaja Baraat . “Pehle gana, phir khana (first music, then food), that remained my lifelong way of life. Since childhood, I used to get up early in the morning when others were sleeping. You cannot do justice to music if you do not feel it or sing it from the heart,” reflected Singh while turning the pages of her diary which had autographs of legends like Begum Akhtar and Jagjit Singh among other famous artists.
She fondly remembers her college days when the still turbaned, Jagjit Singh used to come to Ludhiana for performances. “When I asked him to teach me something he told me to maintain my own style of singing and remain unique and away from influences,” recalled Singh . She lamented the fact that women ghazal singers are still looked down upon in certain parts of our country but she is happy that more women are coming to industry and people are welcoming them.
