Swetha Nair was one of the contestants in the newly-launched Big Stage Tamil, and many expected the 20-year-old singer to go far in the competition. However, Swetha's exit from the show in the second week surprised the viewers.
We reached out to the bubbly and light-hearted singer in the hope of learning more about what transpired and what lies ahead in her life.
Swetha Nair has been singing since she was five years old. Her maternal grandpa first heard her sing and marveled at how beautiful her voice was. Soon after, she started attending Sangeetham classes and simultaneously began training to sing devotional songs with her paternal grandmother.
When Swetha initially exhibited an interest in singing competitions, her mother was taken aback, given Swetha's reputation of being shy and reserved. However, her passion for singing gave her the confidence to take the bold step.
Her first competition came when she was 13 years old. Swetha advanced to the Quarter Finals of 'My Indian Star,' which was judged by singer Mohan Vaidya.
Despite participating in many competitions, Swetha realised that her singing could only be heard by a small crowd, unlike her cover songs, which might reach hundreds, if not thousands, on social media.
Initially, social media was not her cup of tea; however, at the insistence of her relatives who live abroad, Swetha began posting cover songs on Instagram barely a year ago.
"My first song on Instagram was Siti Nurhaliza's 'Cindailah Mana,' and my first effort at covering a Tamil song was 'En Vaanilay.' Surprisingly, no one gave me any negative comments on social media. I'm not sure why," Swetha said.
She had a few hundred followers and stated that her brief appearance on Big Stage Tamil has helped her achieve more traction and followers in recent times.
"I gained more followers and views only after Big Stage. Previously, my videos received no more than 600 views, but today they get 1000 views and more," Swetha continued.
However, why did Swetha quit such a massive platform as Big Stage Tamil? The singer revealed that she was forced to leave the show due to unprecedented personal circumstances.
Talking about her performance in Week 1, Swetha claimed that although she could sing well during her training, she struggled to hit a specific note on stage.
"I completely agree with judge Shameshan, whose music I adore. He advised me to improve my vocal strength but complimented me on my breath control. I admire how he encourages the contestants to improve rather than just criticizing them," Swetha opened up.
Swetha said that if she had the time and continued on the show, she could have shown to the judges how she followed to their advice and improved.
"However, I've been following the show, and the contestants, particularly Roshini Akka, are really talented. I'm looking forward to competing against them all one day. I want to collaborate with such gifted singers in the future," Swetha added.
What is Swetha's next step?
She is now pursuing a Diploma in Computer Forensics and is thrilled about the prospect of working on music-related projects or possibly competing in future competitions.
"You must continue singing in order to improve. I'm not interested in limiting myself and really want to sing or participate in smaller events as well," the singer expressed.