US online music initiative features work of Mangaluru student

US online music initiative features work of Mangaluru student

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, June 25, 2017: The love for singing has encouraged Munaz Mariam, a 19-year-old from Mangaluru, to participate in an online initiative aimed towards creating bonds among youths from different backgrounds through music.

SAMAA, a group based in Chicago, USA, invited people to send cover versions of two popular Bollywood songs, in an effort to bring them together. When the initiative #singwithSAMAA was started initially, the band received responses not only from India, but also from Pakistan and other countries. It was then that SAMAA decided to select entries from singers of all nationalities.

When Munaz decided to send her cover version of ’Zaalima’ from movie ’Raees’ to this initiative three months ago, little did she expect that she will be featured in the final video compilation. Along with Munaz, the video features covers of ’Zaalima,’ ’Afreen’ and ’Sajde Kiye Hain Lakhon’ sung by other Indians and Pakistanis and two singers from Qatar and USA.

This video was uploaded by SAMAA on Facebook and YouTube, and has gathered over 2.8 lakh Views since then.

A student of St Aloysius College in Mangaluru, Munaz came across this initiative through SAMAA’s social outlets and decided to give it a try.

"It was a spontaneous decision and I had not expected that my cover would be selected. Their response was immediate and I was elated at the selection," she said. In the final video, she realised that she was the only singer from Karnataka to be featured.

"I had submitted my cover song keeping in mind that I was an ordinary singer, so I am really happy at being featured. Some of the other singers in the video are really good," said Munaz, who was also joyous at the positive comments she received as a response to the video.

Other singers from India like Anmol from New Delhi, Mahima and Vaibhavi from Mumbai, Sravya from Hyderabad, Chayanika from Golaghat and Vaidehi from Badlapur are featured in the compilation, while those from Pakistan include Ali from Sialkot, Dr Rabail from Hyderabad (Pak), Romesa from Lahore and Mobeen from Islamabad. Vinutha from Doha, Qatar and Justin from New Jersey, USA have also been featured.

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