SHEFALI ALVARES

In a lot of ways, a career in music was something of a preordained destiny for Shefali. The daughter of Joe Alvares, a man inextricably linked to Mumbai’s music scene and consequently one of the most significant people responsible for the rise of indigenous bands, it would have been a tad surprising had Shefali not taken to the rhythm. Growing up there was always music around the house which is why Alvares’ inspirational palette spans a diverse spectrum that takes in everything from Herbie Hancock to Coldplay, Stevie Wonder to Nitin Sawhney  and Aretha Franklin to Joss Stone. “I love music,” says the 26-year-old songstress who has already chalked up an impressive tally of live concerts. “Any kind, any sound. Music is the speech of angels. Music makes me feel like I’m connected to God.” The divine connection notwithstanding, Shefali has definitely been connected to the crème-de-la-crème of the Indian music community not least of which is a certain personage who goes by the name Louiz Banks. Alvares was the featured vocalist on several kiddie albums put together by the jazz legend and even today she joins Banks for live shows across the country.

Not that jazz is the only idiom the singer is comfortable with. A recent performance at the Rock N Hills Music Festival at Lavasa (a planned hill city about 80 kilometres from Pune) found Alvares taking the stage in the company of bands like Agnee, the Whirling Kalapas and Bollywood’s reigning music triumvirate Shankar-Ehsan-Loy. In fact, lvares appears on the soundtrack of Amitabh Bachchan’s 2005 flick Dil Jo Bhi Kahey, the music for which was scored by S-E-L. In keeping with the diversity of sounds and styles she’s been associated with, Alvares also sings lead for the all-girl act The Real Thing, an outfit managed and promoted by her father. They have notched up quite a few  performances including a gig at the Black and White Whiskey Comedy Nite at the Otter’s Club in Bandra, Mumbai and also a stomping performance at the re-opening of the Delhi restaurant, The Bistro. But the biggest musical statement Shefali Alvares is intent on making is her own album for which she is feverishly laying down tracks. Once that particular mission is accomplished the Alvares star is slated to go all stratospheric.