Newcomer to the Chutney Soca Monarch (CSM) Shazeena “Shazzie” Ramsumair, 27, hopes to leave a lasting impact during her maiden performance.
Shazzie has been singing for more than 20 years. She started early performing Qaseedas or Islamic devotional songs during her formative years at the Princess Town ASJA Primary School.
She later moved on to the Asja Girls College, San Fernando and then to the Cowen Hamilton Secondary School where her talent matured. Ramsumair said she won both national and international competitions between the age of 6-16 for her singing.
Speaking to Guardian Media, Ramsumair said, “I was also a finalist in local known competitions such as Mastana bahar and Digicel Rising stars. I often sing at any community events once I am asked to perform. I love being an active member in my hometown. I was also crowned Miss Moruga Tableland in my constituency a few years ago. I grew up and still reside in my beautiful hometown of Indian Walk, Moruga Road. My love and passion for art in any form sometimes is portrayed in my everyday life, hence my green hair. I’m often known for my very outrageous hair colour choices and I’ve had from blonde, to pink and purple, to blue. I think it represents my personality and how much of a colourful and fun person I am, plus life is too short for boring hair.”
She has been one of the frontline singers with the south-based band Workshop 868 for the past seven years, and is excited about this new prospect.
“This is my first time entering the Chutney Soca Monarch. I would be singing Dholak Man written and composed by Mr Anand Bobby Mohan. It depicts the love for the East Indian drum, the dholak, as we strive to pay heed to the importance of this instrument in the development of chutney/soca music.”
She said Dholak Man can be considered as a mix of traditional chutney with soca.