Dialogues with Devika

KATHMANDU, Sept 7: Devika Pradhan, who wants to be known as Devika Bandana, is one of the most popular playback singers of Nepali music industry. Her “Yastai Rahechha Yahanko Chalan” was a super hit in its time. After the popularity of that song, however, she limited herself to playback singing.[break]



Songs like “Achha Lekin Londonko Chisole”, “Nepali Maya Chahincha”, Tala Tala Beshima” and many more were very popular among listeners. Her last album in the market was “Chitthi”. Before that, she brought out her albums “Lalima” and “Aarati” – the latter a bhajan collection. She also brought out two books, “Yastai Rahechha” and “Sapanima”, which contain the lyrics of her songs. She utilizes the money obtained from the sale of the books to help orphans and old people.



Devika has been in the industry for two decades. She has worked with a number of music directors and lyricists and singers. Some of her favorite singers are Narayan Gopal Gurubacharya, Deep Shrestha, Bhakta Raj Aacharya, Aruna Lama, and Tra Devi. When Republica asked her about her favorite music directors, she said there were many but she named Gopal Yonjan, Nati Kaji and Sambhujeet Baskota as her favorites.



She thinks Gopal Yonjan filled his songs with feelings through his music. So he is one of her favorite music directors. While talking about his masterpieces, she named “Deshle ragat mage”, “Himal sari”, and “Birsera feri malai nahera”.



“Nai Kaji is another superstar in music directing,” she says. “Bachnapani Garai Raichha” and “Marna Baru Garo Hunna” are two of Bandana’s favorites in Nati Kaji’s lot.



Her other favorite music director is Sambhbujeet Baskota. “As I admire his music composition a lot, I’ve worked a lot with him,” she says. “His music in songs like ‘Bharai Aaunchhu Sapanima’, ‘Timile Bhaneka Sara’, ‘Arko Juni Chaninchha Malai’, and ‘Meri Basanti’ are not to be missed.”



Working for a long time in music, she thinks the trends of music have changed a lot in these 20 years. “Back then, pop and hip hop didn’t exist and dohori songs weren’t as popular then as now,” she says. “Music was all about melody then.” As many other modern singers think, she also thinks that the era of melodious music is back to the tastes of the listeners. “People have again started listening to Gazals, for instance,” she says.



Bandana is busy working for the Voice of Teens, a project which has already finished auditions in seven different places. The audition for Kathmandu Valley will soon take place, and the competition will start in November. She is also bringing out “Aarati Part 2” and her old song collection album soon in the market.

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