Exclusive: Shanmukha Priya talks about her Indian Idol 12 journey

Vizag’s supergirl, and Indian Idol 12 finalist, Shanmukha Priya, who won the hearts of people with her singing on the reality show, is finally back in the city. From rubbing shoulders with the mozarts of music, to competing against the most qualified singers in the country, this young contestant has brought laurels to the state, not just Vizag. At a young age of 18, Shanmukha Priya has had quite the musical journey, including her time at Indian Idol 12.

Shanmukha Priya is famously known for her exceptional operatic and yodelling skills. She never missed a chance on the Indian Idol show to impress the guests and judges with her versatile singing. Now with all the grandeur of being a finalist, and with several projects and opportunities at hand, Yo! Vizag gets in touch with Shanmukha Priya and takes you through her Indian Idol journey and all that she learnt and achieved along the way. 

Indian Idol is Shanmukha Priya’s twelfth reality show in her music career. Talking about her experience at Indian Idol 12, she says, “I’ve been a part of many reality shows previously, but all were for the juniors or below 15 years of age participants. It was for the first time that I participated in a senior singing reality show. The experience was altogether a different ball game. The season lasted for 75 episodes and each one was a new learning experience. The show took me from being a slightly nervous girl to an excited experimenting girl. I tried new genres, looked for new & different ways to present songs and eventually made it a habit to give my best at everything I did.”

While participating in the most celebrated singing reality show is in itself a feat, preparing for 75 episodes and finally making it to the finale shows this 18-year-old’s love and passion for singing. Shanmukha Priya is very happy about the final results and says, “I wasn’t expecting anything in the first place. I was always immersed in the journey and never concentrated on the position. In fact, when other contestants were feeling bad, I was the one who reached out to them and lent my empathic shoulder. I was completely blank and if it was anything that I was feeling bad for, it was that I would miss the Indian Idol stage.”

Speaking about the Indian Idol stage, the bonding with the co-contestants, and all the learnings from the show, the yodelling star adds, “The Indian Idol 12 stage is what all the contestants will miss forever. I don’t recollect the hours spent together on the stage. For all eight months of the show, we lived together, and performed together. Each one of us would treat the other as a co-participant only for the competition, but internally, we were all one family. I learnt a lot from other participants. For example, I learnt new techniques of singing. And on the performance front, I gained control over my voice. Personally, I have improved my game and had a lot of music knowledge transfer because of the show.”

Meeting Vijay Deverakonda

For someone coming from a humble family of musicians, meeting a celebrated and successful actor like Vijay Deverakonda is definitely a dream come true. Speaking about the promise he made to her and her experience of meeting the actor, Shanmukha Priya shares, “I never knew my dream would come true so fast. Even in my wildest dreams, I never expected I would sing for a pan-India film so fast. It really humbled me when he told me that the film’s director Puri Jagannadh, producer Charmee Kaur, and him would find the best song to suit my voice. Even now, I still can’t believe it. These incidents only make me more grateful for all that I have received.”

Wonder Book Of World Records: Youngest Rockstar Of India

Yet another feather in her exceptional music career, Shanmukha Priya has entered the Wonder Book Of World Records as the Youngest Rockstar of India. While this is one of her many achievements, after reaching Vizag, a special event had been organised to felicitate her as the Vishwa Gana Priya. She also received a reward of Rs.10,00,000 worth plot of land from the VVK Builders in the city. 

Thank You, Vizag

Finally, after receiving all the love, Shanmukha Priya is filled with gratitude for the steadfast support she has been receiving since the time she started singing. Expressing her gratitude she says, “I’m overwhelmed with the love and kind reception I have received from my home. Witnessing all this makes me feel more responsible to all the people who supported me all this while. I request you all to just stick with me and I promise that I will never disappoint you all.”