KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — For Shantini Venugopal, it has always been about doing what felt right.

Eschewing the comfort and security of a 9-to-5 job, she dove headlong into a career in singing, following the celebrated footsteps of her mother Nalini in sharing the gift of music through her voice.

From her first gig at the lounge of the Perdana hotel in Kelantan, her singing brought her to Johor where she did a stint singing in and running a pub.

She found running a pub wasn’t her thing, so she went back to Kuala Lumpur to work as a tour guide while singing the pub circuit on the side.

It was in the big city where she made her fateful start with the Instant Cafe Theatre (ICT) group on December 1, 1989.

She went on to have an acting career spanning over two decades that included a key role in the Hollywood production Anna and the King, but it meant her singing career was sidelined.

Shanthini says she does not regret the decision, but still holds true to her first love.

She is going to have her first solo singing gig in 15 years this November 13 and 14, which she had initially thought was to be a showcase of her singing chops.

Shanthini realised it is now about more than that, and she shares her motivations and insights on life.

In her own words:

  • I thought I needed artistic direction (for the performance), so I thought of Jo Kukathas. Jo’s first question to me was; “Why are you doing this?”
  • I told her that over the years I needed to do things that I can do on my own, and I wanted to sing. Again Jo asked me, “Why are you doing this?”
  • She kept probing and probing until I got so frustrated, then I realised; I was doing it for my mum. She was a singer herself. She died in 2004. Now it’s no longer about me wanting to sing, it’s about how it all started.
  • When I was in her tummy I was already exposed to this (music and the arts). My sister and I were always following my mother to the studio, to performances. That must have had so much influence on me.
  • The main reason I did it (take up singing) was because I felt that I don’t want 10 years down the line and ask myself; “What if?”
  • Before all the songs that I will sing in the show, I will tell a short story. But it’s not the storytelling that’s important, but how the audience connects to the songs.
  • You cannot anticipate what the audience will come away with from the show. Everyone comes with a journey of their own.
  • Songs nowadays, sometimes they don’t make sense. I’m not saying the oldies are the best, but teenagers... the music they listen to is really deafening and mind-blowing. But I’m sure they get something from it.
  • It’s sad that there is not enough prominence (on the arts). Everything now becomes a competition. When everything is a competition, you lose sight of what it is all about.
  • What we are assured of is we are born and die. It’s the dash in between, that’s what counts. it’s just a small line, and it’s all about relationships. It’s that dash that I’ll be living now.

* Shanthini Venugopal’s solo performance, Look At Me, will run from November 13 to 14 at Space.Toccata, 39 (1st floor), Jalan SS2/55, 47300 Petaling Jaya, starting at 9pm on both nights. Entry is on a minimum donation of RM40, which comes with complimentary drinks.