Usha Uthup is the Voice of India

She's the mother of versatilityu00a0-- she can shake up the house with her powerful, yet melodious voice and now has endeared herself as the motherly Maggie aunty in 7 Khoon Maaf. Usha Uthup, an artist who is known for her deep, unconventional voice made her mark in an industry when soft melodious voices were ruling the roost. And unlike many others, she's one artist who's lasted from Dum Maro Dum to Darling. She talks to CS about being different:

My way
I was the only stage performer 40 years back. Singing and surviving along with soft voices was difficult, but not impossible. I have always maintained that I'm an 100 per cent original singer, and that's probably the reason why I am still around. I agree that I am not a great singer, but I'm definitely a unique one.

Let me confess, nobody in the world can sing as brilliantly as Lata didi and Asha Bhosale. But I take pleasure in saying that nobody can do what I do on stage either. I have had my share of ups and downs. But I have always been comfortable in my skin and the pace of my career. Sure, I've had tough times, but nothing that's big enough to spin into a sensational story or a breath taking journey of struggle.

Speak easy
Being able to sing in several languages has been my biggest USP. I feel blessed to have been born in a country that speaks so many different languages and dialects. Languages have always been my strong point. Even while I was growing up, they were my strong subjects.

Also because I grew up in Mumbai, my medium of teaching in school was English, with Hindi and Marathi being compulsory subjects. Later I opted for French in higher standards and I spoke Tamil at home. So I grew up on five languages simultaneously. That's what worked in my favour. I am one of the few artists who gets invited to Kashmir as well as to Kanyakumari, from Gujarat to Assam, only because I sing in so many different languages.

For the people
I am a people's person. I love people and feel the stage inspires me. I can't live without the stage and my audience. It doesn't matter whether there are 50,000 people in the crowd or just two fans listening to me, as long as they're involved in my music. The nasha or the intoxication that I get out of the applause post a performance is unmatched. For me there is no bigger inspiration than that of the audience's love.

Who: Usha Uthup
What: Talking about what makes her unique