Bhubaneshwar-based Ananya Nanda, who has won the second season of singing reality show “Indian Idol Junior”, says she would love to pursue a career in Bollywood as a playback singer and wants to follow the graph of singing sensation Shreya Ghoshal.
"I had been dreaming about it since long and now with this win I have fulfilled that dream. I want to dedicate this win to all those people who supported me throughout... the audience, judges and my family,” Ananya, who was announced as the winner of the Sony Entertainment Television show on Sunday, told IANS.
The 14-year-old says she used to sing more of semi-classical songs earlier, but with this show, she's glad she got the chance to experiment with her vocal skills.
"I got the chance to sing in various other genres and now I've become a 'rockstar'! So it feels great. Shreya Ghoshal is my singing idol and I want to be like her. I also learned a lot of singing techniques in the show,” she added.
So who would she like to playback for in Bollywood?
"I want to sing for Anushka Sharma and Deepika Padukone," she said, and added that "right now I'm focussed on my studies".
Ananya started singing when she was eight years old.
"At that time (when I was 8), I used to learn singing on my own. I have been learning classical singing since the last four years. I believe in hard work and think that everyone should focus on that to attain success in life.
“Next, I'll be going back to Odisha to study for my examination for ninth standard. But side by side, I'll continue learning classical singing. My parents have been very supportive since they got to know that I want to be a singer. All that I am is because of them. So whatever I will do will be after the exams,” she said.
Her father Prasanna Kumar Nanda works as a director in a government industrial department, and her mother Prasanti Mishra is a housewife.
“Indian Idol Junior” was co-judged by musicians Salim Merchant, Vishal Dadlani and Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha.