Back with dhoom boom

Three years after the success of the title track of Dhoom, Thai pop singer Tata Young is back in India to promote her latest release, Temperature Rising. She shares her plans for her music career and Bollywood.

After the success of Dhoom, you had said you would want to act in a Bollywood film. When do we see you face the camera for a Hindi film?
Yes, I have wanted to be a part of the film industry here but I have not got any substantial roles. I hope that sometime later this year, I will be working on getting a good role here, but, there are no offers as of yet.

Tell us a little about Temperature Rising?
I have worked on this album for a year while also promoting my previous album, I Believe. The album has songs written by Natasha Bedingfield, Paul and Linda McCartney and Diane Warren among others.
The album also has a track with Hindi lyrics, Mila Mila. The song has been composed by Sandeep Chowta. I wanted a hindi track in my album after the success of Dhoom Dhoom, and I got it. I flew down to Mumbai to record the song.

How different is Temperature Rising from I Believe?
I believe was a pop dance album with a lot of emphasis on dance beats, while Temperature Rising is more of a pop album with a heavy hip-hop influence. I think that is what makes it different.

Who is your favourite singer?
Madonna.

So do you plan to go the Kabbalah way?
No. I am just inspired by her music.

Temperature Rising was released in August 2006, why took you so long to promote it here?
I am really taking things easy with this album. I am not even working on any other music or film project right now. I want to give this album my best shot. I have planned to come to India in March for a tour to promote this album and follow that with a tour of Europe in April, all for this album’s promotion.
I am also fighting for a video for Mila Mila. I want it to be aired in India.

You have been criticised to indulge more in skinshow in your videos, than your vocal abilities.
I have nothing to say about that. I feel music is a complete package of who is up there on the stage wearing what, as much as how good he or she sounds.

You have been a celebrity from the age of fourteen. What do you think are the pros and cons of being a celebrity?
Everything has its share of pros and cons. Being a celebrity can be tough because every aspect of your personal life is out in the public eye. People want to know what you are doing at any time of the day or night.
But the good side is that I get to do what I love most. I love to sing on stage before a lot of people and I get to do that. Life is good.

Published in Hindustan Times Next on February 20, 2007