In Conversation with Sanskriti Akhoury and her Parents

Many congratulations and best wishes to Sanskriti Akhoury for making it to the grand finale from the PatnaBeats team! It is really a proud moment for all of us Indians to see one of our own getting into the final 11 of such a coveted show. We had a conversation with this emerging rockstar and her parents and here is what they have to say

PatnaBeats: How did Sanskriti get into “Hidden Talent Canada”? (Question for Parents)

Shounak Akhoury: Recently I relocated to Canada. Sanskriti has great interest in western singing and she has also received multiple accolades in India for her vocal skills. Since she was recognized for her talent in singing, we, as parents, kept looking for premier vocal competition/s that could showcase and enhance her vocal capabilities. As the famous saying goes, “All that we are is a result of what we have thought”, one of my friend from office introduced me to the show named “Hidden Talent – Canada’s Premier Vocal Competition”. Sanskriti appeared for the auditions and got selected.

Tell us something about Sanskriti’s connection to Bihar (Question for Parents)

Shounak Akhoury: I was born in Giridih and brought up in Kolkata. Her mom Nidhi Akhoury was born in Kolkata and brought up in Bokaro Steel City. Basically, her grandparents (maternal & Paternal) are from Bihar and Jharkhand. So if we are talking about our roots, you can safely say that we are Biharis.

When did you first realize, as parents, that she had a thing for singing? (Question for Parents)

Nidhi Akhoury: Around 2 years back in 2014, Sanskriti chose ‘Music’ as her extra-curricular activity in school. She participated in the inter-house singing competition and stood first. Nidhi says that this was the first time when her vocal skill was recognized by all. Sanskriti was getting popular due to her singing at school. Her teacher heaped a lot of praise on her and said that she should learn more and grow her talent in singing specially because she was already doing justice to the western form of music at this small age. Sanskriti’s love for singing kept her motivated and later she again participated in school’s vocal competitions where students of all grade participated. She always made the top position her own in these competitions and looks forward to join the league of the best Singers in the world.

Does she talk about being tensed or does she feel pressurized at any stage? If yes, do you feel it’s too early for her?

Nidhi Akhoury: She loves to sing on and off the stage. She doesn’t really have a stage fear as she has been performing on stage back in USA & India. She has performed quiet a few times in front of a live audience. She also participated in the “Local Vocal Hunt – Bangalore” organized by ‘Alive India in Concert’ partnered with ‘Bangalore Mirror’. She was a runner up there amid a number of professional singers. She appeared on the Bangalore Mirror (Times of India) for the feat. Apart from these, she stood first in the vocal competition “Concord Euphoria – Bangalore” and she also performed live on the New Year’s eve of Concord Manhattans.

Amidst all these, how do you manage to get time for your friends?

Sanskriti Akhoury: My best friends are music, books, basketball, and arts. The reason why they are my best friends is because they are always with me no matter where I go. I find myself calm and motivated while being involved in my hobbies. I have several great friends from India, USA, and Canada who always encourage and motivate me to do better.
Sanskriti says that they are all amazing people!

Do you like Bollywood music? Have you performed on any of the Bollywood numbers?

Sanskriti Akhoury: Do I like Bollywood music? Well, of-course Yes! Even though I sing English songs mostly, I love Hindi songs too. I also love to dance on Bollywood songs and enjoy performing on stage. My favorite out of all is the Bollywood number- ‘chittiyan kalaiyaan ve’ which I choreographed myself for my grandparents’ anniversary.

Who is your favorite Singer? What is the best thing you like about him/her?

Sanskriti Akhoury: Adele is my favorite singer. I am mused by the sweet tone of her voice. I love to sing Adele’s ballad songs. Other than Adele, I also love to listen to songs of many more artists such as Jill Scott, The Cranberries, Demi Lovato to name a few 

What other things are you interested in? Do you like any other art form as well?

Sanskriti Akhoury: I Like writing poems. My poems were published in ‘Readomania’ website and in my school magazine. I also like to play basketball, looming cross-country and of course dancing.

How do you manage your studies?

Sanskriti says that she is someone who enjoys living in the moment. Managing her studies isn’t tough because she never lets herself get pressurized by anything. She has been performing consistently well in studies. While she was in the US, she got selected in a renowned program for studies named “Gifted and Talented”. Very few students could make it through the program and she was one of them and was a proud moment for her.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Sanskriti Akhoury: Though becoming a renowned vocalist/singer tops my priority list, on the academic front I want to study computer engineering & get an MBA degree from one of the coveted IIMs

Sanskriti and her parents- Nidhi and Shounak Akhoury would like to express their gratitude towards everyone who have helped her directly or indirectly on her path to fame. A Special thanks to all the family members who have continuously supported and shared their love & blessings all throughout:
Sanskriti’s Grandfather- Sri Kulada Akhoury and Sri Bhagwan Prasad
Sanskriti’s Grandmother- Srimati Jyoti Akhoury and Srimati InduBala Srivastava
Subrat Akhoury, Shilpa Akhoury, Abha Akhoury, Sanjeev Shashank, Varun Akhoury, Bhavya Akhoury and Rishi Akhoury!

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Quote of the day: “Words make you think. Music makes you feel. A song makes you feel a thought.”  
― E.Y. Harburg