ANN/THE STAR – A young singer-songwriter is making waves with her music with a series of live shows in the American city of Nashville, Tennessee.
Heerraa Ravindran, 24, from Kluang, Johor, debuted her latest single Note to Self there recently.
“I wrote the song when I was 19 and it was about overcoming insecurities while paying homage to one’s younger self.
“It touched my heart to receive such a warm welcome from the music community in Nashville. It was an honour to sing this song to kick off my first series of shows in the United States,” she said in an interview.
In Nashville, she performed at the Bluebird Cafe, known for hosting artistes like Taylor Swift, LeAnn Rimes and Faith Hill before they became worldwide sensations.
It was also a feather in the cap for Heerraa, as she is known on stage, when she was recently accepted as a voting member of the Recording Academy, home to the Grammys.
“I look forward to getting involved as a songwriter and collaborating with more artistes to create life-changing music.”
Nashville is the birthplace of country and bluegrass music, with connections to R&B, pop and rock.
Currently pursuing her Bachelor of Liberal Arts at the Harvard Extension School, a division of Harvard University, Heerraa said she had her mother and mentors to thank.
Brought up in a single-parent family, Heerraa said she and Harsha had been taught to be confident and go-getters since they were young.
She said she looked up to her mother, who quit her corporate job to pursue her own venture of becoming a C-suite executive coach.
Having started vocal lessons at 11, attended guitar and keyboard classes as a teenager, and written her first song at 14, Heerraa is a walking example of what we can be with hard work and determination.
The former recipient of the prestigious Diana Award (UK) for contributing to social change and community development has now written over 100 songs.
Heerraa also called on youth to follow their hearts and make their dreams a reality. “Find your environment and the people you trust who have your best interests at heart.”
