Pop Icon Usha Uthup | Photo credits: Periyasamy M.
In 1968–69, when Usha Uthup was preparing for her opening night at Trincas in Park Street, her soon-to-be husband requested her to sing Harry Belafonte’s ‘Matilda’. She knew the song from listening to American singer’s 1959 album Belafonte at Carnegie Hall,
Describing the singer-actor-human rights activist’s death at the age of 96 as “quite heartbreaking”, she says he has single-handedly been her inspiration to become an artist and entertainer. “He was great, not just because of his voice or the way he sang, but also because of the way he connected with the audience,” says the Kolkata-based singer. “I started singing his songs when I was 21.” And during my career of over 50 years, when people asked me who my inspiration was, I only had to name one – Harry Belafonte – and Radio Ceylon.”
Harry Belafonte
, Photo Credit: AP
For many of his concerts, there would be much-loved Belafonte numbers like ‘Jamaica Farewell’ or ‘Hawa Nagila’ to exit the stage. Other favorites include ‘Banana Boat Song’, ‘Island in the Sun’, ‘Danny Boy’, ‘Darlin’ Cora’, and of course, ‘Matilda’. Taking inspiration from Belafonte, who often gate-crashed a concert to sing ‘Matilda’ out loud, Usha reached out to her audience, asking people in white shirts or sarees to sing along . “I learned to connect with the audience from him,” she says.
Her biggest dream was to meet Belafonte in person. Uthup made “lots of efforts” to understand his motivations when he visited the US, but somehow the meeting did not materialise. She was also in talks post-pandemic, for the UNESCO campaign in Africa, where she hoped to have the sari (she always has one) and the style (Belafonte’s) on stage together, but the dream remains unfulfilled.
As fans mourn his loss, we hope the next time Uthup takes the stage, it’s with a Belafonte special.