Home is where the heart is

Milia (L) performing in a musical programme Bhalobasho more gaan

Explaining her forte, Milia says, "I sing modern Bangla songs. I also love to sing old Hindi songs such as Tum na jane kis jahan mein kho gaye and O bachpan ke din bhula na dena. I like to sing Asha Bhosle, Lata Mangeshkar. Some of my hit songs are Angulo Katia Kolo banaia, composed by Alauddin Ali, Bandhu keno ailo na, Ekta kichu purchey (the album was composed by Tansen Khan, with lyrics by Nuruzzaman Sheikh) and Mone mone haraley, among others." In memory of the late Khan and Sheikh, Milia has plans to re-launch the album Ekta kichu purchey.

She has sung for many other famous composers such as Selim Ashraf, Bashir Ahmed, Abdul Latif, Abu Zafar and Jalal Ahmed.

Milia believes that Singapore as a "multi-racial and multi-cultural country" has much to offer to artistes like herself. Among those Bangladeshi artistes who have stopped off at Singapore, she points out, are big names such as Shahabuddin, Shakila Zafar, Kanak Chanpa, Samina Chowdhury, Abeda Sultana, Baby Nazneen, Sadya A Mallick and Fatema Tuz Zohra. Recently, Indian singers Jagjit Singh and Asha Bhosle also gave performances, while AR Rahman is slated to come on September 24.

Milia is in the thick of Singapore's cultural life as coordinator of a Bangla language school called Bangladesh Language and Cultural Foundation (BLCF). Special Bangladeshi days such as December 16, March 26 and February 21 are observed with song, drama and dance performances along with art competitions.

The Bangladesh embassy in Singapore is also very active culturally. On March 26, the children of her school give performances attended by dignitaries from various countries.

Milia certainly has come a long way since her early days when she sang a Sinhalese song and represented Sri Lanka in the first SAARC Summit in Dhaka Stadium (in the mid-1990s) and BTV. A Voice Major from the California State University (from where she graduated in 1981), she is a first soprano. Her Italian aria on BTV's Biswa Sangeet enthralled the viewers some years ago.

Milia has her hands full. She plans to release four more albums within the next few months: Alauddin Ali's composition, mixed modern songs by various composers, Nazrul Geeti and Purono diner gaan.

A popular vocalist in the Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and local Singaporean community, she will continue to sing old Hindi melodies. She is encouraged by the warm reception accorded to her performance in Golden melodies of yesteryears in Singapore.

Milia takes with her fond memories of her month-long visit to Bangladesh, both on the personal and professional front.