“I basically sing all the time. It gets annoying for the ones around sometimes because I go on and on,” chuckles Gretchen Barretto. A young budding singer presently studying at Smt Parvatibai Chowgule College Margao, Gretchen’s love for music was instilled in her by her dad who was previously part of a band, who she confesses has encouraged her all along.
“As a young girl I spent the evenings and free time learning songs that my dad taught me,” she reveals. “We still do it, he with his guitar and me singing.”
Gretchen had her first stage performance at the age of seven for a competition in her neighborhood and there was no turning back. Interestingly, Gretchen loves her country music the most. “I grew up listening to a lot of country music and as my interest in it increased I started learning the songs,” she states, while going on to describe the beauty of this genre. “It isn’t loud music. It is peaceful and enjoyable and it makes me happy!” The great country singer Shania Twain remains her all time favorite music idol and she admits that she will “never stop appreciating her music.”
Gretchen, who also plays the violin and completed Grade 5, was a part of the band ‘Alphabeats’ until recently. She was also a part of the winning team that won ‘Cynosure’, a competition organized at Kala Academy. In addition she also loves dabbling in poetry, debates and elocution. “Poetry and singing are my best ways of expressing things that I don’t say while talking,” she reveals. Apart from this she participated at the recent ‘Vem Cantar’, a Portuguese singing competition, in the group category and won the first place. However she declares that she prefers singing solo than in a group.
“Every time I’m on stage I am the happiest. I feel like I am transported to some other place when I’m up there,” she says. “But I prefer singing along. I’m a little selfish like that and want all the attention on me.”
Gretchen states that she plans to go professional soon. “I would like to join a band or maybe record my songs and post them on Youtube. I feel Youtube is the best place to get noticed and for one’s voice to be heard.”
