INTRODUCING THE AMAZING FIROSHA
Here is another
amazing young lady, ready to take on the world.
Please meet Firosha, talented young vocalist, songwriter and
stylist. To say nothing of extremely
attractive, very nice and down to earth, to boot. Her favourite genres are pop, R’NB and jazz
but, having listened to a sample of some of her songs, I have a feeling this
talented young lady could sing in any genre, if she put her mind to it. She has also got quite a story to tell. Now living in Western Australia, she
originates from South Africa. Now the
thing is, she has been extremely self-conscious in her past, mainly due to
bullying - and more recently, amazingly she has auditioned for several of the
Australian reality talent shows – and didn’t pass any.
Let Firosha tell you
all about it.
1
You now live in Perth, but haven’t all your life. Where do you originate from?
Answer: In 1986, at the age of eight months, my
father flew my mother and me to Perth from Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He had moved in 1983 with his immediate
family. We briefly lived in South Africa
for three years in 1994 – but this has always been home.
2
What made you move to Western Australia?
Answer: My grandparents chose Australia because Cape
Town, South Africa, had a very high crime rate.
My family was fortunate to have good lives there. Though having four sons I can imagine this
was a scary situation. I’m sure
apartheid didn’t make things easy either as they are cape Malay coloured with
Welsh descent.
3
You appear to be a very good singer. When did you discover this?
Answer: When I was about four years old I was like a
child genius. I could read
encyclopaedias really early and speak properly.
I had a high pitch voice. I have
home videos of me at that age imitating Janet Jackson’s ‘Rhythm Nation’ and Paula Abdul with a combination of singing and dancing. The furthest I can remember back singing and
performing was with a primary school choir in South Africa when my family went
back for three years in 1994. I was
about nine or ten years old. South
Africans are very talented and fierce competitors – I wasn’t very confident but
I always managed to force myself to the front row and worked at it. Even though I was the smallest. I only really discovered I could sing around
1996-1998 when I was about eleven to fourteen years old.
4
How long have you actually been singing? How young were you when you first sang
publicly?
Answer: I have been singing on and off since I was
five years old but I have never had formal training. I taught myself by listening and imitating
artists like Celine Dion, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. I did a few school choir
appearances and group talent shows but nothing solo until my first assembly
performance of ‘Together Again’ by Janet
Jackson in high school in 1998. Soon after I entered a talent competition
with my best friend but it was what you would call, an epic fail.
5
What about the rest of your family? Are your parents or any siblings, relations
musically talented?
Answer: My father sings – he has a lovely tone –
very shy though. I’ve heard his parents
sing briefly in the kitchen or lounge and they sound lovely. On my mother’s side I have a few younger
female first cousins and an aunt who sings well. My baby brother is quite the entertainer when
he wants to be but he’s very shy as well.
My sister dances – well, everyone in all my family dances well. No-one plays instruments but I learned piano
very young and can play ‘Happy Birthday’.
6
From reading your story, it seems that you have not
always been very confident and this is something that has grown over time. Why do you feel you have been lacking this?
Answer: When you sing you bare your soul and it’s
hard because you don’t know how people are going to perceive that. As much as we say we don’t, as humans, care
what others think, we do, even if only a little bit. Today’s world takes away from the voice and talent
and it gets overshadowed with a beat and image.
So if you feel you do not have a complete package it can make you feel
like you are lacking. The perfect look
and sound – when in reality no matter how much we try, no-one’s perfect. What looks and sounds good today may not
tomorrow. My lack of confidence came
from yo-yo dieting, wanting to look like a size six pinup and listening to
others put me down. Sometimes those closest
to you can say things to put you off following your dreams without realising
they are doing it. But then again, it’s
those same people who support you and push you to your limits. It just depends on how you deal with
criticism because constructive criticism is good for you. I think one too many failed attempts
(competitions, reality TV, karaoke) had me second guessing my talent. It wasn’t until last year I decided to invest
in myself and find a way to get me out there, regardless. This has been the best decision of my
life. Costly but effective.
7
You have auditioned for several reality talent
shows. Would you like to explain the
audition process?
Answer: I have auditioned five times to be
exact, from sixteen years of age when Guy
Sebastian won ‘Idol’ – until this year. These were ‘Australian Idol’, ‘Popstars’ and ‘X Factor’. The
audition process is nothing like you see on TV.
You complete mass paperwork at home, stand hours in a line, meet some
lovely other talented people waiting and then you audition in front of two to
three sets of judges before the ones on TV.
I have seen extremely talented artists turned away. I have never been on TV. I have never made an audition in front of a
celebrity judge and the one I did in ‘Pop Stars’ – she had been there for hours.
She just wanted to get out of there so she picked the two good looking
guys in my line up and it was over. That
was a good audition. You sing in front
of the judges and every other contestant – supporter on the day. That tests you, your confidence and your
talent. This year’s audition looked more
like a job application – or a housing contract.
I couldn’t believe the questions they asked and a lot of them didn’t
even relate to singing. When I asked the
judge what I needed to work on this year, he said don’t waste your money on
lessons – go busk in the streets. When I
asked him, respectfully, what he was looking for and to elaborate on what he
meant by ‘go busk on the streets’, he
couldn’t answer me. As disappointed as I
was I thought I gave it everything and will now follow my own path, creating my
own opportunities. I believe I have done
so.
8
You have been bullied.
Was this physical as well as psychological?
Answer: School can be a lovely, or a difficult
journey for some. Unfortunately bullying
still exists and the saddest part is the school protects the bully because the
victim is too afraid to come forward.
When they do, instead of being protected they are somewhat shunned for
bringing it to people’s attention. Parents
of bullies have terrible attitudes as well, to the entire thing so you can only
imagine what’s going on in the home environment. Bullying can occur in school but also in your
adulthood, so the sooner you learn to overcome this, the better.
My bullying was physical and psychological. Once they can’t touch you anymore because you
are no longer afraid, they leave enough damage on your mentality and self
esteem that you start to doubt yourself as a whole. I was picked on in primary school by older
kids. In junior high it got worse
because I was different. I spoke English
and I had gone to school but was still seen as different. We are a lot more multi-cultural now but a s
Muslim South African it wasn’t easy and you wouldn’t know I was Muslim unless I
told you because we fit in – just. I had
girls start fights with me for no reason.
In junior high, I was a nerd, always had my head in a book, first class
ranger police cadet and I think to fit in the kids that weren’t so popular
would pick on the nerds to be accepted.
I was physically attacked and funnily enough never by anyone that was my
size. I did give them a fight though – I
wasn’t afraid. I had someone put dog
food in my lunch once. They teased me
(about) my name, my tan and my religion.
I didn’t even wear a headscarf and was still subject to it.
9
Did bullying occur throughout your schooling?
Answer: I changed schools in Year ten, 2000 and the
bullying stopped. I was actually a
little more popular so I made it my mission to stop other girls being
bullied. The older guys would ask me to
watch over their baby sisters and I tried to put an end to all that. I made it my mission to be friends with
everyone from my background at any age and I’m still friends with a lot of them
today. I think standing up for what’s
right has gotten me into a lot of trouble but I’m not afraid to take people on
– if it’s for a good cause. I think
people need to learn to not be afraid and speak up. If you see something happen, tell a teacher,
help out. By not getting involved, you
are involved – your choice to do nothing.
If something bad happens to that person (eg accident or suicide) your
conscience will be a hard thing to live with.
10
You appear to have overcome these obstacles and your
family and friends have realised that you have a very strong and superb
voice. How does that make you feel?
Answer: I’ve had a few other life lessons which have
shaped me to become who I am – some good, some bad. I feel amazing that I am finally being
recognised for my talent. I still feel that
I have a long way to go and so much more to learn. I have put my foot down in following my
dreams and I’m pushing through to the best of my ability. I’m hoping that someone will see my work
ethic and raw talent and give me a chance.
I have been given that chance with WCOPA and my life is about to change
on a large scale. My friends and family
are surprised – some don’t even know I can sing. Overall everyone is very proud and
supportive. I would like to take this
opportunity to thank them all, having them follow my journey has been a great
feeling.
11
What are your plans for your career and the future?
Answer: I would love, in an ideal world, to be a Beyonce or a Mariah. Not exactly though – we
already have them. I have the work ethic
to do it all – music, modelling, fashion, have a perfume and create an
empire. I have big dreams. On a smaller scale I would like to make music
that people are not going to be embarrassed to listen to ten years from now. It is difficult because the commercial
markets demand different. I’d love to
get involved in as many projects as I can because I would like to get my name
out there. I’m working on an EP at the
moment and who knows – one day I’ll release an album and be able to perform it
all for you.
12
Do you have a message you would like to teach the
world?
Links: StarNow
Website
YouTube
Contact Details: Lannah Sawers-Diggins
Ph: 0411 139 639
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| How to find FIROSHA |
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