AN INCREDIBLE DIFFERENCE

Ishara JAYAWARDANE

Sasha Perera, front woman of the band Jahcoozi is someone excitingly different. The music she along with her band make will be something different to Sri Lankans who will be attending their eagerly anticipated concert on November 25.

It is this exciting difference in Sasha that makes her such an interesting person to talk to. She doesn't hold back and is free spirited and honest. Daily News met up with Sasha at the Goethe Institute to talk about her journey in life. Sasha Perera was, born in London with Sri Lankan origins with diverse parentage living in Berlin for 11 years now.

In Sasha's words Berlin - which is where the band originates - is a unique creative hub. The band came together in 2002 and since then have been working together. Sasha moved to Berlin 11 years ago and since then has been making music with her fellow band members. It is obvious that Berlin is where her heart is, as she enthusiastically and rapidly describes the rich diversity of Berlin. Hearing Sasha talk so highly of Berlin makes one want to visit this city. Sasha has been in Sri Lanka for a total of four months visiting the country four to five times, being born and bred in London.

"I like to meet people and I'm sociable. I'm very lucky making the music that I'm making; the way I want to make it. I make my own music not covers," Sasha stated.

Jahcoozi has done about 350 concerts and tours all over the world and have visited places such as Moscow, Brazil, Mexico, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Turkey and they are playing in Sri Lanka for the first time. Sasha who has done her degree in European Politics has travelled a lot even before her career with the band.

We also touched on a very important aspect of anyone's life for that matter and that is spirituality. "I think I am a spiritual person in the sense that I'm an emotional person. I think if you are emotional then you think about spirituality. I don't believe it is an institutionalized form of religion. My father was a Hindu, my mother is a Buddhist and I went to a Catholic school. My father became a born again Christian wearing a ring of Sai Baba. For me to buy into one thing and follow that one thing, I can't do it. But my mom said something very important to me and that is to treat other people the way you want to be treated and that there is a consequence to your actions," Sasha added.

Sasha maintains that music is spiritual and that every single form of religion on this planet has been using music as a form of worship and healing such as bhajans in Hindu temples. Sasha felt that music in itself is spiritual and that even people with mental problems are given music as therapy. "Music is uplifting and sharing music is enriching", Sasha pointed out.

When asked as to how she describes herself Sasha says that she is slightly chaotic, undisciplined and honest with good intentions. Confident but has her moments and talks a lot. Passionate about life and music and also emotional. Sasha Perera is also a risk taker. And feels that Sri Lankans are not generally risk takers. Not all of them. She is a family person but very independent in life.

Artistic people generally have a muse. But what is Sasha's muse? And how does she rewind? After all, tremendously talented people need to re-energize themselves. Well I discovered that, everything and anything that happens to her inspires Sasha; other people, other things in life, emotions, films and books and that she doesn't find it difficult to generate content. She also rewinds by doing sports.

"We are making a new album right now. We did some music with Kenyan artists and made an album out of it. We want to go back to Africa to do some more music. I like to go to strange places - stranger the better.

What makes all these projects interesting is the diversity in the band and there is never a lack of ideas. The problem is there are too many ideas! It is like a family," Sasha said. "I built my identity out of the confusion. That's what you have to do. You have to take what happens in your life, there is no formula and try to have no regrets. My father is Tamil and my mother is Sinhala. My adolescence was not so hard I mean I guess everyone has issues. Suddenly my mom divorced my dad and there was no man in the house." And with that concluded the interview