Women singers of Pokhara unite

By Santosh Subedi,Pokhara, Oct. 11: Singers from Pokhara who have been active in the mainstream music sector have now come together to form an organisation named ‘Harmony: The Modern Songstresses of Pokhara.’

The main objective of the organisation is to unite scattered women artists and provide them with opportunities. 

The organisation was established in 2016 under the leadership of singer Itu Jojiju. Since its initiation, it has been working to bring women artists together and help those who have lagged to move forward.

According to Chairperson Jojiju, the organisation will provide as much support as possible to women facing problems, difficulties, or violence. The organisation has demanded that, along with musical evenings dominated by male performers across Nepal, there should also be musical evenings dedicated to female artists. 

“There should be separate musical events for women artists. Such programmes motivate women and give them confidence to move ahead,” she said. She also emphasised the need for solo performances by women artists, as their voices are often considered secondary in group performances.

After the organisation’s establishment, it has organised several events, such as ‘Harmony Evening,’ ‘Best of Harmony,’ and cultural programmes in memory of singers Aruna Lama and Tara Devi.

She further added that it is quite difficult to pursue a musical career while living outside the capital.

 “Even if one becomes popular here, it is hard to gain national recognition. Artists from Pokhara find it difficult to get recognition in Kathmandu,” she added.

 She added that singers receive better payment in the capital than in Pokhara.

 “In Kathmandu, they pay around Rs. 10,000 for a song, but here they offer only Rs. 4,000 to 5,000,” she added. 

According to her, female singers face even more challenges in the field of music, as they often struggle to manage family responsibilities and lack the freedom to perform as much as they would like.

Seeing the various problems and limitations faced by women artists, she realised the need for an organised institution that could unite them and create opportunities for participation in fairs and festivals.