The Singing Voice in Contemporary Cinema - Diane Hughes
Voices of Sheila: Resignification in Filmic and Non-filmic Contexts
The Singing Voice in Contemporary Cinema - Diane Hughes
Nina Menezes [+]
Univeristy of Florida
Nina Menezes completed her Ph.D. at the University of Florida in 2018 and currently teaches at the University of Tampa. As a soprano, she has performed recitals, and has toured with groups and ensembles internationally. Nina held an extensive recording career in her hometown Chennai; her voice has featured on several award-winning film soundtracks for Bollywood and Kollywood cinema. As a music educator, Nina has taught voice, piano, music theory in her private studio; some of her students have been female playback singers in the film industry.
Description
This chapter examines how elements borrowed from prior musical contexts are re-signified in popular Bollywood song-and-dance sequence “Sheila ki Jawani” (Sheila’s Youth). As the song moves beyond its filmic context through re-enactments in popular culture, it acquires new meanings and takes on a life of its own.