Having grown up listening to Aretha Franklin, Lionel Richie and tons of Country and Western music, Sarah Jane Dias has been interested in music all her life. Now, the model/ VJ/ actor/ singer has finally found the confidence to put out music of her own. Dias has so far released one single and has plans to release one more soon. She is simultaneously working on films, and revealed that she has been signed to a Reema Kagti film that has not yet started shooting, and will soon be seen in ‘Zubaan’, which is expected to release in July-August.

In an interview with Radioandmusic.com, Dias talks about her newly launched music career, the growing indie music scene, modelling, hobbies and more.

Tell us about your journey from being featured in someone else’s music video to having your own music video?

It is quite cool; a dream come true really. In the past year, I have gone from participating in the Lakme Fashion Week auditions to being on the panel of judges for the Lakme Fashion Week; from being in a music video to actually having my very own music video, which I directed. I think that perseverance and hard work pays off. I think dedication and creativity pays off. I ask myself all these questions very often. I am a dreamer, a practical dreamer. I can be impractical at times because of my creative and womanly side, but I try to do what I love doing and that has fortunately lead me to transitioning from being in a video to having my own video.

You have collaborated with Sid Coutto and Mikey McCleary. Is there an album or EP on the horizon?

The song that Mikey wrote and I sung is really interesting. It has a very strong woman/ girl power vibe. Cutto and I are working on something that is funky to say the least. They are all works in progress and should be out soon.

What is your song writing process?

Sometimes words float into my head, and sometimes tunes. Since I do not play an instrument, I record it as a voice note on my phone and then put things together. I then work with a musician and structure it. I want to do a singer-songwriter course. I find that I have all the ideas but I do not necessarily know how to put in down on paper. Conceptually it is all there in my head but if I do the course I will not have to rely on anyone else.

Who are your favourite acts in India and internationally? Who would you like to collaborate with?

My influences when I was growing up were predominantly Soul, R&B, Jazz, Country and Western as I grew up in a Catholic household. I have gone through everything from Marilyn Manson to Taylor Swift to all the indie artists in India right now. Pentagram is one of my most favourite bands. I love our electronic scene as well, the Dualist Inquiry and Nischay Parekh as well. I love everything that is going on with music in the country right now and I feel almost proud that I am considered a small part of that.

What is your take on the current music scene in India?

Musicians are still not making the kind of money they should be in the country. It is very difficult. This is not to say that it is easier anywhere else in the world. However, I will say that it has become better than what it was a few years ago. This is thanks to companies like OML and various others. All their efforts have really paid off because now, being a musician is considered a job.

Who are your favourite female musicians who have inspired you?

I love Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Bjork, Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu and Taylor Swift.

Which musicians would you like to work with?

How do you think the industry is changing?

When I started out as an actor, it was not considered a serious job. Being a girl, people just assumed I am a model. Our kind of films, scripts, manner of directing, the kind of cinematography, everything is going through a drastic change. It is overwhelming because one wants to be on the rise of that wave. However, though the film industry is doing well as there is money in films and therefore people invest in them more readily, the music industry still has not caught on that much, unless it is a fully fledged commercial hit. The market is changing; it is revolutionary. One can always hope that it happens faster, but I truly do believe slow and steady wins the race. Our musicians have been playing on international platforms for a while. It is just more in the limelight now and it should be. The talent is unfathomable.

What have you learnt, as a model?

You need to grow a very thick skin. You need to have very good friends and family. I feel that in this industry, people might not mean to criticise you and pin point things, but when you are in front of the camera, it is like a self fulfilling prophecy that ultimately you believe that you are meant to be perfect. I personally believe that perfection is an illusion and I do not find any beauty in it as such. I have been through everything and ultimately I have realised that you just need to be happy. It sounds really simple, but it is really hard to do. It should not be someone else’s definition of what happiness is, but your own. It is truly a challenging place to be, especially for a girl because they tend to judge themselves as soon as they wake up in the morning and in this line of work, that is just multiplied. So, just be happy and do not judge yourself.

What are your hobbies?

I like to dance, work out, love doing yoga; love cooking and I love to travel. I am not so much of a shopper, and I absolutely love coffee.

You have had training in dance. Tell us about that

Yeah, I did contemporary for a while, tap and jazz for a while, but nothing that I ever did till completion. I think being a dancer requires an immense amount of dedication and time. It’s truly remarkable what dancers can do with their bodies. I however found that I would rather spend the time training my voice.

Tell us about your vocal training?