Usha Uthup has been singing for Hindi and regional cinema since the 1970s. With no formal training, the younger sister of the singing Sami sisters, Indira and Uma, Usha got her start in Chennai at the Nine Gems nightclub in 1969. The multi-talented singer has sung in over 15 languages and performed in several thousand concerts. Astonishingly, the Padma Shri honouree only received her first Filmfare Award for Best Singer five years ago for the duet 'Darling' sung with Rekha Bhardwaj in 7 Khoon Maaf (2011).
But a performance recorded two years ago as part of an international conference to inspire and innovate held in Kochi, Kerala is resonating with audiences all over the world. It’s no secret that Uthup can sing the hell out of any song. In this lively, entertaining video, Uthup is joined on stage by the next generation, her daughter Anjali Kurian and her 13-year-old granddaughter Ayesha as they take on the romantic number ‘Tum hi ho’ from Aashiqui 2 (2013) and cleverly sing a mash-up with Rihanna's Diamonds from her Unapologetic album.
Since then, the video has garnered over two lakh views online and has been shared endlessly in mobile messaging apps. Representing three generations of the Uthup clan, the three women dominated the stage and have repeated their electrifying performance across the country and on television. Who said mash-ups are only for online teenage stars? The 69-year-old grandmother clearly shows no signs of slowing down, covering songs from Adele's James Bond theme song, Skyfall to Frank Sinatra. Age really is nothing but a number!