After winning his second consecutive primary schools Intellectual Chutney Soca Monarch title in 2020, Avindha Singh was set on making it a three-peat in 2021.

But like many other performers, his plans were derailed by covid19 and the cancellation of Carnival that year.

So with the assistance of his father and manager Rishi, Avindha had to refocus on how to make the best of the curveball.

Avindha, 11, told Newsday, 'For the rest of 2020, I used most of the time at home to practise performing and do vocal training.

'For Divali 2020, I had a celebration with my school and I had to sing a little song. For Christmas 2020, I also had to sing a few parang songs for a celebration.'

In December 2020, he collaborated with Nisha B on a remake of a classic Bollywood song, Ichak Dana. The collaboration was arranged by Rishi. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Anil Bissambhar's Basslab Studio in Chaguanas, the song was released in early 2021 and has had over 10,000 views on YouTube to date.

For Avindha, having studio time with such a prominent entertainer was an awe-inspiring experience.

'It took a really long time to create the song but it was worth it at the end because it was a really good song." Nisha B, he said, "thanked me for doing a collab with her and I was very happy she said that.'

But everyone else, there was only so much Avindha could do, and his main goal was staying at home and staying safe.

When Newsday last spoke to Avindha in January 2020, he said he had stage fright when performing, especially during competition.

But now that's a distant memory, and he's learnt to manage his nerves with practice.

Though there was a Taste of Carnival this year, Avindha did not get to sample it, as he's focused on preparing for this year's Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam.

'Right now I'm really busy studying for the upcoming SEA exam, so I'm really busy with that right now and I'm not doing any music. But my father said that after that, he'll be pushing me to do more music.

'I'm missing it really bad and I'm missing it real plenty, but I have to concentrate on my work. Studying is always good because practice makes perfect.'

However, he's already thinking about becoming the next secondary schools chutney soca monarch when he starts competing at secondary-school level.

Rishi already has several songs written and studio time booked for Avindha after SEA. It includes working with some 'big-time' collaborators they aren't ready to reveal just yet.

Rishi told Newsday, 'There is a couple songs he will release immediately after SEA, like the next week.

'We are working on many tracks, so as he comes out of SEA, we'll be in the studio every single day, because he has releases to release every three weeks coming down to the end of the year.'

The post Avindha Singh enjoys duet with Nisha B appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.