After a breathlessly hectic 2019, where we were the most sought-after music bands for hire in Dubai, We were a live music band that enthralled the audience in more than 100 shows across 7 countries. After being a really busy,live band for hire,  COVID was a sudden break. As wedding entertainment in Dubai came to a screeching halt, we all were hurt and bruised like anyone whose bread and butter comes from shows.  Like other entertainers in Dubai,  I stop wallowed in the “why me” state of mind….till my characteristic resilience made me put that thinking hat on.

As a life coach, I did a mental SWOT of ROOH as a live music band and realized that our core strength- MUSIC cannot be touched by the virus. So, was my AUDIENCE! They were all there but the meeting ground or venue had been compromised due to the virus. So, I began to explore alternate venues for my events and abracadabra! The ideas of online shows shone like lightning through the dark clouds of COVID-induced depression. I had my music and I had my audience!  NOW, nothing’s gonna stop me!

I reached out to my old clients for virtual events and the shows started as a trickle and in a while, it snowballed into a gushing stream. I began to do online shows for corporates, milestone events, and virtual shows, etc   I added a twist to my shows by putting in a quiz, a game, a musical bingo and soon I had my audience dancing with my tunes. I used green screen technology to make my shows visually appealing, trying my best to give my fans an experience that they would never forget.

I missed the proximity of the audience but it was compensated by some “aha” moments. In one of my shows, I was pleasantly surprised to see Anup Jalota ji whose songs I had sung as a child, I also had the opportunity to hear the super versatile Satish Shah who joined me in a song!

Today things are coming back to normal and wedding entertainment in Dubai is looking up after a long hiatus our reputation as one of the best wedding music bands. And  Music bands for weddings in India is looking up once again. In some time, the COVID and the lockdown will become a memory, but for me, it will always be a lesson of a lifetime –  that in the everchanging canvas of life it is your ability to reinvent and adapt that is permanent and it is your resilience that determines if you are a survivor.