Sarah Jane Dias Releases Debut Song “Forgot To Be Me”

Sarah Jane Dias | Photo courtesy the artist

Sarah Jane Dias is surprisingly adept at moving from one field to another. The 32-year-old artist, who has over the course of her starred in nine feature films, won the title of Miss India and lent her voice to the mini-documentary The Midnight Hour – An Ode to India, is now ready to launch her career as a musician. Says Dias, “Over the past few years, my friends have become people who I can have passionate conversations with about music and how it makes them feel. Karsh Kale, Vishal Dadlani, Sidd Coutto, Randolph Correia, Mikey McCleary ”“ when I meet them I think maybe I should stop making music because they’re so, so good.. But hearing someone you respect say ”˜You’ve got something there,’ it really pushes you as an artist.”

Growing up listening to a range of artists including American R&B singer Lionel Richie, American jazz legend Louis Armstrong to more contemporary acts such as Australian electronica duo Flight Facilities and American hip-hop/funk artist Pharrell, Dias’s music is filled with easy hooks. Says the artist, “My music is deep rooted in soul, but I like what people are doing with music these days. I like the electronic sound, I like sounds from around the world like the sitar and tabla, I like African rhythms. My other tracks will reflect that.” For the last three years, Dias has been working on her vocals and been taking guitar classes from Apurv Isaac, the guitarist of Mumbai jam band The Family Cheese. She also roped in Isaac to contribute guitar parts to “Forgot to Be Me.”

This month, the artist releases her first single, “Forgot To Be Me.” Says Dias, “People forget to be themselves so often, both in and outside of relationships. It’s why relationships end and it’s what people feel when relationships end. It’s when you sit down and think: Who am I?” Between acting, modeling and being a yoga instructor, Dias’s new musical project feels less like a side project than an expansion of her already multi-dimensional universe.

On the set of “Forgot To Be Me” | Photo courtesy Sarah Jane Dias

As far as celebrity music projects go, the quality of this one is comparable to American actor Zooey Deschanel’s indie rock duo She & Him or Canadian actor Michael Cera’s lo fi solo act. Dias has even dabbled with direction for the track’s music video and invited her friends including Indian film actor Arunoday Singh, MTV host Gurbani Judge, celebrity hairstylist Sapna Bhavnani and Isaac to act in the video. Says Dias, “I’m extremely visual and extremely meticulous. So once I was in gear, it was just a matter of doing it. I don’t intend to direct another video. I wasn’t intending to introduce myself as a director, but for me this video was so personal that I wanted to do it myself.”

Watch the video for “Forgot To Be Me” here