BOSTON: Sonika Vaid, a 20-year-old pre-medical student from Massachusetts, was one of the top 5 contestants on the final season of Fox’s American Idol, 2016 adjudged by the judges as having a powerful voice and very expressive in her performances.
She performed amazingly onstage in front of a worldwide audience. From her first audition, judges Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez, and Keith Urban were blown away by her voice. Connick said following Sonika’s audition “This is a pure God-given voice”.
Hundreds of fans from Indian and American communities enthusiastically gathered last Saturday at the American Legion, Newton to welcome back Sonika Vaid. Her grandparents, Kidar and Mrs. Chandar Kanta Vaid hosted an elegant grand surprise welcome reception for Sonika. Sonika was flabbergasted when the hall full of fans offered her a standing ovation with loud clapping.
Her close friends, Divya and Sachin Sharma introduced the charming ‘Nightingale of America’ to the audience. Her family members, relatives and friends welcomed her with a warm heart and love. Sonika shared with her fans the experiences and great things she learned being on American Idol.
Sonika very humbly remembers the first time she sang a song at age three “You Are My Sunshine” at her sister’s first birthday but performing for American Idol was the biggest thing for her. Sonika’s is blessed with a music and singing-oriented family and she proudly owes her entire musical ability to her family. Her grandfather is a self-taught singer and a harmonium player. He taught Sonika’s mother Ananya how to sing and play.
Ananya taught her daughter Sonika what she learned from her father. Her grandmother Mrs. Chandar supervises her studies, singing, training and rehearsals and makes sure she gives her best on the stage. That is how her talent runs deep within familial roots. She respectfully gives credit to her grandparents and mother who stood behind her success and had her best interest at their hearts.
Sonika is a Weston, Massachusetts Meadowbrook School alumni. Growing up in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, Sonika Vaid never craved the limelight. Even though she had so many singing opportunities in her childhood, she remained contended paying piano in assemblies. Later, she jumped into singing and playing the piano at the same time and got more comfortable on stage, said Sonika.
After winning judges and viewers over with her first audition on “American Idol,” Sonika has attracted so many fans from across the world and India from where she is getting lots of love.
Sonika is also very much influenced by her eye surgeon father Dr. Kuldip Vaid and she admires his work of giving people their vision back. Even though singing is a big part of her life, she wants to be a physician. She says that helping and healing other people is just something she really wants to do and it is just something she can’t give up. She is planning carefully to balance both careers in her life.
Kidar Vaid thanked the huge audience for showing up their support and love to Sonika. He also thanked Sudershan Sharma, Vijay Selhi, Amit Dutt and friends for helping him to arrange this event with an incredible video show of Sonika’s childhood and American Idol singing together and arranging delicious snacks and mouthwatering dinner for the guests with DJ for the floor dance.
Geetha Patil
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