Prema writes personal account of her journey in music

Prema’s history (Pg. 3) – talents free of charge as a wonderful gesture of support.

On the one hand my time in Malaysia 1992 - 1999 was wrought with angst and doubt but it was also a time of learning and positivity. I had the opportunity to work with some amazing musicians, and two of them stand out as being an integral part of my musical journey. Edrie Hashim (guitar) & Wan Kelly (bass) were my stalwart backing musicians for quite a few years. We forged a brilliant friendship and worked remarkably well together; our time spent onstage and off was a joy and pleasure. We also worked closely with Sunil Kumar who sound engineered all our gigs. These talented guys still remain my close friends and it was such a privilege for me to have spent my formative musical years with them.

While in Malaysia, I had an opportunity to perform in London in 1998 as part of the Women Take Centre Stage festival. Being asked to do the show was a real validation of all that I had accomplished thus far. When I landed in Heathrow for the first time, a strange feeling of familiarity overcame me. Little did I know that the UK would soon become my home and I had just landed into my future. The gigs which were held at the prestigious Jazz Café in Camden & also at the Bonnington Theatre (Nottingham) were a resounding success. The organizer, Debbie Dickinson even got me an interview with the doyenne of radio, Ms. Jenni Murray on her show, ‘Women's Hour’ (BBC Radio 4). I was honoured and so thrilled to be a part of this festival and it's a huge landmark achievement for me.

I came to the UK in December 1999, following my heart; you see I fell in love! Well, it had to happen! I'm all about the lurve dontcha know? I made the move for love and it was the best thing I ever did. However, while the love life was perfect, my relocation meant that my career had come to a standstill. It was somewhat of a shock to my system and the thought of starting over was such a daunting prospect. It was a very tricky time for me. Assimilating into this new life was one of the most arduous things I’ve ever had to do. Coming from a very cosmopolitan, big city lifestyle into a rural farming town in England with all that it entailed was a huge culture shock. Despite being a highly adaptable person who could have easily slipped into a role that was more suited to the new environment, I felt it was very important not to lose myself trying to fit in. It was a sad time; money was scarce, living accommodations were barely bearable and I had no support network. However, things do happen for a reason though...

While this ‘soul search’ period in my life tested me as a person, it gave me the opportunity to slowly and surely rebuild myself. This time, I wanted to make the foundations indestructible; truly, mighty, strong. This phase turned out to be the turning point in my development as a human being. I could no longer define myself through my achievements in music or through other external sources. I had to get to the core of who I was. That was tough; because to get to the core, you have to go through all the layers & hurts that have built up over the years...and then heal them. So, it took a few years of hard work on myself for me to find my footing and regain my balance, and doing so without losing the