When 10 out of 15 Congress MLAs joined the BJP after the 2022 Goa Assembly elections, one of the strongest voices condemning the move was of sinÂger and self-styled 바카라Political Queen바카라, Olga Vaz. The 40-year-old is Goa바카라s only woman political singer, known for mincing no woÂrÂds in her songs on corruption, government apathy and injÂusÂtÂice of any kind. In retaliation, she released a video, titled BJP-ÂÂche Flight Chuklem (BJP missed the flight) on her eponymous YouTube channel, pointing out that the politicians who had promised to never leave ConÂgÂrÂess did so out of greed, thereby violating voters바카라 trust.
Her other recently popular video was Serkar Hasta, Gorib Rodta (Government Laughs, The Poor Cry) aftÂer an RTI revealed the state exchequer had spent Rs 5.5 crore on the swearing-in ceremony of Goa CM Pramod Sawant. Like most of her kantare (songs), it addrÂeÂsÂses socio-political issues: A viral video of a disabled womÂan crying after the local MLA refuÂsed to help her, the swearing-in ceremÂony; the Goa home minister caught driÂnking from a mineÂral water bottle that cost Rs 850. 바카라Goans don바카라t have money to eat, but these politiciÂans continue to loot us. I바카라ll keep speÂaking the truth. I바카라m not afraid.바카라
Vaz became passionate about politics and singing by watching her father Liban, a tiatr writer-composer and news junkie. Tiatr is a form of Goan Konkani theatre that combines pordhe (acts) and kantare that mirror the socio-political issues of the times. News on atrocities committed on women like rape, murder, would angÂer her, and when she started acting in tiatrs, Vaz would request fellow artistes to mention such news in their songs. 바카라Finally, I got to sing a political song in Roseferns Dramatic tiatr. The audience called for an encore 7-8 times, which O Herald reported as a record the next day!바카라
Vaz is among Goa바카라s few political tiatrists, such as M. Boyer, WilÂÂliÂmix Mazarello, Tomazinho Cardozo and Francis de Tuem. She has performed the world over and is booked for seven shoÂws in the UK and France next year. Every day, she gets 2-3 calls from fans requesting her to sing on problems like rising petrol prices, lack of proper jobs, etc.
Audiences also enjoy colourful words like colvÂont (person of loose character) that she uses to call out people in her songs. 바카라I don바카라t hide behind hints, but name the person I am criticising. This way, even my aged or illiterate fans can vote for the right candÂiÂdate.바카라 As she is currently recuperating from a long illness, there바카라s a slight delay in her video responses, which would otherwise be out within a day or two of a headline news.
Loved ones keep trying to restrain her with messages like: 바카라leave this바카라, 바카라you바카라re a womÂan', 바카라But I get angry when I hear of any injustice to a womÂan.바카라 LucÂkily, Vaz has a great support system. She credits her success to late mother Jackline and husband tiatrist Anil Pednekar. 바카라Two fans nursed me when I was hospÂitalised.바카라 When gooÂÂns tried to disrupt a recent performance at Mandur and take her to the cops, the audieÂnce stopped them. After she sang about a politicÂian, his men allegeÂdly broÂke the doors to barge into her guest house. 바카라But my husÂband said I need not worry, filed complaints and got the doors repaÂired,바카라 says Vaz.
(This appeared in the print edition as "Angry Young Woman")
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