Can You Sing Like Sawan Dutta While You Cook?

A Huge Red Bindi, Bengali Sari, Black Sleeveless Blouse (she says she has only one ) and big Glasses on her beautiful eyes (Bengalis are blessed with great skin and eyes, Please don’t call us racist) and Sawan Dutta is ready to dish out a Bengali delicacy.

While she makes the famous Maccher Jhol, Jhal Muri and AlooPosto which no Bengali in the world can live without, she also sings about the method of preparation thus making her Blog a unique Song-a-Blog which she calls “Metronome”. While the name “Metronome” has nothing to do with Bengali Food, it reflects what Sawan Dutta is. She is a Composer, Music Producer, Singer, songwriter and video editor all in one super-talented Bengali package, and Metronome is all about her.

More Famously known as “Maccher Jhol Girl” And you would definitely want to know why this name, so check out her Video while she dishes out Machher jhol in her Kitchen.Sawan Dutta has vast experience in the TV and advertising industry. She is one of the earliest members of the Indian Ocean Band (of Kandisa and Arrey ruk ja re bande fame) but whole social media went crazy after she dished out Machher Jhol and Jhal Muri on her V-Blog. Here is what Team Plattershare asked this stylish Bengali Girl about her journey and how she came up with the whole idea of a song-Blog when the world is still slowly thinking of v-blogs. She is different and unique of course.

Why the name metronome? How did it all start? 

The Metronome is an indispensable gadget in every musician’s or audio professional’s life – whether while practicing or while recording in a studio because it helps to keep time. It’s also a symbol of regularity, periodicity, of something that one can rely on to keep a performer in time. So it’s meant to subliminally build up an expectation of regular and period posts from me, over time, while at the same time providing a simple rhythmic and melodic element to my soundtrack.

Do you just write about Bengali cuisines? Any plans for exploring recipes of other cuisines?

So far I’ve only written about Bengali dishes, since my first Recipe song, Macher Jhol, happened to be sung by my Bengali Aunty avatar, and also as a direct response to my audiences demanding more and more Bengali dishes! I would love to expand this to other recipes and cuisines eventually, over the years!

Which is your favorite Bengali dish and favorite non-Bengali Dish?

There are so many, where do I even start? Shorshe ilish and rice ( bengali ) or simply my mom’s Neem Begun bhaja (also bengali) and my mom in law’s Olan, or Crisp Hot Homemade Dosas with the amazing Ulli Chammandi and Coconut Chutney she makes from fresh coconuts from our own trees ( Non Bengali ) – she’s from Kerala 🙂

Can you share few tips to start a V-Blog when one doesn’t have professional equipment and not much knowledge about editing?

The most important thing about making a V-Blog, I would say, is to select content which is honest, which reflects who you are, which is engaging and if possible, somewhat different from others. It’s best to start with content that you actually have your own personal opinion or take on, instead of simply repeating things which others are already saying and doing. Lack of knowledge – in today’s day and age – is a very poor excuse for anything, with information and tutorials for everything freely available on the net! Also, never has technology been as simple or as cheap as it is today, for anyone who wants to create their own content. You can literally start shooting with your phone, and editing on a number of free or cheap software – my eleven year old nephew is doing it, so ALL you really need to start, is a strong enough desire to do so and the will to learn new skills 🙂

You sing, write and compose, then record and edit, don’t you think it’s difficult to play all the roles?

Doing things the easy way is boring, isn’t it? And the main reason I started my V-Blog was to keep myself entertained, to keep expanding my own skills. What I’m doing is NOT for those who want to do things the easy way 🙂 It requires a combination of all those skills that you mention, plus at least a rudimentary knowledge of online tech, SEO, design, lighting etc. Its a combination of the sciences and the arts, somewhat like Architecture, the subject I graduated in. So yes, it IS difficult, but I love challenges, they keep me on a mental high. I love being in a state where I’m constantly learning new things, improving old skills, re learning things which are irrelevant, rediscovering new ways of looking at old things. It’s all tremendously exciting if your brain happens to be wired like mine 🙂

What’s next?

The big challenge I’m facing is trying to balance the posts that I’m doing with commercial brand partners, with my independent posts, trying to draw that fine line between commerce and creativity and entertainment. Am working on my next three blog posts simultaneously – they all cover different subjects, and feature different personas – do stay tuned and you’ll find out soon 🙂

Check out all new and old songs by Sawan on her YouTube Channel – The Metronome. Follow her on Twitter, Like her Facebook  Page.

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