Serena Kern – Singer reveals another side of herself in the acv life Q&A

May 11 2015

YOU’VE PROBABLY heard about her if you’re an avid follower of the music scene and keep a tab on the latest releases by musicians of a South Asian origin.
Serena Kern is a name to look out for – the recent release of her EP containing four tracks, entitled “Dream” has excited the critics and attracted a certain amount of popular attention.
“I am enjoying it,” Kern told www.asianculturevulturecom. “I still work as a lawyer but I think people respect someone who is creative as well.”
That’s right, you read that as it is – lawyer, and not just any old lawyer, she is a corporate one at a top London law firm.
“Singing started as a hobby but it’s become more,” said Kern, who started out uploading videos to youtube. She writes her own tracks and she’s keen to do what she clearly loves and enlisted the help of uber music producer Rishi Rich, the man behind the successful careers of Jay Sean and Juggy D.
“Rishi is a master of fusion music and this EP has a particularly strong Indian flavour and theme throughout, from instruments to other featured vocalists on the tracks,” she’s said elsewhere.
Of half Swiss and South Indian Tamil Indian origins, she lived in India until she was 18 and came to the UK, studying at the LSE, and London becoming her home.
The music speaks gloriously for itself, so we thought we’d ask her about a few other things…

www.asianculturevulture.com (ACV): What is happiness to you? When were you happiest, other than now doing this obviously (hahaha)?
Serena Kern (SK): Happiness for me is when I am with the people who matter the most – my family. I’m happiest when I’m back home in India eating grandma’s dosas!

ACV: Do you have a favourite moment from your life so far? If so can you tell us a little about it please…
SK: Musically, the happiest moment was the first time I performed one of my own songs live. I was nervous at first as it can be nerve-wracking opening up your life stories to an audience you don’t know. The reception was however great and that is what encouraged me to pursue a more serious career in music.

Serena Kern likes coffee, old school romance and dosas...

ACV: Mum or Dad…or both? How would you describe your upbringing?
SK: Very much both. Mum was home on a day to day basis and kept me in line! My father is a ship captain and so was not always at home. He is such a larger than life character though and has definitely made a huge impact.

ACV:What was your favourite subject at school? Did you have a clear idea of what you wanted to do when you were very young?
SK: I enjoyed Chemistry. I was very good at academic subjects and that was partly why I decided to pursue a career in law. I have always loved music though.

ACV: Who were you heroes when you were young? Has that changed and why?
SK: One person I really admired growing up was Rishi Rich. Having now met and worked with him, that is even more the case as not only is he talented but he is also a genuinely good person!

ACV:Do you believe at love at first sight?
SK:Yes I do. I find that first impressions are often the most reliable! I am quite old fashioned when it comes to romance! I much prefer something that is slow burning, where you take the time to get to know each other, as I think that is what makes a relationship last.

ACV: Do you have a favourite item of clothing, please tell us about it…
SK: I have a worn out T-shirt from back in high school, which I used to wear on the sports field. I used to be very good at high-jump and wore my special shirt for all my competitions (not for aesthetic purposes but because it was very comfortable!) I don’t really wear it anymore but it brings back such happy memories whenever I look at it.

ACV: Do you have a favourite sport and who are your favourite sport stars and why (briefly)?
SK: I enjoy watching, and I used to enjoy competing in, athletics. The first time I saw someone doing the Fosbury Flop (popular high jump technique), I wanted to learn too and I spent hours and hours as a teenager perfecting my style. If there is one thing I really miss from my teenage years it is the freedom I felt flying over bar practising for high-jump competitions.

ACV: Do you remember the first record/album/song you bought? What attracted you to it?
SK: ‘All the Way…A Decade of Song’ by Celine Dion. I remember my sister and I would put up little shows for my parents dancing to ‘My heart will go on!’

ACV: What is your favourite food? Can you cook, do you have a signature dish?
SK: I love dosas, which is unfortunately the one dish I cannot actually make myself! I can cook most things and have a great recipe book from my grandma (though nothing ever comes out as nicely as when she makes it!)

ACV: Thanks so much for sharing all this with the good readers of www.asianculturevulture.com. Can you tell them something you haven’t told anyone else…
SK: I am a huge coffee drinker. I have heard people say that caffeine isn’t great for the voice but everytime I have a cup of coffee in-between recording sessions it seems to enhance my vocals!

http://www.serenakern.com/serena-kern/