Predominantly music channel etc is starting the New Year with a special on singer Shubha Mudgal.

Shubha will be appearing as etc's Pop Ki Aandhi for the first fortnight of January 2002. She will talk about her life and experiences that shaped the direction of her music. One of her favourite musicians is the late Ustad Fateh Ali Khan.

The first show will air on Thursday, 3 January at 7:30 pm and the second will air on Wednesday, 9 January at 8 pm.

Her new album "Nacho Sari Sari Raat" has been written and composed by Satish Sharma. The music is light and upbeat celebrating holidays and festivals. She tried to combine the essence of Rajasthani folk music with the spirit of World music. Her previous album "Maan ke Manjire", was about the struggle of a Gujarati lady truck driver called Shamim Pathan.

The singer who was born in Allahabad has an enviable sense of humour. Her parents who were professors in Allahabad University encouraged her to pursue music as it was her passion.

Shubha still likes to call herself a practitioner of Indian classical music. "I get annoyed when people say that I have left classical music and got into pop music. Pop music is popular music that appeals to a lot of people."