“People follow my look”. In the early days, I was amused/exhilarated/puzzled by Tishma. Her look screamed Madonna circa 1985, with mannerisms utterly lacking in self-consciousness (or its necessary, more welcome twin, self-awareness). But a friend said “K Pop” after watching Tishma for 15 seconds.

Tai to, Madonna is my time. Tishma is working off those influences channeled across decades and chewed up and masticated across oceans.

I kept hoping against hope that one day she would reveal herself as a loud, proud and you-best-get-used-to-it secret drag queen. The whole onstage persona remained so over the top, it signaled something straight out of the bat factory.

An auspicious entry with “Dhaka shohore aisha gorom dekhao?” (hmm, amio tai bhabchilam)..

Hooorrr/Chanchoorr
Hey dream city Dhaka/Are Batashe naki Taka/Oh high tech city Dhaka/Oh Kaka/Cholo jaigai/Yo
Are ajob shohor Dhaka/Dekho rasta chipa chapa/Ey eki rastae chole/Koto bus ricksha ghora/Yo

But time passes and I worry that she now begins to looks super derivative, cannibalizing herself. Naming the 2011 album “Xperimental” seems a sign of desperate act. Ke$ha, after the $’s have run out. Christina Aguilera, celebrity cameo on THE VOICE.

In sum: Running on empty.

But, she writes all her own songs…

And I still like Doel…

Icchey Korey Doel Hoye ghure berai
Bangladesher shobuj gram e ghure berai

Quick, uh… what rhymes with berai….?

And you can’t leave me now girl, ey boroshha’e bhizte jabo kar shathe bondhu?

“taopur tupur brishti pore….. rao rao rasputin”

mara gelam