Amid the slick studio recordings and auto-tunings that dominate our world, a raw, spirited performance from North Karnataka has swept the internet. A woman from Bagalkot, Sangeetha Hiremath, has become a social media sensation overnight after the video went viral on Instagram, X (previously Twitter) of her singing the pop-hit "Cheap Thrills" by Sia.
The Performance That Made the Show
The video caught the world's attention at an event in the auditorium of the University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot. In a traditional saree, Sangeetha Hiremath appeared on stage to the delight of the audience. Dressing in a typical saree, Sangeetha Hiremath took up that stage and she shocked her audience by selecting a more modern English pop song to perform after making a choice over traditional folk or film music.
She sang along with a confident, distinctive attitude and vocal delivery and uttered the famous lines: "Baby, I don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight / I love cheap thrills!" She is able to convey the beat and the feeling of the song, maintaining her natural North Karnataka accent in it. This ability to get people in mind of her in various corners has brought in foreign audience all over the world.
"UK Ain't Got Talent": The Viral Spark
The video spread widely after posting on Instagram by a young man called Rohan Biradar. Bearing a sense of hometown pride and humor, Rohan captioned the reel "UK Ain't Got Talent," in imitation of the "Britain's Got Talent" franchise. In the context here, "UK" has to do with Uttara Karnataka (North Karnataka).
The video promptly struck a chord with people on the internet, not just for a song but because Sangeetha appeared so audacious and self-assured. There were many who noted how she busted stereotypes about rural and semi-urban women and their familiarity with global pop culture.
A Symbol of Unfiltered Talent
Sangeetha Hiremath’s performance is hailed as a tribute to real talent. Comments on the viral post are mostly a blend of pure admiration and light-hearted encouragement:
"These are the confidence levels we all need in life," wrote one user. "This was the version Sia needs — pure gold!" wrote others. Numerous locals described pride in the fact that North Karnataka is one of the foremost centers for talent that mainstream media seldom covers. The setting of the performance a formal university auditorium lent itself to the magic and also showed that academic spaces like these, located in small cities like Bagalkot, are vibrant spaces for self-expression.
The Power of the Internet
This is yet another case where the Internet has been a successful tool to connect the small-town artist with the big set. Like Ranu Mondal, or the “Dancing Uncle” before her, Sangeetha Hiremath has demonstrated how one minute on stage can make ordinary people into household names. As the video hovers on the millions, Sangeetha has become a bit of a celebrity in Bagalkot and many people hope to see more of her musical spectrum in the future.
