Remo Fernandes announces retirement from live performances
Singer and musician Remo Fernandes announced that his London concert would be his final live performance, citing health issues caused by a minor stroke and vertigo. The veteran artiste thanked fans and fulfilled his long-standing wish to perform for Goans in the UK
New Delhi: “Humma Humma” singer and musician Remo Fernandes announced at a concert in London that it would be his last live performance, saying a minor stroke and vertigo had taken their toll and he could no longer play the flute and guitar as he used to.
Fernandes, best known for blending world music influences into a distinctive sound, made an emotional speech before the hour-long concert earlier this week to explain why he now has to perform while sitting on a chair.
“Now sitting down and performing is not really my cup of tea. So that’s why I decided to call it a day and to stop performing,” Fernandes told the crowd at Cranford Community College in Hounslow.
“Some years ago, after I took the third COVID vaccine, I suffered a minor stroke. And that stroke gave me some problems in the use of my fingers. So that made my guitar playing and my flute playing a bit difficult. And it was not as it used to be before.
“And then last year, I suffered from vertigo. I had a bad fall, for which I had to undergo surgery on my cranium.”
Fernandes said his doctor told him that he could not perform while standing, and that was when he decided to end his journey as a live performer.
He said there were two reasons why he decided to perform one final time at the UK-Goan Festival.
“I was supposed to perform here last year, but I could not perform because of my operation. And the president of Goan UK, Mr Ravi Vaz, was kind enough to invite me again this year. And this year, I didn’t want to say no. I could not say no. So here I am,” he said.
The second reason was that he had wanted to perform before Goans in the UK for a long time.
“Finally, my wish has come true. And I’m going to be performing for you. And I wish to apologise for the fact that my fingers are not what they used to be. My throat is not what it used to be. And I have to sit down and perform,” he said.
For the next hour, Fernandes took the audience on a trip down memory lane by performing the songs that made him a pop sensation, from “Maria Pitache” to “Humma Humma”.
Fernandes is best known for blending Goan, Portuguese, rock, pop, Latin, reggae and world music influences into a distinctive sound.
Born on May 8, 1953, in Goa, Fernandes studied architecture at Sir J J College of Architecture in Mumbai before choosing music as a full-time career.
He rose to prominence in the 1980s, long before India’s independent music scene became mainstream.
His English-language albums, including his debut “Pack That Smack” (1986) and “Bombay City”, established him as one of India’s leading rock musicians, while songs such as “Bombay City”, “Mr Minister” and “Down with Brown” became cult classics.
Fernandes achieved nationwide fame with playback hits including “Humma Humma” (“Bombay”), “Huiya Ho” (“Khamoshi: The Musical”), “Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha”, “O Meri Munni” and “Signal”.
Over the years, he has performed alongside or shared the stage with internationally renowned musicians, including members of Queen and Led Zeppelin, and has toured extensively across India and abroad.
Apart from music, he has acted in films such as “Ek Villain”, “Bombay Velvet” and “99 Songs”.