MUMBAI: Indian Idol 2 finalist NC Karunya is on a new high after his meeting with pop singer Usha Uthup in Kolkata. On Tuesday he landed in Kolkata for a free-for-all concert and headed straight to meet the ageless crooner.

Recalling the meeting, Karunya said: “I was very excited about meeting Usha Uthup. She is such a talented singer. She sings in south Indian languages and also Hindi very fluently. And let’s not forget, she’s a south Indian like me.”

Usha welcomed Karu-nya warmly. “People of Kolkata are very patient and enjoy music like no one else, all good artists enjoy performing in Kolkata... so enjoy performing here... and give your best performance to the people of this city!” she said.

Usha gifted Karunya a stole with Bengali words printed on it and told him to keep it always as it was a very lucky.

She asked him not to worry if he didn’t win the title and to always remember that she, too, had never won a prize in her entire life but had never given up hopes and had put in all her efforts and made a name for herself.

Karunya sang songs for Usha in Rajasthani, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi and Kannada. “This is the hallmark of a true singer,” said Usha. She taught Karunya a Bengali song, which he sang at the concert in Kolkata.