I don't know what it is about the rain that makes me sing. I guess I'm not alone — trees, flowers, rivers, frogs, rice shoots, umbrellas, paper boats and the earth do it too, all in their own languages.

I've always been greedy about languages. And music. And songs are my favourite way to learn new languages or at least, a smattering — French, Italian, German, Spanish, Bengali, konjam konjam Tamil. I was part of the choir at St Teresa's Convent School and later at St Xavier's College, so alongside Water Lilies, I learnt Latin hymns — I can say the Pater noster straight off.