When did you first realize that music was your
calling and how did you start as a musician?
My father was always inclined towards music and he
was the one who spotted my talent. He encouraged me
to learn music and so my training in Indian Classical
music started at the age of six. I started performing
in my school functions and I used to get a lot of
appreciation from teachers & fellow students. It was
then that I decided that I want to become a singer.
What were the challenges you had faced
as a musician when you started?
Shifting base from Delhi to Mumbai was the biggest &
toughest step for me and my family. We came to Mumbai
with a lot of hope & aspirations. I remember my mom
used to call up music directors and ask for their time so
that they could hear me out. My dad used to accompany
me to studios where I met many music directors. Luckily
most of them were very encouraging and geadually I
started getting recordings. I also went to college during
the same time and completed my graduation. My family
has played a very important part in my struggle period.
Tell us about your music learning experiences
and your teachers. My first guru is definitely my
dad as he taught me the basics of music.
I trained under Shri Tejpal Singh ji. He taught me for many
years and he always used to tell me that I must move to
Mumbai and sing for films. I also learnt classical music
from Shubha Mudgal ji for sometime. Besides singing I also
went for piano lessons at the Delhi School of Music. After
shifting to Mumbai I felt I should also train in western
classical music as it would help me become a versatile
singer. That’s when I started learning from Alfred D’Souza.
You have sung a lot of blockbuster hits in Bollywood.
How did you score most of your popular songs?
I have been really blessed to have sung some of the biggest
hits of Bollywood music. Songs like Heer, Kabira, Kateya
Karoon, Dilbaro, Zaalima, Jugni, Nachde ne saare, etc
have become a part of people’s lives. I would give the
credit to the music composers of these song who felt that
I would do complete justice to their compositions.
You are better known for your Sufi
renditions. How did that interest you?
When I was a kid my mother taught me many shabads (sikh
hymns).That was my first introduction to spiritual music.
Later when I was growing up I started listening to Ustad
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Saab, Abida Parveen,Jagjit Singh
ji, Reshma ji.. and their songs really suited my voice. And
then when in 2008 I took part in Junoon (a reality show
where I had to sing only sufi songs) , I met Ustaad Rahat
Fateh Ali Khan Saab and was mentored by him. I won that
show and somehow it showed me a path. I feel Sufiyana
music has the power to connect you to the Almighty.
How would you describe your tone and voice
to someone who has never heard you?
I would say my voice is not the regular high pitched
female voice, it’s very unique & more deep & mellow.
A lot of people describe my voice as rustic & honey
dipped. The best compliment I got for my voice
was from Sanjay Leela Bhansali ji when he said
that “I can listen to her voice the entire day!”
You are a coach on "The Voice". Tell
us about the experience
Being on “The Voice” has been a really enriching
experience for me. I have been a contestant many times
in the initial years of my career but sitting on the big
chair as a Coach/Judge was very humbling. It’s a role
full of responsibilities. What you do & what you say to
the contestants really matters a lot. I got to meet so many
new talented people and sharing my knowledge & life
experiences with them was what I really enjoyed the most.
What is your view on the current and
upcoming musicians and their talent?
Music is a huge canvas and there’s so much that can be
done with it. The new generation is very smart and uses
their talent & technology to create newer sounds. But
somewhere I feel that a lot of upcoming artists don’t give
much importance to ‘Training’ especially in classical
music as that requires a lot of time and dedication.
What were your biggest learnings through
being a coach on this show?
It is very important to connect with the contestant
and empathise with what he or she is feeling. Singing
in front of judges and lakhs of people watching you
on TV is not easy. As a coach I have realised that
Encouragement is the key. Young artists look upto us
and we should do our every bit to inspire them.
You have sung for some leading music
composers in the country. Which song has
been most special to you and why?
For me every song of mine is like a baby to me. Every
song has it’s own story and journey. But the track
that has connected me to a million hearts is ‘Ik Onkar’
from Rang De Basanti. It is a prayer that’s beyond
language, religion, culture, or genre. I still get a lot
of messages for this prayer from people telling me
about how much peace it has brought to them.
You are also into live performances. How do
you differentiate between live and playback
singing and what do you enjoy more?
I love performing for a live audience. It’s a very satisfying
emotion. Singing on stage gives you a lot of confidence. You
get to know where you actually stand as there are no retakes
in live singing. You have to give your best. Live performances
also give you an opportunity to connect and interact with
your audience. On the other hand I love Playback singing
& recording in the studio. You become a character and
have to act while you’re singing. You can experiment
with your voice, expressions, style, throw, etc. to suit the
requirement of the song. Its a very enriching experience.
In the digital era, how are you leveraging platforms
to reach out to your fans/ audiences?
I love doing independent music and I feel YouTube is a great
platform to showcase that. Social media has also become
The
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