Supriya Davda has a candid chat with the acclaimed Indian playback singer Sonu Niigam about music business in India and its recent collabrations with Western artists
BY SUPRIYA DAVDA | AUG 10, 2009
Q. It's been almost 18 years since your arrival in the Hindi Music Industry. How has music evolved since then?
SN. A lot has changed since. There was no other way to make it as a singer back then but to wait for hours and days outside music director's offices. There were no channels except Doordarshan, so no talent or reality shows, and no massive concerts like today, no event management companies.. In short, you had to kill your self respect to attain work those days. Ego problems of the powerful, is still prevalent these days too, but not to that extent. Today, if you sing reasonably well and are capable of making news and better still, are controversial, you can be in the public eye and get work unlike those days of hand to mouth situation. Another major change that has made singing easy, is the increase of item numbers and serious decrease in melodious compositions. There by giving non trained voices, the privilege of being called singers. The advancement of technology has made sure that with the help of certain software like Antares and Melodyne, even the most out of pitch voice can be brought to the right pitch. But overall the good thing is, there's alot more people in the business of music than before.
Q. Is it the music of a film that makes a film a success?
SN. Goes both ways. Sometimes the music is a hit and the movie is not. And sometimes its the other way round. But a true blockbuster is where both are equally successful.
Q. What are your thoughts on collaborations such as Pussycat Doll's Jai Ho; RDB's Singh is Kinng, and more recently Kylie Minogue in a forthcoming film Blue?
SN. All this is great for the internationalization of Indian mainstream music.
Q. Is there a Western artist you would like to work?
SN. All of them would be a delight to work with.
Q. What do you think of Bollywood movies embracing other genres of music like Hip-Hop and Rock?
SN. It’s a healthy sign and gives our already rich music, a new interpretation.
Q. Will we see you on the silver screen again?
SN. People keep asking me this question time and again, keep sending me scripts, it's quite inspiring frankly. My movies didn't fare too well at the box office, but my sincerity didn't go unnoticed. I learnt a major lesson in life from that. To never do a movie if the project makers are not of the highest level of integrity. People love me so much that they wouldn't want to see me in a sub-standard project ever. Currently there are three movies whose scripts are on a different level I feel. I might take them up when I am back if I feel it have been developed well. I think at least one good sincere film is overdue.
Q. Were you not supposed to be playing the role of a blind singer in a film titled Ankhon Hi Ankhon Mein?
SN. Not sure as yet.
Q. Will you be hosting or judging any more reality shows?
SN. Gajendra Singh is doing a beautiful project and he wanted me to be a part of it. We haven't discussed any further but since I like him, I thought the project is worth a mention.
Q. You have your US tour scheduled for this summer alongside Sundhi Chauhan and Hard Kaur? Any plans on bringing this tour to the UK?
SN. It is currently in progress. It will be my best ever performance to date as I have been told. Rafi Resurrected was on a different level and different genre so I don't compare this with that..but yeah, this is what I am getting to hear from everyone. And it sure feels great!
Q. What’s next after the tour?
SN. I'll be stationed in the States for sometime. I have something that has shaped up beyond my known knowledge of my own potential as a song writer and I want to give it its due since the theme of the song is so close to my soul. I want to give the song its due worthy release in the America and then UK.
Q. Lastly, what's your motto or principle you go by in life?
SN. The real stuff is happening inside me, what is outside, is just the physical manifestation of what I am made up of.
