What are the challenges you face while singing? My Telugu is more colloquial. While recording Pada Pada, there were a few words I had tough time pronouncing them correctly. A few of them were pretty risky as if spelt wrong they connote abuse in Telugu (laughs out loud). The entire team helped me with the right pronunciation and I could pull it off well with considerable ease. Best compliment All the music reviews praised me for the same number, saying the song is certainly good, but the singer (me) has taken it to the next level. Known people will certainly compliment me, but getting rave reviews from unknown sources, is a real achievement. Anything in Bollywood? Yes, I have recorded many Hindi and even Punjabi songs. They are yet to be released. Usually, it is a slow process, and I can’t really say which one will be released in which movie and when. People’s reaction seeing a Sardar singing a Telugu song? More than singing a Telugu song, they get really surprised when I speak the language. They greet me with great warmth. It is a USP for me. How has been your family’s support? My father Mr.Jaspal Singh and mother Mrs.Gurmeet have always been very red | april 2016 | 67
supportive. Only one thing they insisted on was I should complete education. I couldn’t have come this far without their encouragement Any dream actor for whom you like to lend your voice? I would love to sing for Ranbeer Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and of
I GET A HIGH WHEN I SEE MY AUDIENCE ENJOYING AND APPLAUDING.
course, Shahrukh Khan. However, I like to add that I don’t want my voice to be recognized with any particular actor, rather wish to be known and identified by my voice. Idol music director to work with? Though my biggest dream is to work with A.R.Rehman, I would love to work with every music director. It will give me a wide range of experience. Since you compose too, what subjects interest you? Music should be meaningful and lyrics should touch you, even after 10 years you can listen to it with
same zeal. Recently I have composed a Punjabi score based on Baba Bulleh Shah Poetry.
How easy or difficult it is for a singer to establish in present time? We can see the top actors of film industry are trying new singers, which wasn’t the case earlier. So it is kind of encouragement for fresh talents and that is why there is ood of new singers. On the ip side, today a singer has to pass through the drilling approval session of not just music director and lyricist, but also of director, producer and actor too. For example, the actor will see whether the voice will suit him/her, the producer will look at the saleability of the voice etc. Thus, it becomes a tough competition.
Future plans? I wish to get trained further, specifically in classical genre. There is no end to learning music. Though presently I am focusing on Tollywood and singing in a few movies too (soon to be released), I am open to every film industry.
What lures you to singing? Artiste doesn’t sing to make money. I wouldn’t have left my job in Canada which was earning me sizeable amount of dollars and trade it for singing. I get a high when I see my audience enjoying and applauding. Singing is like breathing, I might forget anything else, but never singing.