Raising the bar! Rekha Bhardwaj

SOULFUL SINGER REKHA BHARDWAJ WAS RECENTLY IN DUBAI, WHERE SHE LEFT THE CROWDS MESMERIZED WITH HER SOUL-STIRRING SONGS. AAKANKSHA NAVAL-SHETYE SPOKE TO THE SINGER ABOUT HER EXCITEMENT OF PERFORMING LIVE AND ALL THINGS MUSICAL

There’s a beautiful quality about Rekha Bhardwaj’s voice! It blends with the soul just as e ortlessly as it can tease you with its mischievous undertones. Little wonder then that the singer’s repertoire boasts of such variations. So while she has to her credit songs like ‘Naina Thag Lenge’ (Omkara), ‘Kabira’ (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani), ‘Aise Kyun’ (Mismatched), ‘Phir Le Aaya Dil’ (Barfi), she also has on her list fun numbers like ‘Genda Phool’ (Delhi 6), ‘Pehli Baar Mohabbat’ and ‘Raat Ke Dhai Baje’ (Kaminey), ‘Mileya Mileya’ (Happy Ending), ‘Ghaghra’ (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani), ‘Darling’ (7 Khoon Maaf), amongst others. As we catch up with the singer at the Winter Music Fest Presented by Danube Properties and organised by Spotlight Entertainment, she talks to us about the immersive experience of performing LIVE and also reveals the best way to describe her music!

What is the most exciting part about performing LIVE, especially in a place like Dubai that has so many expats? The best thing about a public show is that you connect with the audience directly and when they love your music back, that energy just multiplies. That becomes something magical, a feeling, emotions that we all experience together. And that’s what matters the most. And I always love performing in Dubai because the audience is really well-tuned to the music and they understand shayari. There’s a different vibe in performing LIVE. When recording in a studio you can have multiple takes, you can re-dub a song, make the changes… But in a LIVE there’s no room for that. And by God’s grace, somehow miracle happens and there’s something magical about singing LIVE, there’s a collective energy I feel and I completely transform on stage.

Your music is very soulful, tapping the Sufi and the folk, both! How would you describe your music?

I would just say that my music - its music of the heart! Whatever I sing from my heart, my soul reaches the hearts of my listeners. Now whether they find it to be healing, or joyful or soulful, as long as they connect, my work is done as an artiste! Because when I sing, I heal myself, I meditate! Also, the lyrics, they are so layered so like whether it’s Gulzaar Saab, his words add more layers – there’s a philosophy, a depth and these layers keep unfolding and stir the listeners.

Is there any difference you see in the audience’s choices especially now with their exposure to music due to multiple platforms? Every artiste, every song, every music has its own journey and finds its own audience! So whether there’s more exposure to music or less, if the song is good, it will find its way home into the hearts of the musiclovers. More exposure is more awareness, but there’s something for everyone and when fulfilling experience. I like to blend my songs, start with a more soulful number, melody wise. Then move to like a ‘Raat ke dhai baje’ or ‘Ranjha Ranjha’ in between that I talk to the audience, interact with them, share anecdotes, explain a little, talk about the wordings, I dance a lot on stage, so there’s a lot of exchange of energies and that’s fuel for the artiste. I think I come alive when I am on stage.

As a Bollywood singer, have you ever had to compromise with the kind of songs that you’ve he insisted that I try. And when I heard that song, even I couldn’t believe that I could do it. So sometimes it’s their vision and I have learnt to trust that. they still choose to pay and buy a ticket to listen to your music, it means that much more.

What are the songs you enjoy singing on stage the most?

I enjoy everything. Sometimes you may have a certain line-up ready, but then you change as per the vibe of the audience. I may start with ghazal and then do some more energetic numbers or the other way around, so whatever the song, I just enjoy singing it wholeheartedly, with joy! You should have something to take back home with you, as audience as well as an artiste! So, I’m blessed that so far each and every performance for me has been a very chosen to sing? Actually, I’ve mostly been offered songs that the music composers know I will be able to sing. Like over a period of time they understand what kind of songs I can sing and my temperament! But then there are some who make you push the envelope as a singer. There have been times, when I wasn’t so confident of pulling a song, but the music composers had full faith and confidence in me.

Like Sachin and Jigar! When they offered ‘Mileya Mileya’ to me, I told Sachin that it’s such a young song, how would I be able to sing it. But

Because if the music director believes in you… then you’ll rarely ever fail. Like Pritam, when he asked me to sing ‘Phir le aaya dil’ I enjoyed it so much! In fact later he spoke in an interview that though he loved all versions of the song, the ghazal version is his favourite. So that kind of gives you more confidence to trust their instinct too. Then there’s Sachin’s ‘Judaayi’ in Badlapur or ‘Ek Ghadi’ in D-Day! Those will always be special when the trust factor was key. When the song released, the love just kept pouring in from across! So sometimes you have to trust the process, and if the director sees you in that song, then trust that too. The reach of music is unbelievable. As performers, we get the credit for the song after the actors who are the face of it on the screen. But if you really go to see, it is the music composers, the team everyone who deserves the credit too.

Is Vishal Sir (husband and filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj) a fan or a critic?

Both (laughs). If I sing well, he praises me, and if he thinks I am getting distracted, he is quick to point out that I should pay more attention to the riyaaz! Like if I spend too much time with my pet retriever – Roohdaar – he will tell me that I need to take care of my singing, my health too as it will reflect in the songs!