YOURS! Neha Bhasin

POPULAR SINGER NEHA BHASIN HAS ALWAYS BEEN A ROCK STAR! FROM HER SENSATIONAL ENTRY INTO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AS PART OF CHANNEL V’S 5-GIRL POP GROUP VIVA IN 2002 TO MAKING HER MARK AFTER GOING SOLO AND HAVING CHARTBUSTERS LIKE ‘JAG GHOOMEYA’ (SULTAN), ‘HEERIYE’ (RACE 3) TO HER CREDIT AMONGST SEVERAL REGIONAL HITS INCLUDING THOSE IN THE PUNJABI AND SOUTH INDUSTRY, SHE’S BEEN UNSTOPPABLE IN HER JOURNEY. BOLD AND OUTSPOKEN, THE FIERCENESS HAS NOT DIMMED AT ALL IN HER TWO DECADES HERE, BUT STEPPING INTO THE THIRD DECADE, NEHA TELLS ME THAT SHE’S WISER WHEN CHOOSING HER BATTLES NOW AS I CATCH UP WITH THE SONGSTRESS IN DUBAI. IN A CANDID CHAT, SHE ALSO TALKS ABOUT BRIDGING THE INDIE SPACE WITH FILM MUSIC AND TRYING MORE EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC THIS YEAR. EXCERPTS

AAKANKSHA NAVAL-SHETYE

What is the biggest change you have seen in the music industry?

I think the music industry changes every few years. So when I came in we sort of superseded Devdas that year in CD sales. Cut to within a few years itself, the pop industry completely vanished. Playback was always big but then it became the only music industry at that point. And then there was a long void in terms of what is the next step.

Followed by these different platforms emerge big, the Indie and Bollywood music – each found its own space! Today OTT is one of the biggest platforms and COVID kind of cemented that. That phase was again the rise of independent, non-film music. South industry is becoming really big too.

Some of your own biggest hits have been from the South!

Yes, I have sung many songs in Tamil and Telugu. And I don’t sing very often but when I sing, it becomes a hit. So, it kind of works for me. I work a lot with DSP. And he is making his headway now in a big way. And I think in general the South industry is now taking center stage which I think was long overdue. Because they are a talented market and I’ve always felt that way. Very professional, very passionate.

The indie artistes today have that many more platforms to explore as an option, as against just the playback singing!

Oh yes! You see so many niche artistes like Prateek Kuhad, who’ve had massive success. He’s one of the biggest examples of somebody who’s became famous on listening portals. But many of you were leading in that space back then before it all moved to Bollywood! Honestly speaking there was no choice at that time. Like if you wanted to be somebody, you had to do playback singing. Otherwise, you won’t be considered as an important part of the overall music industry. 90s had a very small phase of indie-pop. And in 2002 when we came, it was the last trickle of it. So it was a very weird time. For us it was still different, because we had a big machinery behind us. The real journey started after the breakup of the band wherein you realize that now you’re as common as everybody else. You’re popular as a band, but your solo equity doesn’t really exist at this point.

But you never gave up on that Indie space completely?

Yes, even today I’ll do both. I never really stopped doing my own music because that’s how I started out and that’s what I really believe in, even more than playback singing. Playback singing for me is like a job. But the Indie music scene is like a process. It’s like making your own film or making your own web series.

Your voice wasn’t the most conventional when it came to Bollywood, yet, you have found that niche into mainstream singing… Yes, we did have like a Shweta Shetty and others back then, but they still weren’t considered mainstream voices. I always say that I think Sunidhi (Chauhan) was probably among the first few who broke that barrier in the film industry. For artistes like me, who were just entering the industry, it was very different. Especially this voice is not we are used to listening to. And I’m talking about the industry, not so much the audience. They were used to thinner voices with higher ranges. And here I was singing low with typical Punjabi husky voice, which today I feel they are celebrating. So I guess you have to wait your time.

So, what’s coming up for you next?

I have sung for a couple of films. One of the new Salman Khan starrers. In fact that should be releasing sometime soon. Then I am releasing my own folk single. This year there would be a lot of releases. I am planning to release every two months like my own music, other than film music anyway. Also, we have a series called ‘Folktales’. Unfortunately we released it and in three days we went into lockdown in 2020. So we want to release it again this year, second season – a series of 10-12 folk songs. And I want to bring in legends like Gurdas Maan Ji and Hansraj Hans.

Right now everything’s on social media, more than just singing, it’s also a lot about your fitness, your looks!

It’s always been like that for me. Nothing’s changed there. We started our career with a massive movement and back in the day we were literally trained like actresses. We were 1819, but it was like you can’t go to the airport without heels, you have to be in full makeup, and there was all cakey makeup, it was pancake wala zamana (laughs). We were groomed for everything. So for me, nothing has changed. In fact, I feel I have become easier going than what I was. Also today, I’m more comfortable in my skin, ‘this is me, take it or leave it’.

You’ve always been very outspoken, so what’s your take on social media trolling?

I think you have your phases. I used to give it back a lot back in the day. I still end up doing it sometimes but now most of the time I just ignore. At that time there was a reason, I felt that there was a need to speak up because we were normalizing bullying and trolling is a form of abuse and bullying. But now, it is just the way it is. Unfortunately, even social media platforms are working on the basis of traction wherein negativity gets more traction. So, I think we just have to rise above and beyond and do your thing. They’re still watching you anyway, right (laughs).

What’s the secret of being Neha Bhasin!

I think I have purity of intention, in general, not just work, but also the way I live my life. That also means that I make mistakes very blatantly and very openly. I think that I accept my humanness. I have realized one thing. There’s nothing that’s permanent - not your success, not your failure. And like you said, I’ve seen real big highs at a very young age, and I’ve also seen real dips! A lot of people think that struggles are only money-based or lifestyle-based, but it’s a lot more than that. Finding a voice as an artiste, that’s more important. So many of them come and go. It’s only the few five or 10 per cent that really get to leave a mark through good work. So I think the journey is about reaching there. Learning and growing along the way. I don’t take myself seriously. I’m in the race but not in the rat race. Like I’m still competitive but I’m not really competing or trying to prove myself to anybody.

What is that one lesson you have learnt through it all?

The biggest learning is to accept that the world will never validate you. You can win the biggest awards out there, but

A lot of people think that struggles are only money-based or lifestyle-based, but it’s a lot more than that. Finding a voice as an artiste, that’s more important. So many of them come and go. It’s only the few five or 10 per cent that really get to leave a mark through good work. So I think the journey is about reaching there no amount of accomplishments is going to make you feel validated till you validate yourself. So, it’s most important. You have to love yourself, not in an egotistical way, but love yourself how you’re going to love your child. Be passionate, be kind to yourself and focus on your own growth versus looking around because that never helps.