There’s no experience that can fully prepare you for a new song. I still feel like a student. I’m constantly learning. Every song demands a new mindset and fresh effort,” says National Award-winning singer Shilpa Rao, as she approaches two decades in music. Speaking ahead of her now-cancelled Bengaluru concert, which was scheduled for April 5, Rao notes that the city has always been more than just another stop on the tour circuit. “We were approaching this concert very differently – the setlist was varied and spanned multiple languages. Audiences would have enjoyed the songs in a completely different way,” she says.
Even as the concert stands cancelled due to ‘unforeseen reasons’, her connection with the city remains unchanged. “The audience here sing along and request songs – it’s the energy that uplifts you as a performer,” she shares.
With superhits like Khuda Jaane, Mudhi Mudhi Ittefaq Se, Jazba, Kar Chalna Shuru Tu, Chuttamalle, Kaavaalaa and more people-favourites under her belt, Rao believes her versatility across genres and languages stems from one core principle: listening. “To be able to sing different kinds of music, you need to listen to different kinds of music first. It begins with having an open mind. Years of listening, researching and attending concerts help broaden your musical horizon,” she explains.
Raised in a household where music was a way of life, Rao credits her parents, especially her father, a trained Hindustani classical musician, for laying the foundation for her musical journey. “My father has been a musician all his life. Even at 75, he is still learning, and that’s incredibly inspiring,” she says, adding, “My parents wanted me to have music in my life more than anyone else – even more than I did. They wanted me to experience the joy and wonder of music and to never stop learning.”
Her grounding in raga-based music continues to influence her work, even as she moves fluidly across multiple languages and styles. “My training has been in raga-based music – that’s the form I’ve spent the most time with,” she notes.
Acknowledging the demands of singing in unfamiliar tongues, Rao emphasises collaboration – working closely with lyricists and composers to understand both meaning and emotion. Having collaborated with composers across generations – from Ilaiyaraaja (in Paa) to Anirudh Ravichander (Jawan), which earned her a National Award for Chaleya — she views each project as a shared creative effort. While the city may have to wait a little longer to see her perform, Rao remains anchored in the instinct that first drew her to music. “When you’ve been doing this for a long time, you need to find inspiration within yourself, especially on difficult days. You should always remember the version of yourself who wanted to be in music as a child and keep going back to that, “ she signs off.