Delhiites did end their 2024 on a high note. The city danced on every beat with the performance of musical prodigy Dhvani Bhanushali at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel recently. Bhanushali has become a sensation in the music industry.
Beginning her career by sharing covers on YouTube, she has transitioned into Bollywood playback singing and independent pop music.
“My biggest takeaway from my journey would just be to keep going on and have patience. I feel it’s more about being an artist and about discovering yourself as an artist”.
Young talent
Her breakout single, ‘Vaaste’, reached one billion views, making her the youngest pop singer to achieve this milestone while also earning spots on the Billboard and BBC Music charts. Bhanushali continued to give hits like ‘Dilbar’ (Satyameva Jayate), ‘Psycho Saiyaan’ (Saaho), and ‘Sauda Khara Khara’ (Good Newwz).
On ‘Dilbar’ crossing the one billion mark, the singer says, “I think it’s my third song that crossed a billion views on YouTube. I feel there are many people I need to credit it for. I was lucky to be a part of the group as a newcomer and the song has given me a lot of love.”
With her debut Bollywood film Kahan Shuru Kahan Khatam, Dhvani is making her mark in the film world as well. Her character, Meera, has been significantly inspired by Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan’s iconic character Geet. “My idea was to be a complete artist. I have always been excited to explore and play different personalities and I believe that’s what made me take the step. Also, as an Indian, I feel everyone in the country wants to become an actor,” she says.
Whether it’s a romantic ballad like ‘Leja Re’ or a high-energy track like ‘Na Ja Tu’, Bhanushali is able to pull it off. She now ranks among the top female playback singers in Bollywood.
Getting noticed
The artist talks about how the internet has become a boon for emerging talent. “You can really show what you’re about completely on the internet. But it is true one also can get lost in the pool and start to compare oneself with others and somewhat lose the sense of self. As long as you’re not looking around too much and using it just as a tool, I think the internet is fantastic,” she says.
Her recent collaboration on ‘Baby Girl’ with pop sensation Guru Randhawa has surpassed 50 million views; she has over three million followers on Instagram.
Bhanushali says Indian music hasn’t been given its due on the world-stage. “I feel like it’s always on the sidelines. Powerful Indian artists are not given their due as much as we’d like it to. But maybe the world is slowly opening up to us and I think it’s just a matter of time before that happens.”
Transforming from a YouTube sensation to pop sensation, Dhvani continues to captivate audiences with her soulful performances.
“I wanted to get into doing music for myself and tell my story as an artist and that’s why I think pop was my calling. I’m happy that my career sort of transitioned and it’s just been a beautiful journey so far.”
Her advice for emerging talents? “One needs to have a lot of patience. Just focus on the journey over the failures,” she says.