HYDERABAD: Nikhita Gandhi, the voice behind Bollywood chart toppers such as Kesariya, Najaa, Jugnu, Naach Meri Rani, Burj Khalifa and Qaafirana will be in Hyderabad for a live performance this weekend. We speak to her about her journey, chart-topping hits, and more
If there’s one singer who is full of surprises, then that’s popular Bollywood playback singer Nikhita Gandhi. Hailing from Kolkata, the multilingual artiste studied Dental Surgery in Chennai’s S R M College and Hospital while she trained in Hindustani Classical music at AR Rahman’s KM Music Conservatory. Having worked with the likes of Pritam, Salim-Sulaiman, Sachin-Jigar, Amit Trivedi and Shankar Mahadevan, the 29-year-old Nikhita recently released her single Bura Na Mano Yaara. Having displayed a key interest and passion for composing and writing, the singing sensation added another success to her indie discography, she recently dropped a new EP titled Saazish comprising three songs — Saazish, Khushnaseeb, and Pitch Black Dark.
CE catches up with the versatile singer behind Kesariya, Raabta, Burj Khalifa, Naach Meri Rani and Qaafirana in Hindi and Yedetthu Mallele, Dhooram in Telugu about Hyderabad, Tollywood, the making of her new EP and what it takes to make indie music.
Talking about what brings her to the city this time around, she says, “I am performing with Badshaah at Air Live, Gachibowli. I am very excited about it, even though we collaborated earlier in Jugnu and Bad Boy, this will be our first live performance together. I have been to Hyderabad quite a few times to perform. I started my career in the Tamil and Telugu movie industry. I have quite a bit of fan following here so it is always a pleasure to come to Hyderabad to perform. The crowd is amazing.”
Further adding how has the city evolved as a music-loving one over the years, the Dhooram singer says, “The Telugu movie and music industry is nonparallel. It is the best industry for artists, as the love they get is great.”
Kesariya from Brahmastra has been topping the music charts ever since its release. “I have played a very small role in the song but the reactions and love that I received were so much. I get tagged every day on some cover or the other of the song. It is great to share all this love.” Nikhita has written, composed and sung Saazish. But when asked which role is closer to her heart, she says, “ I love it all. At the end of the day, I am a musician and not only a singer or a songwriter. I just love creating. Contemporary pop is a major chunk of the genre I sing in and it comes to me very naturally. I am looking forward to sharing some of the international collaborations which have already been recorded. There are a few more in the talks as well. I am super excited for more and more collaborations overseas.”
According to the versatile singer, a lot has changed post the lockdown in the Indian music industry. “More attention is being given, there is freedom in the indie music industry and a lot of opportunities,” she shares. But again on the other side, there is a world of social media trends. “I feel social media has pressurised all artists to be proactive on the platform,” she signs off.