BANGALORE: With 4 National Awards, 4 Filmfare Awards, and 29 awards in all, Shreya Ghoshal is the most awarded playback singer today. From the movie Devdas till date, her voice resounds in almost all the movies made both in Bollywood and down South. She has been performing all over the world and captivating audiences with her charming personality and musical ability. After winning numerous awards for her melodious tracks, Shreya Ghoshal impressed music lovers at Palace Grounds in Bangalore recently. The three-hour concert featured a live fusion jam with 12 leading singers too. TNIE catches up with the singer on the eve of her performance.
■ Who were your major influences growing up?
Both my parents were music lovers. My father was from the science background, but he had a good ear for music. My mother was my first teacher. She loved singing and she passed it on to me. Eventually they realised, I had the potential to become a professional singer. And, the rest is history.
■ You’re songs seem to have been a hit in all languages, be it Kannada, Malayalam or Tamil. What do you have to say to this?
First of all, I must say that I’ve been blessed with such a beautiful voice by God. Of course there is a lot of hard work involved but the constant need to grow and the hunger to learn more is what keeps me going.That is probably why when I sing in other languages I’m able to grasp it well. I feel blessed to sing these beautiful melodies.
■ When you started out in Sa Re Ga Ma in 1996, did you ever dream of reaching at this stage?
Not at all, I’ve never even dreamed of it. I don’t even know where I’m headed to in the next three days, let alone a year.
■ How important is it to perform at live shows today?
They have always been extremely important. Our legendary stars too have done shows but those shows were much bigger. There were live orchestras back then. However, today we perform with the electronic orchestra and for smaller audiences, and one doesn’t earn so much from playback singing. So, shows are an avenue to earn additional income.
■ What genres of music do you prefer listening to?
I listen to everything from Indian classical, jazz to old Hindi numbers and a little bit of rock.
■ Any message for your fans in Bangalore?
I love Bangalore and its versatile crowd. I feel welcome here and will always come back.