Having sung party numbers including “Don't be Shy” from the recent “Bala”, “Balam Pichkari” singer Shalmali Kholgade feels that singer's identity is not limited to her voice. “Singers used to have a particular style of singing like Rafi Sahab's voice was attached to melancholy while Kishore was more known for upbeat songs which were full of energy. Given the number of singers and a number of platforms like social media and YouTube, the singer’s skill is not limited to your singing alone. I can speak for myself and I think dancing and performance are equally part of my identity,” says Shalmali who has recently released her Gaana single “Ruka Ruka” and its music video features Aparshakti Khurana with her in a take on modern relationships.
“I was judging a show and a contestant Digvijay came to me with a small song tune. I loved it and decided to make it. The germ of the idea was to show the relationship between two people who are going through a phase where they feel awkward around each other. You don't know how to exactly express and you feel like “sab kuch ruka sa hai”,” relates Shalmali. The lack of communication, she says, is a major problem these days. “When we are stuck in phones, messages and we don't understand the tone and perspective of what others are saying. Vasudev and Puneet Sharma wrote wonderful lines and it was a collaborative effort,” she underlines.
When one is singing for a film song, she says, one adapts to a narrative.
“When you are singing an independent song, you have your own narrative and your own feeling attached to it. In playback singing, your face is not attached to the song. People recognise you by your voice but they never get to know the singer much. It is essential for a singer to get audience reactions directly. I want a song to speak my personal experiences and I am the protagonist who is showing that emotion.” But, she adds, it is a learning experience because it requires a different set of skills. “I absolutely hope that I will have both of these worlds,” she avers.
Trained in classical music, Shalmali says, it is not about training but it is the discipline one goes through in formative years that helps in the long run. “Because of that training, you get used to practice. When you learn your basics, they become your pillars on which you stand. I was blessed to be in a home where music was part of everyday life.”
She admits that she is “fun-loving” and that reflects in songs such “Balam Pichkari” and “Baby ko Bass Pasand Hai”. “I have a little of that ‘Balam Pichkari’ personality which comes through my voice. But I want to show a Ruka Ruka personality too which I do not get to show in films. I mostly get ‘Lat Lag Gayi’ or ‘Baby ko Bass pasand hai’ kind of songs in films. I am that person and that is the reason those songs did well, as I sounded convincing. But, there is a part of my voice which is not satisfied. I am a big cry baby and I get affected very easily."
On what it means to be a female singer, Shalmali says she has a voice that women around her can associate themselves with. “Recently, I was at a show where a bunch of girls came to me and said they love me. You would expect boys to come and praise you but they were girls and they came up to me. I felt that it was camaraderie. We are each other's voice. We talk so much about women empowerment but it is just about speaking your mind and living free,” stresses Shalmali.
