Chart-topping performer who breaks the rules with panache

Tune into any Asian radio station anywhere in the world today and it's probably Shaan's voice you'll hear first. But despite being Bollywood's most successful singer – by sheer chart presence – Shaan continues his search to break new ground and take his career to new heights. Some of that pizzazz will be on show tonight at the Dubai Aviation Club, where he performs alongside Pakistani bands Strings and Overload. Emirates Business caught up with him ahead of the show.



—You are a regular performer here in Dubai. Is the easy money a draw, or do you truly enjoy coming here?

—Dubai's so dynamic that it's great to be part of the energetic vibe. And my wife simply loves the shopping.

—Maybe it's time to buy a home here. Other Bollywood stars have…

—Funny you should say that, as someone just told me the other day the property prices have started to come down. I'll have to look into this now.

—After last year's awards streak for Saawariya [he won Best Playback Singer Male for the song Jab Se Tere Naina at almost every Bollywood awards night], how does it feel to be the most popular playback singer in India today?

—Bollywood playback is such an archaic term. We are simply composers/singers who are part of the package that comprises the film industry.

—So with the term, has the concept of making music also changed?

—Of course. Today, it's not about the music anymore but the whole entertainment package. Having the perfect voice texture isn't going to sell you as a singer – it's the novelty value. Even people with the singing abilities of the buskers on Mumbai's trains are making it big. Why? Because they sound different.

—Who do you mean?

—Let's take [singer/music composer/actor] Himesh Reshammiya as an example. He's a wonderful person who is dedicated to his art, but he lacks the conventional voice tonality. Yet, every single song and album of his tops the charts. You can't call this a fluke. [Pakistani singer] Atif Aslam is yet another whose voice is aesthetically appalling but he's still very popular. It's terrible to see that singing, which had a sense of beauty once, has now turned into a harshness of expression. As a writer, wouldn't you be upset if someone from your industry sets the precedent that from now on novels should not be intelligent literary works but fluff pieces? That's what's happening with Indian music today; we have to put up with cerebral trash.

—Is this frustrating as an artist?

—I have no reason to complain on a personal front because I'm enjoying success at this stage in my career.

—For someone who is so passionate about his music, does it upset you when you are asked, sometimes forced, to sing performance-led item songs?

—I'm a commercial worker who takes every song as a challenge. When I spend two hours on a song, be it an item number or club track, I will do my best to turn even a bad song into a good one.

—What's your daily song average?

—I record one or two, everyday; probably 400 songs in a year. Many aren't released for years because the film gets delayed.

—What does a Bollywood singer earn?

—Around Rs25,000 (Dh1,975) per song. It may increase or decrease depending on their budget. But I'm a sucker, so if a new filmmaker wants me to sing in his film and can't afford my fee, I'll do it anyway – we all started at the bottom.

—Is it true there's an old boys club in Bollywood and many new talents simply can't survive the might of established singers and composers?

—Not true at all. Everyone's hunting for new talents. And before you ask, there also isn't any rivalry amongst the old guys. We hang out together all the time.

—After last year's Tishnagi, when is your next pop album out?

—I know if I start work on my next album today, I could complete it in four months. But I'm just too lazy right now.

—But you manage to find the time to host reality television shows?

—Star Voice of India is fun. But lately, there's been an overkill of such music-based shows on TV so I'll see how I feel about hosting it if there is a next season.

—And which contestant is going to win this season?

—These things are not pre-decided [laughs]. Contrary to what you may think, people vote in their favourite singer and these votes are actually counted. Seriously.

—So who's the most overrated singer in Bollywood today?

—After all this, do you really want me to answer that?

—How about the most underrated?

—Why don't I tell you who's the most talented? Me.



Shaan, singer, composer, television host

Born Shantanu Mukherjee in 1972, Shaan inherited his talent from his father, music director Manas Mukherjee.

His first break came at the age of 15, when he sang for the smash-hit film, Parinda (1989). But he really became a household name in Asia with the release of his pop albums, Q-Funk, in 1995, and Naujawan, in 1996. Both featured his sister Saagrika.

In 2000, his album Tanha Dil, won the MTV Asia Music Award for Best Solo Album, and by 2006's Aksar, he had teamed with international pop acts Blue and Mel C.

He was soon the toast of Bollywood's music industry, and has had a string of hits, including Nikamma, Dus Bahane, Chaand Sifarish and Jab Se Tere Naina; the last two winning him several awards. Shaan has also managed to carve out a career as TV host with shows Sa Re Ga Ma, and Star Voice of India. He is married with two children.

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