People Are Using Actresses to Sing, Because it is Easier to Sell a Song - Neha Bhasin

Neha Bhasin is a bonafide singer who was part of the first Indian pop girl group Viva in the year 2001. She has sung songs in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. She was nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Award for Kuch Khaas from the movie Fashion in 2009 and released her debut solo album called Tabaah. Now with the release of her new single Jag Ghoomeya from Sultan, Neha Bhasin is set to take over the music industry one song at a time!

Everyone is loving the male version of Jag Ghoomeya right now. What is the importance of your version of the song?

*laughs* I have no idea! I haven’t seen the film as yet but I know that its’s filmed on Anushka and she has also done a video for it to promote the song. As you have already seen the male version and it is very nice so I’m also looking forward to it. I’m excited to see it.

What was it like working with Vishal and Shekhar?

They were amazing. It was a breeze actually. They’re like really chilled out to work with and they gave me a lot of freedom as a singer to do, you know what I wanted to do and also they are very appreciative. Like every time you do a take, they are very appreciative. So it’s very encouraging as a singer to work with them for sure.

What is your take on the Arijit-Salman controversy? And do you think Arijit’s reaction was justified?

Actually, I’m so tired of this controversy and anything I say starts becoming the headline of my interview. So I’m like, I’m so scared to be misquoted anymore. I’m just, I’m sorry I’m just tired of it, that’s all you can say! Unfortunately, I’ve sung a female version of a controversial song. Yeah it’s just, I’m just so tired of people making sensationalism about everything that anybody says!

What is your take on actresses like Priyanka Chopra and Alia Bhatt getting into singing as well as acting? What is your take on actresses taking over singing?

I just feel that I’m not going to name anybody. I’m not saying that this is about Priyanka or this is about Alia, but in general, I feel that all the actresses, most actresses are not trained singers. Hence they are using technology to make their voices sound like singers, which today is possible. Which I don’t think qualifies you as a singer. I just feel we should only sing if you can sing like Catherine Zeta Jones and Renee Zellweger in Chicago sang themselves and they had no auto-tune on it. They are trained for Broadway. You know, or a Nicole Kidman, she did a song with, what was that song, what was his name, he was in a band called take that? (Robbie Williams). Robbie Williams, yes! So you know like, she could sing really well or a Lindsay Lohan can sing well, I feel that they should only participate in music if they can really sing (And are professionally trained), or at least they should make an effort to take classes. That’s the only thing that I think is upsetting like the people are just using actresses to sing because it is easier to sell a song.

What do you prefer? Singing for Bollywood or singing as an independent singer?

I like both honestly. I wouldn’t stop doing either one of them.

I mean you obviously have more freedom in independent music videos...

See the independent scene is a process. So you know it’s like you breathe it every day. It’s, and singing for a film is a session. You go. You go in. You sing the song. You get out. Though Jag Ghoomeya was not like that for me because Jag Ghoomeya is done by Sameer Uddin who also produces the music for my folk stuff so I was very involved in the arrangement of the song and I was involved from the beginning of my version. So it was like how I work on my independent stuff, except for obviously the tune was already composed and the lyrics already done. But you know, like I lived with the song for a long time before I really went for the final recording.

It's a fact that singers are not given as much importance as actors when it comes to movies and you know in terms of publicity, what is your take one that?

I think it’s a very strategized thing, I think they do it on purpose. Because what I feel, that singers are thrown in the background for a reason. So I think it’s kind of unfair, but I think it’s changing, don’t you think it’s changing? So it’s changing and I think the industry is understanding that there is a major contribution that musicians, singers, music directors make to the industry and it is important to acknowledge that. I think my problem is not just with not having fame or whatever for the singers, but I think as long as there is enough acknowledgement like today. Earlier even credits used to happen like on Youtube and stuff, on a film song, yeah, but that is changing because the laws are becoming more streamlined, you know. Everybody is starting to speak up for their rights and stuff so I think it’s changing a bit, but it would get better, I feel.

What's next? Are there any songs in the upcoming movies or any independent album you coming out with?

So I’ve sung for a few films which are still underway, but independent I can tell you because that’s in my hand. So, I’ll be releasing Mera Laung Gawacha next, and two original singles as well. So, we’re going to work on all of them simultaneously, and whichever one we feel is the best, we’ll release that.