INTERVIEWW OF SONU NIGAM
How has the music scenario changed since the time you took it up? You see when my first song was a hit, I did not become as big as the song. I mean like a singer today would become. The music scene has completely changed now. It's all about hype. I would never have got into playback singing if the Pop scene had been as strong then as it is today. I would have emerged a Pop singer with the right muscles, the right lip sync, and the right Western accent. At that time there were no options, so I just had to follow Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi. You mean if given a chance, you would today begin as a Pop singer and not a playback singer? Of course. Because Pop singers have an advantage over playback singers today. To begin with, Pop singers don't need to sing. They don't need to do any riyaz or rehearse because there are machines to pitch their voice correctly. Secondly, even if one of their songs becomes a hit they can ask for two lakhs per show. Whereas when I got five thousand rupees after 'Acha Sela Diya', I was grateful. Today if you offer one of these singers Rs. 50,000 for a song, they would hit the ceiling. Till today I have not been able to ask for such astronomical amounts, because my beginning as a playback singer was a very humble one.
One wonders whether you are a playback singer, a Pop singer, or a television host? Thank God, 'Sa Re Ga Ma' is No. 1 today. So as far as that role goes, I'm very secure. And in the last year, 20 to 25 film songs have become super duper hits. 'Dil Se', 'Pardes', 'Aur Pyar Ho Gaya', 'Border', 'Major Saab', 'Jeans' all have hit the jackpot. 'Sapnon Ki Baat' was my first Pop album. It was an album that got no promotion from the company, obviously the album didn't do well. It was a massive flop. Then I did 'Kismat' and 'Sanskar', which was a classical Bhajan album. 'Sanskar' was more an experimental attempt. I am very thrilled about this album. Now Shashi Gopal wants me to do something really big for him. But the problem is I am very busy because I have taken on a new job.
