Alka Yagnik: There is a lot of noise in music today

Alka Yagnik’s comeback song 'Agar Tum Saath Ho' in Tamasha is simple yet melodius
From 1988’s 'Ek Do Teen' (Tezaab) to 2008’s 'Ringa Ringa' (Slumdog Millionaire), Alka Yagnik has become an extremely choosy singer. Quite vocal about the way Hindi film songs are losing melody and soul, she tells us about what she misses in Bollywood music, why she loves to work with AR Rahman and why she’s keeping away from singing many film songs.Excerpts from the interview.
After singing for AR Rahman in various Bollywood and international projects, you've worked with him again in 'Agar Tum Saath Ho'.
Yes, I sang for Rahman after a long time with this number. It’s a melodious duet with Arijit Singh. He was abroad when he contacted me for 'Agar Tum Saath Ho' for the film Tamasha. We chatted over the internet on how he wanted me to sing this song. Rahman gives a lot of freedom to his artistes when it comes to singing his songs. I love his compositions and have learnt a lot from him. He just knows what kind of songs will suit my voice and personality. When I heard the song, I fell in love with it. It is very my kind of song as it has melody, emotion and longing.
READ: Alka Yagnik's niece Garima debuts as singer
We don’t see you singing much in Bollywood now. Why is that?
I don’t like the current music scenario where most songs lack melody and soul. There is a lot of noise in music today. There are very few songs that have melody and I like listening to. Most of them have no recall value. Besides, I also don’t enjoy this whole remix thing that has cropped up in music. So how will songs which are composed today suit my voice? I can’t sing anything and everything. It has to match my tonal quality so I am choosy about it.
What do you miss about your earlier days as a singer in films?
I miss the live recordings we used to do in those days. The entire song would be recorded in one go, at one place. The grandeur of those live recordings was something else, unlike today where you record the song in bits and pieces. It’s like taking the bits and pieces from everywhere and putting them together. There is no regular flow now.
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You have been Bollywood playback for three decades now. Over the last 30 years, what are the changes you have seen in Bollywood music?
The current phase is a different one. Among the positive changes, technologically, we have really advanced but being technologically sound is not good enough. I feel as though we have progressed so much, but at the same time, we have compromised on the soul of music. There are many good music composers but songs with an evergreen quality are hardly made now. There are also many new singers and it would be unfair to point out who is good among them all, but it remains to be seen which singer will last long here. Singers don’t have a big shelf life now.
Are you promoting your niece Garima?
I would not say I am promoting Garima, but yes, she is a good singer and I would definitely like her to meet people in the industry and pursue her singing here. If she sings well, what’s wrong?
What is keeping you busy right now?
Currently, I am keeping busy with my month-long tour in the US. Earlier, I was a very shy person so I kept away from live concerts and singing in front of huge crowds. I am so happy with my concerts and albums that there is hardly time to think of doing anything else. I also enjoy judging reality shows.
What is your take on music reality shows?
They give a strong platform to new singers to showcase their talent. It gives them a great opening into the music industry but the bad side is, the minute they start singing here, they think they are stars. A reality show does not promise fame to every contestant. Children give up on their studies and start behaving like stars but they don’t understand that it is a long battle ahead. My advice to these young children is to stay rooted and focus on classical training. It is very easy to get into this whole glam thing and divert your energies more towards the way you look and present yourself than actually sing. When I see these youngsters, I realise that they are more focussed on the media glare than on the music. The bent is more towards l ooking good, wearing designer clothes and presentation than singing.
Listen to hits of Alka Yagnik on Gaana.com
WATCH: Agar Tum Saath Ho VIDEO Song | Tamasha |