Mumbai: At 29, Kanika Kapoor is the Indian muse for Italian designers, Emilio Pucci and Moschino. But that’s not what we know her for. Many would remember the singer for her chartbuster Baby Doll, which was picturised on Sunny Leone. And this masala number is what she feels was her ticket to Bollywood. Recording at home in a small studio setup as a kid, Kanika insists that singing comes naturally to her. “I come from Lucknow, the city of music and culture, and I learnt classical singing from the Benaras Gharana,” says the London-based singer.
When her first track Jugni Ji featuring Dr Zeus was released, it went on to become one of the biggest singles of 2012. And that kick-started Kanika’s career. She then shifted base to India and soon had several films in her kitty. “I had worked on a song with Dr Zeus two years ago and we got an opportunity to present that to Shah Rukh Khan,” says Kanika. “After that, we collaborated with Vishal and Shekhar to complete the song,” she adds about her track in Farah Khan’s Happy New Year.
King Khan is apparently very impressed with the Baby Doll singer’s track and is also planning to present the same in a remix version. “I’m also working on Manish Jha’s The Legend of Michael Mishra, Leelato and collaborating with an Arab artiste,” she reveals about her upcoming project. Laced with Punjabi, Sufi and folk influences, her songs are a huge hit. Ask her if that’s her USP, she says, “These are definitely some of my favourite music styles, but not the only genres I sing. My upcoming songs will have a lot of variation.” She adds, “Pakistani folk singer, Reshma (who had sung Lambi Judai) has definitely been one of my biggest influences in the industry.”
Having walked the ramp for Amrapali, Alberta Ferretti, Louis Vuitton and with fashion maestro, Karl Lagerfeld,whom she likes to call “Uncle Karl,” Kanika says that her modelling career goes hand-in-hand with her singing career. “I’ll even consider acting if I get some great offers,” says the pretty singer and model. But if you think that’s a lot on her plate, this single mom is quite the multi-tasker with three doting kids aged 11, 9 and 6! But she promises that she finds time to unwind, “A spa day here and there is a good break. I also love to design, secretly of course,” she says about one of her many hidden talents.
