Bollywood lacks a proper music industry: Shibani Kashyap

(life) Singer Shibani Kashyap, known for her movie songs like "Sajna aa bhi jaa" and "Zinda hoon main", has been away from Bollywood for almost five years now. The last time she sang a number was "Sannata" in 2014 for the movie "Identity Card". While her focus remains on making good music, she would love to make a comeback in Bollywood. In a candid conversation with life, Kashyap shares her views on the current music industry scene and the rise of pop music in India.

Read excerpts:

When are you making a comeback in Bollywood?

Shibani: My music is beyond Bollywood. I made a strong impact on Bollywood with songs like "Sajna aa bhi jaa", "Zinda hoon main" and at least seventeen other films. I sang and composed my own songs that have an impactl. My latest track "Akhiyan Udeekdiyan × ve main chori chori" (collaboration with Suryaveer) has done very well. I'd love to do a song again for a Bollywood film, but my focus is to make good music wherever the platform.

You have been doing a lot of concerts all over the country. How have you seen the audience, their taste and response changing over the years?

Shibani: I have been doing concerts all over the country and the world. The audience in India is evolving a lot, they are ready to absorb good music even if it's not popular. People love singing along dancing and unwinding in a concert; they enjoy all genres of music but what remains the same is the love and energy from the audience.

Pop music is making a comeback in India. Do you agree?

Shibani: I started my career with pop music with the chartbuster "Ho gayi hai Mohobbat". Pop music is surely making a comeback now with artistes like

Aastha Gill, Badshah, Doorbeen, Hardy Sandhu. Songs like "Lamborghini", "Tera ghata", "Tera buzz" etc. are as huge and popular as any Bollywood song.

With the advent of the internet and social media, how do you think it has helped the pop culture to grow in India?

Shibani: The digital space and platforms are helping hugely to promote content and this is just the right time for pop music to flourish. Social media has made the Indian pop culture massive. Everything is a click away. Music entertainment trends content is accessible on our gadgets, our phones. We are almost getting global with our content now.

But do you think independent artistes in India are given their due respect?

Shibani: Independent artistes have their own cult following, but there is still a long way to go before we can say that they are given their respect in India. In India, Bollywood is the big picture and I feel there is still a lack of a proper music industry here. It would be great if artistes could be more united with each other.

How difficult or easy it is for an artiste to survive in the industry?

Shibani: It's not difficult if an artiste is original, unique and producing regular content. Look at some examples of successful YouTubers like Badshah, Gajendra Singh, etc. Now Bollywood wants to use their talent in films. Today a self-reliant pro-active artiste can be very successful.

What are your upcoming projects?

Shibani: I will leave for Dubai to judge and mentor a UAE-based reality show called "THE ONE". I'm also looking forward to releasing a Punjabi single with Gaana originals for Gaana.com and working on a remake of my song "Sajna aa bhi jaa" with the band Doorbeen (of "Lamberghini" fame). Releasing a single called "Aishq" with UK-based music label called Your Damn Self (YDS) in collaboration with DJ Sin.

Shibani who will be performing at DLF CyberHub in Gurugram on November 23 to celebrate its sixth anniversary.(Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@.in)

( With inputs from IANS )