Sona Mohapatra Criticizes Jasleen Royal’s Coldplay Performance: Calls It ‘Terrible’ and Questions Industry’s M

Jasleen Royal’s performance at Coldplay’s Mumbai concert in January stirred controversy. Many criticized her singing, calling it "offbeat" and "out of tune." Music composer Vishal Dadlani even described it as "embarrassing." Now, singer Sona Mohapatra has added her voice to the debate, expressing her disappointment over Jasleen's performance.

In a conversation with Indie’N Folk Project, Sona said she does not consider Jasleen an artiste or performer.

When the whole Jasleen controversy happened, people were saying ‘she can’t sing.’ It was heartbreaking. It sounded terrible. It was such a huge stage and opportunity. It felt like she was informed at the last moment, but that wasn’t the case. There were backing singers and a full-fledged band in place.

- Sona Mohapatra

Sona further criticized the music industry for prioritizing social media numbers over real talent. She remarked, “There is a lack of foresight when it comes to corporates and labels. Maybe you are a good songwriter, but that doesn’t mean you are a good performer. Just because you have made a video with Dulquer Salmaan and received views, does it mean you are a good performer? No. There are much more deserving artistes. If the industry worked on merit, that artiste—” Sona then paused and corrected herself, refusing to even call Jasleen an artiste or performer.

She further added, “It was heartbreaking for all of us. No one was celebrating. I wasn’t thinking, ‘If I was there, I would have done better.’ I just felt bad. You can’t judge a person based on the number of views. I don’t know what criteria were used to select her for this stage.”

Jasleen Royal, known for her songs like "Din Shagna Da" and "Ranjha," has yet to respond to these criticisms. However, the debate on talent versus popularity continues to spark discussions in the industry.