The Music Industry: Generation Next

As is wont to happen, sooner or later, the old give way to the new. The Indian music industry is witnessing one such upheaval where playback singers are concerned.

Originality counts

"The best part about their talent is the originality," says Vishal Bhardwaj, who used to dabble with quite a lot of new voices, like Kay Kay and Rekha Bhardwaj when he was actively composing music. "I find none of the new singers imitate the singing greats namely Lataji, Ashaji, Mukesh, Rafi Saab and Kishore Kumar. That's a very encouraging sign."

The masters' voices

Sonu Nigam was inspired by Mohd Rafi, Abhijeet was a Kishore Kumar clone .We even had a Kumar Sanu clone in Babul Supriyo! The country's top female playback singer of the '90s Alka Yagnik, was totally enamoured of Lata Mangeshkar.

No trace of legends

The change in the singing order started with Kay Kay Menon, Shaan and Shreya Ghosal who came in, at the turn of the millennium.

These singers didn't imitate the legendary voices, but forged their own path. Now we have singers like Arnab Mukherjee, Himani Kapoor and Vinit Singh — all acutely young singers with no trace of the singing legends in their voices.

Says Arnab, "I've sung the popular Vaada raha song in Khakee for Akshay Kumar, and three others as well. For an upcoming singer it's very important to sing for a popular leading man. That's the only way he gets noticed initially."

Vinit who's being trained by composer Himesh Reshammiya has already sung a song for the popular composer. "Yes," says Vinit, "I've sung the song for Zayed Khan in Rocky." All of 16, Vinit is already dreaming of singing for the established heroes.

Praise for Himani

Barely a couple of months in Mumbai, Himani Kapoor, again a finalist for the decisive music contest Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, recorded a thumri
for composer Aadesh Shrivastava in Kalpana Lajmi's Chingari.

Lajmi can't get over what she heard. "The minute she opened her mouth, I knew Himani had arrived. What confidence poise… and an absolutely original voice."

Now she has recorded yet another song, this time for Himesh Reshammiya. Says Aadesh appreciatively, "It's very rare to see a singer achieve such distinctinction at the age of 17. Himani seems to have goddess Saraswati's blessings straight in her throat."

TV success stories

Television has also given the industry other notable warblers. The Indian Idol winner Abhijeet Sawant and finalist Rahul Vaidya and Amit Sana, Fame Gurukul winners Ruprekha Banerjee and Qazi Tauqeer also seem destined for big-time success.

Says Aadesh, "I'd say they have it in them to make it even bigger than some of our most established play -back singers. Besides the josh and the junoon, they have the sur and range. That's what makes the upcoming generation of singers so special."