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In an infant's cry or a rockstar's guitar, we all have our ways of interpreting music. But for her, it's simply a reason to be alive. "Music for me is like my breath," says the lady who depicts the voice of a courtesan as skilfully as that of a vamp, the wail of a lover as beautifully as that of an ingnue. Not a music diva or a melody queen, Asha Bhosle prefers to be called the nurturing grandmother to her grandson Chintu. With 13,000 songs in almost 64 years as a playback singer to her credit, even today she sounds as versatile as in her ever-famous numbers like 'Jhumka gira re' and 'Piya tu ab toh aaja'.
Journey everlasting
She appreciates the permutations of the music industry ever since she worked with legendary artistes like Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar. "I never ran after success. The reason I sang was purely for the love of music," explains Ashaji. Extraordinarily, for a 73-year-old she emits a great urge to face the challenges of life. "Every time I am presented with a new tune, I want to make it sound twice as better," she asserts. Nevertheless, one can't miss her gratitude towards her audience. "When I am nominated for an award, I tell myself that it's these people who are my award."
Too good to compete
She says her relationship with her listeners and colleagues is as personal as is her time home with her children. Therefore, it completely rules out even the mention of competition for her. "Today, singers like Lata didi and me have become an inseparable part of a music-loving Indian family. So to compete with the younger lot would be foolish," she says. But will the current lot of singers be able to carry forward the quality maintained for generations? "Experience teaches you everything. Maybe in a decade they will be as much of a household name as we are today."
Heartily remixed
The chemistry between Ashaji and RD Burman has become a pedestal for music makers to look up to. The difference being that today the music is mixed and re-mixed from that of the legendary composer himself. "When old songs are remixed, it rejuvenates the song for today's generation. Although the videos could be a little less obscene," she sighs. From working with each of the current day composers from AR Rahman to Vishal Bharadwaj, to escalating her international acts, the only complaint she has is the lack of ethics. "I think musical ethics fail to exist today. At times, I don't even see credits of singers with the song. Everybody wants to grab a bite of another's success."
Contemporary trends
"Himesh Reshammiya, who's that?" she asks while she contemplates her opinion on the emerging music trends. The fact that she mentions Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, as one of her favourite singers, explains the quality of music she prefers. "Look, nothing in this industry is permanent. If Pakistani bands are popular today, tomorrow it might be something else. The fact that an 80 per cent American audience gave me and the Kronos Quartet a standing ovation for playing RD Burman's songs proves that music knows no boundaries. It's just about making the right choice," she ends.
On sister Lata Mangeshkar
"We both are quite different from each other. Lata didi is old-fashioned while I am not. Also, she is very soft-spoken while I am a chatterbox. When we were younger, my mother used to call me her 'chamchi' because I used to cling to her all the time.
I admire her music a lot and she is no less than a mother to me."
The Best of Asha: Voices' Choice
- Shankar Mahadevan: Gaye Dino Ka Surag (Miraz-e-ghazal)
- Sunidhi Chauhan: Zindagi Itefaq Hai (Aadmi aur Insaan)
- Kailash Kher: Zara Haule Haule Chalo (Aar Paar)
- Sonali Rathod: Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja (Khel Khel Mein)
Music Corner
