The singer opens up about music, life and why she loves Dubai, ahead of her Eid performance in the city.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been in the city so there are a lot of songs pending for the local audience,” she told City Times over the phone from Mumbai. “Fans can expect a wide range of music and I’ll even take requests! I’ll definitely do Nagada Sang Dhol (Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ramleela), which I think is apt for the celebrations there. And Sunn Raha Hai (Aashiqui 2) is a definite favourite. New and fresh sounds include the beautiful Samjhavan (Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya) and also Hangover (Kick) – a very cute track with Salman Khan that released recently.”
As she spoke of music, success and life in her trademark child-like soft tones throughout our interview, it wasn’t hard to see why Shreya’s songs have time and again left listeners spellbound. And UAE fans seem to occupy a special place in her heart.
“At the end of the day I know my audience wants to hear certain songs from me and if any listeners have a special request, I keep that in mind and try to accommodate it during the performance.”
‘Dubai is beautiful’
Shreya was all praise for Dubai, which she said was like “an extension of your home city.”
“Firstly it’s so close to home. Mumbai to Dubai… it’s as if I’m going from Mumbai to Kolkata. And I must say that the population of the Asian community is so huge that I don’t feel as if I’m abroad or in a very different land – it is so warm and homely. Dubai is beautiful, and so disciplined. At the same time the energy there is unique; I think there is no reason not to fall in love with Dubai. Also, whenever concerts have taken place the audience is so charged up, there’s a completely different vibe at these events. Whether it’s for my concert or someone else’s, I think there is much love and warmth for the artists, and it feels great to receive that.”
Passion and focus
Not every aspiring singer gets to taste success in tinseltown. Of the many who manage to gain a foothold through reality show platforms, only a few are able to obtain a constant stream of work and make a name for themselves, others often fading into obscurity forever. After winning Sa Re Ga Ma as a child artiste, Shreya was catapulted into the limelight, and has gone from strength to strength in the playback singing industry. She attributes it all to hard work. “My journey so far has been beautiful. You know, people say there’s too much struggle involved, but I believe without a struggle there is no fun. If everything comes easily to you then there is no sense of satisfaction at having achieved something. Also, God has been too kind and my parents have been my most important support system. I’ve never had to think too much about anything. In all these years I’ve done a substantially good amount of work and whatever happens, if all this goes out of my hands today I’m not going to regret anything or cry over my fate. I’m already way too blessed; all I try every day is to do my job with 100% focus and passion, both of which have not changed. These are constants in a scenario where I understand more about my life and my art. I’m growing up as an artist.”
Road to Nostalgia
Music has the unique ability to retrieve powerful memories and is often an outlet for raw emotions like joy and heartbreak. We asked Shreya if there are any songs in particular that trigger an intensity of feeling in her. “For me, music definitely has nostalgic value. For example, whenever I listen to Bengali Rabindrasangeet, I feel as if it’s a Sunday afternoon…it’s a holiday, everyone is at home, good food is being made; the memories of being with family warm my heart. I have heard so many songs in my lifetime that I don’t feel there is any one song that describes a particular emotion completely. I think good memories stem from certain genres of music. However I do associate many emotions with Suniyo Ji Araj Mhariyo from Lekin, because this is a song I have performed in various competitions; a sense of nervousness lingers when I hear it. I feel as if I’m on the path of some bigger dream; I get goosebumps, sometimes butterflies in my tummy.”
The magic of Devdas
While Shreya’s impressive repertoire continues to grow by leaps and bounds, the girl who won millions of hearts with a phenomenal Bollywood playback debut in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas seems to have her feet firmly planted on the ground. She admitted to being blown away by the response to the movie and its music.
“I knew that Devdas was a huge film and there was a lot of buzz about the songs; I felt people would be interested in knowing about the new singer (me). My name was kept under wraps all the while the film was being made. That actually made me much more nervous but at the same time I was so young and unsure of how this world works that my attitude was – ‘even if this doesn’t work I’ll go back to studies and doing what I was doing’. I did not think much. I was too naïve to predict what happens next. And as for the things that followed, like interviews, I recall being so lost in the first interview that I gave - I didn’t know how to answer questions. I didn’t know what you were supposed to say when you go to an award function and get an award! So I was unprepared for all the things that happened after Devdas. And I’m still unprepared.”
‘Don’t hurry’
So does she have any advice for young singers?
“I think reality shows are a great platform – you can showcase your talent and be heard by millions. Television has such a huge reach, it’s bigger than films today. Being on a popular channel, getting that prime time footage and being able to sing whatever you want to - I think it’s a great opportunity and one must grab it. But what matters is what you do with it later, how you utilise it. Everyone has different ways of exploiting what they have achieved. Sometimes people drift away from their goal – art cannot be commercialised and music should always remain a passion. Everything has a time; it’s not necessary that everyone gets a break at the age of 16. There are so many renowned actors and singers who have got their break much later in life. Don’t hurry and let the music remain pure.”
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