Neha Kakkar on Indian Idol: Co-judges wondered what I was doing here

Neha Kakkar

A long-pending collaboration with her friend Jassi Gill has finally resulted in the track, Nikle Currant. The Punjabi offering that showcases a banter between the singers has found favour among social media users since it released on Friday, and Kakkar admits that Gill always told her, "Our collaboration will result in a good track". "Jassi calls me his favourite female singer and he always wanted to work with me. It's a peppy number that also sees us dancing. I've always loved to do so, despite the fact that, like singing, I never learnt to dance professionally," Kakkar says.

Having taken a seat as judge on a show that was among the forerunners in introducing reality music to Indian television, she soon found herself facing criticism about her limited experience. Confessing that she hasn't revealed this to Indian Idol co-judges Vishal Dadlani and Anu Malik, Kakkar says, "When we began shooting, I did feel uncomfortable owing to their experience. I felt like they were giving me the vibes; questioning, 'What is she doing here?' However, they changed after they took note of my judging abilities. Now, they agree with my opinions, and even appreciate them."

The show, this season, is being seen as one to have curated a line-up of more than a couple of talented singers, and Kakkar admits that the judges too find themselves marvelling at their talent. "When selecting contestants, we only focussed on their singing abilities. Other elements, like the character [referring to their personal stories], came later."

On her part, Kakkar - who made a mark in Bollywood following her win at the second season of the same show - points to three factors that decide the fate of aspiring singers in the industry. With shows like her own exposing new faces to viewers each day, she says "talent, coupled with hard work and luck" can help you stand out from the rest.

Jassi Gill

Gill on collaborations
Jassi Gill says the most essential aspect of any association is to retain the individuality of each artiste. "This even includes the kind of lyrics we're incorporating for each one of us. It should be in accordance with the artistes that we are," Gill tells mid-day. Collaborations, he says, enable singers to give a go at the kind of music that the other is versed with. But, it also leads to a fear of being labelled as one attempting to mimic the other's music.

"When I collaborated with Badshah, I may have [had portions of] rap in it, but I didn't leave my zone of music, which is usually melodious."

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates