Shaan: Today, amateurish singing has become an asset

Shaan

In conversation with mid-day as part of this interview, Shaan makes his displeasure about the monotony in the music industry, evident. "I'm a little worried for the new generation of singers," says the musician - also a reality show judge - when prodded about the current crop that is set to make a career in Bollywood.

"Today, amateurish singing has become an asset, instead of a liability. Slurring, drowning of vocals and whining have become [trends] that people are appreciating. Compositions too are all in the same scale. And that's not just restricted to Indian music. International songs too are all in one loop. Music is getting dumbed down to a point of no return," says the singer, whose upcoming track, It's Natural, he says, is a step further at encouraging fresh sounds.

"We [Indian audiences] are still enjoying the same hip-hop and Bhangra, so, I've tried to see what international elements could be incorporated to give it a fresh vibe. There are sections of Latin pop elements in the number," he says of his track, which, he promises can be enjoyed while driving or dancing. "It's a dance number, but can still be a romantic song."

Having given the '90s kids some of their most revered memories with tracks like Tanha Dil and Bhool Ja, Shaan confesses that, at 46, he must still have a finger on the pulse of the youth. Yet, he isn't one to let frivolity dampen the spirit of his creations, even if, he says, it could be a norm. "Bad experiments have led us to where we are today. Since music is literally free, suddenly, everyone has an opinion on it. So, when it has to appeal to a tone-deaf section of listeners, the judgment made by them becomes the norm. We aren't creating anything aspirational. With this number, I've danced, and have also gone bare-bodied. And while I can use these as trappings, I won't keep from delivering [a promising piece]. It can't be the same four-chords, whinny singing and [similar] lyrics that we've been used to."

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