''It bothered me that I didn't have a versatile voice''

...is what Clinton Cerejo felt when he wanted to enter the ad jingle world nearly a decade back. Now, the singer, composer and music producer has overcome those hurdles and is creating waves by working with the likes of AR Rahman and Vishal Bhardwaj

“Listen to different genres of music, absorb as much is possible, because once you get into the industry, you’ll only be busy making music,” is singer, composer Clinton Cerejo’s advise to budding musicians, who wouldn’t mind giving their left arm to be a part of the music industry. But, Cerejo, who will return to Coke Studio@MTV as a producer for a set, doesn’t just believe in advising others; he is focussed about his goals too.

Clinton Cerejo

“In this industry, anyone can be your competition. Never rest on your laurels -- you never know; someone, not even your senior, might be doing cutting edge stuff. So, you need to keep giving your best,” he reasons, asserting that it’s essential to “formulate your own sound, make your own rules and try to bring out your uniqueness”, to succeed.

Cerejo, who hails from an intellectual background, was veering towards an MBA degree. However, his interest in music saw him swim against the tide when he found his true calling. “Of course there was resistance from family, but once regular work came in and I proved myself, they were fine,” shares the composer, who has created a footing as a singer, though his voice wasn’t akin to the stereotypical Bollywood hero, and where his lack of versatility in terms of ad jingles “bothered him”.

Talking about the new season, after his last outing, where he composed a riveting sound in the guise of Madari, Cerejo is hoping for a bigger and better season this time around, “mainly because of the diverse producers that have come on board, including AR Rahman,” he says.

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