Your latest song ‘Dil De Diya’ from Radhe is a big hit already. How are you feeling?
I am feeling great. I am now used to it because people shower love on all of my songs. It feels good every time. I am enjoying this moment.
Your song ‘Genda Phool’ was a big hit last year. When you make a new song, do you feel pressured by the success of the previous one? Do you work with the flow or work under pressure?
We don’t know in advance which song would become a hit. The efforts we put in are the same in every song.
Also, I feel that every song has its own fate. When we were working on Genda Phool, we didn’t know that it would become such a huge hit.
Once the song is released, do you read YouTube comments or reviews on the song?
Once my song is released, I don’t hear it on loop. I don’t even check the reviews. There are different kinds of people in the world and each one of them has a different thought process. So, we don’t know what’s going on in someone’s mind while he writes a review.
Some people may like it, some don’t. I respect everyone’s choice and don’t let the reviews affect me. So, I don’t personally check the reviews. I just need the reviews from my family and friends.
Apart from that, when I come Live on social media, my fans appreciate my songs. They tell me how much they liked it and I feel nice to hear their compliments.
Also, we don’t know what’s going on in someone’s life. Most people are suffering due to Covid-19 these days. I also lost my father. So, if there’s suffering around, people are not in the right state of mind. They might end up writing poor reviews on someone’s work because they themselves are not feeling good. So, we have to understand that.
How was your experience working with Himesh Reshammiya for ‘Dil De Diya’ song?
It was very good. I follow his work for a very long time. I became his fan when his first album ‘Tera Suroor’ came out. I like his unique voice and composition.
I have worked with Himesh Reshammiya many times. But only 1-2 songs have been released. I hope the other songs also get released in the near future. The best part about him is that his melodies are very strong and catchy. Once you hear it, you want to hear it again. He is a very versatile and genius person. It’s a different vibe altogether when he is present in the studio.
Dil De Diya features Salman Khan and Jacqueline Fernandez. How was their reaction when they heard it for the first time?
Salman Bhai loves my voice since the beginning. When he heard this song, he found it different. He couldn’t recognize my voice. When he came to know that I sang it, he appreciated it a lot.
How did your journey in the entertainment industry begin?
I came to Mumbai in 2006. At that time, we didn’t have many facilities. I used to learn music from my mother but had never thought of doing music or singing professionally. I was never good at studies. So, when my family saw that how good I was at music, we planned to take it further. I did a lot of hard work. I used to listen to a lot of Bollywood songs and tried to learn the techniques.
Many people who don’t get a chance to learn music professionally hone their art just by listening to music and some are god-gifted of course!
What are your hobbies apart from music?
If I am not doing music, I am either resting or watching TV. I am a bit lazy.