It’s time to do what I love: Kanika Kapoor

The singer is trying to not be repetitive in her work; says that she has a lot of ‘serious songs’ coming up

Singer Kanika Kapoor made her way into the hearts of listeners with peppy songs such as Chittiyaan Kalaaiyaan (Roy; 2015) and Baby Doll (Ragini MMS 2; 2014), but she feels that it’s time to try out new things.

Kanika doesn’t want to restrict herself to upbeat songs, and says, “My favourite genre is Sufi, so I’ve started making more efforts to show-off my skills in singing. I have a lot of serious songs coming up. I was offered a lot of such peppy songs, but I tried to refrain from doing the same beats and kind of songs. I have been in Bollywood for just three years, and have already sung almost 40 songs! It’s time for a change, and [to] do what I love.”

Very few people know that Kanika had started her career by accompanying popular bhajan singer Anup Jalota to his shows. “It was not just playback singing I wanted to get into. I just wanted to sing anywhere, be it films or independent music. Touchwood, I got a lot of good songs, but it took a long time,” she says.

Her latest project is T-Series MixTape Punjabi, for which Kanika has crooned her chartbuster Lovely (Happy New Year; 2014) along with Marjaani from the film Billu (2009).

Asked if she feels that platforms such as these, and digital mediums are finally giving independent artists a chance to make it big, Kanika says, “The time has come back for independent music, because most of the artists I am friends with, everybody has a sense of frustration. We give our voice, but all the credit is given to an actor. A lot of great artists give great music but their names don’t even come out. It could happen with lyricists and producers, too.

People are apprehensive, companies are not sure if they should invest money (in such artists), but things are changing.”