I am back on the road for a string of live shows, says Shilpa

We are trying to take ghazal to audiences all over the world. SHILPA RAO, Singer

For Shilpa Rao, singing is her profession while performing live is her love. The singer couldn’t be happier that the live music scene has bounced back after being in a long slump, due to the pandemic.

Rao will perform at a literature festival happening at Maldives, and then follow it up with gigs in June in Houston, US. “I am back on the road now! I am a traveloholic, so it adds to the whole experience of performing. Together it all keeps me busy. Thankfully, all the practice sessions that happened during the lockdowns came in handy (for resuming live gigs). We are trying to venture into a different performance set-up. It’s going to be better this year,” says the 38-year-old.

The Ghunghroo (War; 2019) and Phuljhadiyon (Mimi; 2021) singer wants to take the musical art form of ghazals to different places. “We want to take it outside India. We have done a lot of it in India — Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Bhopal and Mumbai. Now we are trying to take it to an audience across [the world]. Language is not a barrier, as music is an emotion, connecting with people irrespective of where they come from,” she elaborates.

Precautions continue to be a major part of live gig experience, as Rao shares, “It is different from the prepandemic times. You are carrying your sanitisers, trying to be careful when interacting with the audience, giving the occasional warning to people to mask up. A lot of rehearsals are also being done on video calls. Now, if someone is not well, we ask them to stay home, and would send them files.”