I am a go-getter, says Kanika Kapoor

She was a child artiste at 12. Before making the nation groove to tracks such as ‘Baby doll’ (Ragini MMS 2; 2014) and ‘Chittiyan kalaiyan’ (Roy; 2015), singer

Kanika Kapoor (above) used to sing for All India Radio. Later, she joined veteran singer Anup Jalota’s troupe. “I sang with him for almost three-four years. He was my father’s childhood friend, and a mentor to me,” says Kanika, who would also sing bhajans and thumris.

As she turned a year older on August 21, we spoke to her about getting out of a bad marriage, and why she initially gave up on B-Town.

Are you happy with your career?

I never complain. I just work harder in every possible way — as a mother, a daughter, a friend and a boss.

After ‘Baby doll’, you haven’t looked back…

Last year, I must have worked for 18 hours daily, including back-to-back concerts. From being an artiste who had never been on stage, to singing live with the greatest people from the industry — it has been quite overwhelming and intimidating. I can perform well today, and I am proud of that.

Was it difficult to become a Bollywood singer?

Although I am quite a dreamer, I’m also a realistic person. I like to go with the flow. Maybe I have been lucky in my career, but I am also a trained classical singer. I tried to achieve success as a singer when I was 16-17, and did whatever I could to achieve that goal in Mumbai, but nothing happened. So, I moved to London, UK, (she married NRI Raj Chandok at the age of 18), and started a family. I never dreamt that I would come back to Mumbai and start singing again. So, I believe it has been God’s will, and also a result of my hard-work and perseverance. I am a go-getter.

What made you leave Mumbai back then?

In the mid-90s, I came to this city with my dad, and signed a three-year contract with a music label. But when nothing worked out, I went back to London. It was quite a struggle in Mumbai. My mother was also scared. She had heard that Bollywood wasn’t a good place to work in. She didn’t want me to be part of the industry. At that time, I was thinking of acting too. But my mother was happy that I got married instead. Then, as I settled down, and started a family, they didn’t allow me to sing anymore.