Singer worked hard to become a live performer
POPULAR Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor, known for chart toppers like Baby Doll and Chittiyan Kalaiyaan, said she faced severe criticism at the beginning of her career for being a bad live performer, but she worked on her craft to master the art.
As an artist, she strives to establish a deeper connection with the audience, she said.
“I am working hard constantly... like a contestant of life in the journey to know music better.”
Kapoor said she did not let her ego stop her from listening to criticism and learning something from it.
“Now I am not only a playback singer, but also a performing artist. But at the beginning of my career, people said to my face that I am a ‘sh** performer’,” she added.
Kapoor chose not to make it an ego issue. “When I came to sing in Bollywood and my song became a super hit, I performed live on stage, and I was a bad live performer. Then, I learnt the art of stage performance and now I am doing ‘Kanika Kapoor Live’ across the globe.
“I took years to get it right, but I did not give up. Neither was I disheartened. I think that is the way of surviving, by learning constantly,” said the singer, also known for the song Da Da Dasse.
Currently, Kapoor, Adnan Sami and Armaan Malik are working as voice coaches on The Voice of India – Season 3, which will go on air on STAR Plus.
What’s Kapoor’s definition of a perfect voice?
She said: “Perfect is a myth. Nobody is perfect... It is about the connection, the human connection. If you are an artist – whether a storyteller, a singer, a dancer – you are the best when you are engaging with your audience.
“If you are singing a love song, the listener should feel like falling in love... and feel the emotion through the song.”
Citing an example of an old song, she said: “I do not think Reshmaji was a pitch-perfect singer, but whenever she used to sing Lambi Judaai, people used to miss their loved one... It always touched our hearts.
“Whether as a professional singer or as a listener, that is what I look for always... connection.”
Born and brought up in Lucknow, Kapoor is trained in Indian classical vocal music. At a young age, she got married and moved to London with her husband in 1997.
After giving birth to three children, Kapoor separated from her husband and returned to India.
She has gone through a tough time in her personal life and yet maintained her love for music. “I think I have a deep relation with pain... I really have seen a lot in life and I am usually not a person to sit down and cry.
“I do not complain, and rather try to find a way to resolve things. Finally, when I was on the verge of giving up, God gifted me with the opportunity to sing Baby Doll. So yes, then I had no reason to give up!
“You cannot live a perfect life where there is no struggle and sorrow, so instead of complaining, I take them as part of my journey.” – IANS