Shreya Ghoshal - The New Nightingale

She is the new nightingale of India. She is the modern voice for the new generation yet she is already a stalwart. She’s the favourite of all the new age music composers yet she is classically inclined. She can sing a disco track and at the same time sing an exquisite thumri. She is the bridge between Lata Mangeshkar and the future generation. She is Shreya Ghoshal.

Normally, a lilting voice like Shreya’s would let people know that she has been classically trained very early on. But in this case, the nation actually witnessed her prowess as a child artiste singing better than many adult singers. Kalyanjibhai of Kalyanji-Anandji duo was so convinced of her talent when he heard her in Sa Re Ga Ma Pa show that he took her under his tutelage to polish her as a singer. By then Shreya already had her singing base covered very early on by training for Hindustani Classical music at a very young age in her home town near Kota, Rajasthan.

Few years down the line, on the same platform of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Shreya caught the attention of another big name from Bollywood – Sanjay Leela Bhansali. This time, future seemed brighter as she was offered to sing for the multi-crore Devdas under the baton of Ismail Darbar. The ‘Ishhh’ of ‘Bairi piya’ struck a chord with the listeners instantly.


After a gap of many many years, such a soft and controlled voice was heard. If she surpassed all expectations of a demanding Bhansali and a meticulous taskmaster like Darbar with her solos, then she did even better with the challenging ‘Dola re’. She actually outdid Kavita Krishnamurthy in this song with her controlled energy and exuberance. ‘Dola re’ won her scores of awards, catapulted her singing career, and most importantly made every composer in Bollywood pause and notice her.

As Ismail Durbar says, “I remember Shreya as that young girl who walked into the studio. But when she sang, we were all blown away. She was excellent and therefore I am very happy to see her succeed as she has.”

Recalling the experience of singing ‘Dola Re’, Shreya says it still remains one of her most special songs. “Sanjay (Leela Bhansali) Sir is very sweet. Not many know this but he has a great voice… in fact there are some songs which we have recorded that he hasn’t yet used! Coming to ‘Dola Re’, I remember him and Ismailji (Darbar) being very patient with me. Every line, every mukhda required certain emphasis and Sanjay Sir ensured I got it right. Most of the credit goes to them.”

n a span of just eight years, Shreya managed to zoom up the ladder of popularity of her fans, peers and contemporaries. There isn’t a single top composer today with whom she has not worked. From ‘Jaadu hai nasha hai’ (Jism) to ‘Teri Ore’ (Singh is Kinng) – both Filmfare winners – Shreya has sung a gamut of songs that many singers would be envious of.

“Winning the Filmfare is obviously great. One feels recognised by one’s idols and peers. But I think my greatest joy comes from seeing my fans enjoy my music; that’s the best feeling to have. I think they have always supported me and blessed me and that is why I have reached this far. All my success belongs to them and my gurus,” says Shreya.

Adds Pritam: “Shreya has a beautiful voice and she is very hard working. When I see her win awards today and get all this recognition, I feel very happy for her. When we got together for ‘Teri Ore’, I think at the end of it I knew the song would do well because of the way she had sung it. I think it is one of those songs that will be remembered for years to come.”

Shreya scores over majority of the singing talent today in being versatile not only in the various languages that she sings in but also the genres she attempts. The fallacy that she could sing only soft romantic numbers has been put to rest long back. However, that she can sing soft romantic songs better than any else is indisputable.

But give her an intricate Rahman classic like ‘Barso re megha’ (Guru) and she will bring her own sensibilities to the track. If ‘Barso re megha’ was frothy and upbeat, then the recent Bade Ghulam Ali Khan’s thumri ‘Bhor Bhaye’ from Delhi 6 would make any talent in India nervous to attempt. Yet Rahman had the confidence in Shreya to sing it in her own style. That thumri has put Shreya into a category reserved only for a few talented singers in Bollywood.

As Vishal Dadlani rightly says, “Shreya is an example for the young generation; it is her hard work that has got her this far. And we only hope she continues to progress even more in the years to come.”
But is there any genre she hasn’t done? Or any dream project she is still holding out for?
“You know I am one of those people who only believe in giving 100 per cent to whatever they do. As long as I do my best, I leave everything to god. And that’s how I have conducted my career so far. I have no dream project as such… as long as I get songs to sing, I feel like I am living my dream,” she says.

Source: http://www.planetradiocity.com/musicreporter/features.php?featuresid=189&pgno=3


JAI HO SHREYA
I don't have anything left to say after reading this article........
PROUD TO BE UR BIGGEST FAN...............U ALWAYS MAKE UR FANS FEEL PROUD :)
God Bless U Shreya!!!!!