Lakshmi palecanda speaks to celebrated singer Shaan on his start in the Indian music industry, his past albums and current projects, his role as a host of musical reality shows and more.
Sometimes, we find people on earth who have been endowed with everything a person can ask for. One such person is a superb host of musical shows, a wonderful singer, an excellent lyricist and a good composer as well. Add to it his perfect hair, and you have a unique package called Shantanu Mukherjee or Shaan.
Shaan comes from a musical family. His grandfather was a lyricist and his father was a music director. When his father died, Shaan was just 13 years old. "It was very sudden," he says of this tragic event. His mother worked as a singer to support Shaan and his sister, Sagarika. So, music must have been his first choice of career, right?
Noteworthy projects
"No," says Shaan. "I didn't want to follow my father and grandfather. I used to sing in school, but I never thought I was good enough to sing professionally." In line with this impression, he started a desktop printing company, printing visiting cards and books.
But as time went on, he realised that he had a career in music. He began by singing jingles, and then followed up with albums like Naujawan and Q-Funk. After these came the solo album Loveology. His big break came with his second album, Tanha Dil, in which he sang, composed and wrote lyrics for all but the title track, which won the MTV Asia Music Award in 2000.
Shaan has also done several remixes, including Dil kya kare and Roop tera mastana, which have been much appreciated. Asked what goes through his mind when doing remixes, Shaan is very specific about how they ought to be done. There is no point in trying to imitate the voices of the masters, he says, as it would never measure up. But it is very important to retain the actual emotions of the song, and sing with complete sincerity.
Speaking of today's music, Shaan is very critical of the material we are getting. "Voices are too plastic," he says. "Music is too produced, and doesn't have soothing sounds any more. We are losing the human element. There are no aesthetics to the new songs that are coming out these days, which often have certain sounds and frequencies that tend to sound vulgar."
Does this mean that we can no longer hope for more songs like Rafi's Oh, duniya ke rakhwale? Shaan is categorical on that point. "It is not going to happen. People won't listen to those kinds of songs these days. Yes, they do listen to that particular song, but it is more out of nostalgia and because it already exists.
Today, the speed of life is such that people squeeze in 60 years of living into just 20 years. Songs need to be intelligent and appeal to emotions. They need to be arresting, transporting people to places and times where they have been or would like to be." Would he like to have had music directors like Salil Chaudry, Hemanth Kumar and Naushad give him songs? "Oh, that would be wonderful, but they might not choose me," he says, with a modesty which seems to be characteristic of him.
While talking of Shaan's career, it is impossible to ignore his superb talent in hosting musical shows. He has worked in musical shows such as Sa Re Ga Ma Pa for Zee TV between 2000 and 2006, which won the award for best music programme on television in the year 2003, and is currently the host of Star Voice of India on Star Plus. The fact that there is so much live music and talent on these shows makes them enjoyable to him.
Current tunes
Shaan is working at present on an album in Bengali, to be released in time for pooja. He is taking traditional folk songs and contemporising them, turning them into dance tracks. He is finding it challenging to find the balance between keeping the mood and purpose of the original song, while making it more interesting and exciting for today's youth to appreciate.
Most recently, Shaan could be seen in Animal Planet, where he performed the Yeh mera India anthem, a three-minute multi-lingual music video for the programme Yeh Mera India, which he has composed and sung along with other renowned musicians such as Lesle Lewis, Monali and Mathangi. This programme, which was a part of a month-long initiative from August 15 to September 15, aimed at bringing the rich variety of flora, fauna, environmental conditions and geographical features that are unique to India to the notice of the people.
Though he doesn't give up the secret to his perfect hair (he just laughs), Shaan comes across as a consummate professional who is sincere and cares about music. He has given us a lot of good music, but with luck, his best is yet to come.
Sometimes, we find people on earth who have been endowed with everything a person can ask for. One such person is a superb host of musical shows, a wonderful singer, an excellent lyricist and a good composer as well. Add to it his perfect hair, and you have a unique package called Shantanu Mukherjee or Shaan.
Shaan comes from a musical family. His grandfather was a lyricist and his father was a music director. When his father died, Shaan was just 13 years old. "It was very sudden," he says of this tragic event. His mother worked as a singer to support Shaan and his sister, Sagarika. So, music must have been his first choice of career, right?
Noteworthy projects
"No," says Shaan. "I didn't want to follow my father and grandfather. I used to sing in school, but I never thought I was good enough to sing professionally." In line with this impression, he started a desktop printing company, printing visiting cards and books.
But as time went on, he realised that he had a career in music. He began by singing jingles, and then followed up with albums like Naujawan and Q-Funk. After these came the solo album Loveology. His big break came with his second album, Tanha Dil, in which he sang, composed and wrote lyrics for all but the title track, which won the MTV Asia Music Award in 2000.
Shaan has also done several remixes, including Dil kya kare and Roop tera mastana, which have been much appreciated. Asked what goes through his mind when doing remixes, Shaan is very specific about how they ought to be done. There is no point in trying to imitate the voices of the masters, he says, as it would never measure up. But it is very important to retain the actual emotions of the song, and sing with complete sincerity.
Speaking of today's music, Shaan is very critical of the material we are getting. "Voices are too plastic," he says. "Music is too produced, and doesn't have soothing sounds any more. We are losing the human element. There are no aesthetics to the new songs that are coming out these days, which often have certain sounds and frequencies that tend to sound vulgar."
Does this mean that we can no longer hope for more songs like Rafi's Oh, duniya ke rakhwale? Shaan is categorical on that point. "It is not going to happen. People won't listen to those kinds of songs these days. Yes, they do listen to that particular song, but it is more out of nostalgia and because it already exists.
Today, the speed of life is such that people squeeze in 60 years of living into just 20 years. Songs need to be intelligent and appeal to emotions. They need to be arresting, transporting people to places and times where they have been or would like to be." Would he like to have had music directors like Salil Chaudry, Hemanth Kumar and Naushad give him songs? "Oh, that would be wonderful, but they might not choose me," he says, with a modesty which seems to be characteristic of him.
While talking of Shaan's career, it is impossible to ignore his superb talent in hosting musical shows. He has worked in musical shows such as Sa Re Ga Ma Pa for Zee TV between 2000 and 2006, which won the award for best music programme on television in the year 2003, and is currently the host of Star Voice of India on Star Plus. The fact that there is so much live music and talent on these shows makes them enjoyable to him.
Current tunes
Shaan is working at present on an album in Bengali, to be released in time for pooja. He is taking traditional folk songs and contemporising them, turning them into dance tracks. He is finding it challenging to find the balance between keeping the mood and purpose of the original song, while making it more interesting and exciting for today's youth to appreciate.
Most recently, Shaan could be seen in Animal Planet, where he performed the Yeh mera India anthem, a three-minute multi-lingual music video for the programme Yeh Mera India, which he has composed and sung along with other renowned musicians such as Lesle Lewis, Monali and Mathangi. This programme, which was a part of a month-long initiative from August 15 to September 15, aimed at bringing the rich variety of flora, fauna, environmental conditions and geographical features that are unique to India to the notice of the people.
Though he doesn't give up the secret to his perfect hair (he just laughs), Shaan comes across as a consummate professional who is sincere and cares about music. He has given us a lot of good music, but with luck, his best is yet to come.