DO MUSIC DIRECTORS SING THEIR OWN SONGS TODAY?
Naushad the legendary music director always said:
‘A song is a bird, where the body is the lyricist, the person who puts life into it is the music director and the singer gives it wings to fly. If the singer is not as good then, the song will not fly.’
With films being made in Indian cinema going through transition, we are seeing changing times today in the music industry too. Gone are the days when the singer is considered the reason why a song flies. Today, more and more music directors are composing and singing many songs out of their albums be it AR Rahman, Amit Trivedi, Ram Sampath, Vishal Shekhar, Vishal Bhardwaj, Shankar Mahadevan, Sajid-Wajid and many others. Pritam seems to be the only one who has for the time being been able to resist the temptation. There is no doubt that there is a lot that goes into a composition, that some music directors can also sing, that singers today do not invest that much time in the making of a song like earlier times but it is also true that shows are the big bucks model for the singers. Music directors know this and are tempted to record the song in their voice so they can also make the bucks on the show. Since music directors so far are men, the female singers have not suffered on account of this, be it Shreya Ghoshal or Sunidhi Chauhan, but the number of songs sung by an established male singer like a Sonu Nigam or a Shaan has considerably reduced. Bombay Times speaks to the music industry to explore the reasons for this change.
SONU NIGAM: A SONG CAN ONLY BECOME LEGENDARY WITH AN APT VOICE
The music business keeps changing. Initially, actors sang their own songs, this was followed by the advent of playback singers, then only those well-versed in the classical genre and a good voice quality flourished. Trends keep changing. Nothing is ever constant. So, I don’t mind composers turning singers. As long as they sing the appropriate songs, based on their voice, it’s all good. No one can deny the contribution to their own compositions. Personally, I feel the song should choose the singer and not the other way round. A great song can only become legendary if the voice used is an apt one. At the outset, picturisation on stars and general publicity is what sells a track or an album. Regardless of who sings the tracks it only becomes a hit if someone worthy of the song sings it. Otherwise, it automatically fades from memory. Music is no-one’s personal jagir. But I do agree, everybody’s crossing into each other’s boundaries. I too will be composing for some upcoming films. Everybody’s evolving in different directions. It helps music in totality.
The music business keeps changing. Initially, actors sang their own songs, this was followed by the advent of playback singers, then only those well-versed in the classical genre and a good voice quality flourished. Trends keep changing. Nothing is ever constant. So, I don’t mind composers turning singers. As long as they sing the appropriate songs, based on their voice, it’s all good. No one can deny the contribution to their own compositions. Personally, I feel the song should choose the singer and not the other way round. A great song can only become legendary if the voice used is an apt one. At the outset, picturisation on stars and general publicity is what sells a track or an album. Regardless of who sings the tracks it only becomes a hit if someone worthy of the song sings it. Otherwise, it automatically fades from memory. Music is no-one’s personal jagir. But I do agree, everybody’s crossing into each other’s boundaries. I too will be composing for some upcoming films. Everybody’s evolving in different directions. It helps music in totality.
RAMESH TAURANI: MUSIC DIRECTORS ARE INTERESTED IN THE BIG BUCKS ATTACHED TO SHOWS
The trend of a music director singing most of his songs is not a good trend unless he is also a good singer like Vishal Dadlani. In the past, SD Burman or RD Burman would only sing songs that suited their voice. But today, the music director is so interested in the big bucks attached to shows that he’d get if he sings most of the songs. The only honest music director I’ve encountered is Pritam who I’ve worked with in several films. Even though he sings well and sometimes his voice suits the song, he doesn’t sing. When I ask why he says, ‘No sir, I will give you a better singer for the song. The director of the film chooses the songs in the film, but leaves the decision of the singer largely to the music director.’
The trend of a music director singing most of his songs is not a good trend unless he is also a good singer like Vishal Dadlani. In the past, SD Burman or RD Burman would only sing songs that suited their voice. But today, the music director is so interested in the big bucks attached to shows that he’d get if he sings most of the songs. The only honest music director I’ve encountered is Pritam who I’ve worked with in several films. Even though he sings well and sometimes his voice suits the song, he doesn’t sing. When I ask why he says, ‘No sir, I will give you a better singer for the song. The director of the film chooses the songs in the film, but leaves the decision of the singer largely to the music director.’
SHAAN: PROFESSIONAL PLAYBACK HAS BECOME OBSOLETE LIKE THE TELEGRAPH SYSTEM
It’s an accepted thing these days. Just like the post and telegraph system has become obsolete with new technologies coming in, professional playback is done. We grew up with the notion that the singer’s voice ought to seem seamless when picturised on an actor. Those days are long gone. These days even composers who are rank newcomers are singing their own songs. Even an Amit Trivedi started singing from his third or fourth project onwards. In any case, when a song does well, that’s when it makes money. I don't see why a composer would not consider using his own voice for his compositions. Also, some composers are amazing singers. I look at this objectively. Moreover, it’s their prerogative.
It’s an accepted thing these days. Just like the post and telegraph system has become obsolete with new technologies coming in, professional playback is done. We grew up with the notion that the singer’s voice ought to seem seamless when picturised on an actor. Those days are long gone. These days even composers who are rank newcomers are singing their own songs. Even an Amit Trivedi started singing from his third or fourth project onwards. In any case, when a song does well, that’s when it makes money. I don't see why a composer would not consider using his own voice for his compositions. Also, some composers are amazing singers. I look at this objectively. Moreover, it’s their prerogative.
RAM SAMPATH: MY VOICE STAYS ONLY IF ALL ELSE FAILS
To start with, the soundscape of our films has expanded and we have room for a lot more interesting genres of music, as well as voices, textures, styles and therefore, singing. In the context of Indian films, the ‘music director’ today is not just the composer but is responsible for the soundtrack from inception to production, arrangement, mixing and mastering, which entails a lot of time and hard work. In the past, there would be days, weeks of rehearsals and assimilating a song with the whole team before recording it at the studio. The process of song creation has changed drastically and sometimes the only person who has spent that kind of time with the song is the composer and can therefore do justice to it. Casting voices for a soundtrack depends almost entirely on the nature of the script. Also, which voice stays in the final version of the song, is a call taken by the director, producers, lyricist and myself. This tends to eliminate bias. It’s an exciting time as I believe more singers are getting opportunities these days for the right reasons. My voice generally stays only if all else fails.
To start with, the soundscape of our films has expanded and we have room for a lot more interesting genres of music, as well as voices, textures, styles and therefore, singing. In the context of Indian films, the ‘music director’ today is not just the composer but is responsible for the soundtrack from inception to production, arrangement, mixing and mastering, which entails a lot of time and hard work. In the past, there would be days, weeks of rehearsals and assimilating a song with the whole team before recording it at the studio. The process of song creation has changed drastically and sometimes the only person who has spent that kind of time with the song is the composer and can therefore do justice to it. Casting voices for a soundtrack depends almost entirely on the nature of the script. Also, which voice stays in the final version of the song, is a call taken by the director, producers, lyricist and myself. This tends to eliminate bias. It’s an exciting time as I believe more singers are getting opportunities these days for the right reasons. My voice generally stays only if all else fails.
AMIT TRIVEDI: THE DIRECTOR DECIDES WHICH VOICE WILL GO
I don’t usually choose any song for myself. I just record the scratch in my voice and the director decides which voice to go with. That is how I sang for Kai Po Che.
I don’t usually choose any song for myself. I just record the scratch in my voice and the director decides which voice to go with. That is how I sang for Kai Po Che.
WAJID KHAN (OF SAJID-WAJID): THE SINGER NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE WHOLE PROCESS
For a composer, a song isn’t just a song. It’s your baby. When we compose one, there is an inner call. You alone know if your voice will be able to do justice to it or not. That being said, the decision comes through teamwork. Each song has a character of its own. And it’s written to represent a character. A singer, in that respect, has to sound like the character and not the actor playing that part. You have to get into the skin of the character and that is what makes the singer’s voice sound fresh. However, to change your style to sound like the character... this can happen only if you are part of the whole process.
For a composer, a song isn’t just a song. It’s your baby. When we compose one, there is an inner call. You alone know if your voice will be able to do justice to it or not. That being said, the decision comes through teamwork. Each song has a character of its own. And it’s written to represent a character. A singer, in that respect, has to sound like the character and not the actor playing that part. You have to get into the skin of the character and that is what makes the singer’s voice sound fresh. However, to change your style to sound like the character... this can happen only if you are part of the whole process.
SHEKHAR RAVJIANI (OF VISHALSHEKHAR): MANY A TIMES, THE DIRECTOR WANTS THE COMPOSER’S VOICE RETAINED
I believe ultimately the composition chooses the singer. We sing a scratch for the director and several times the director insists the composer’s voice should be retained in the final version. That said, we have also successfully convinced the directors against us singing some songs. Sometimes we win and sometimes he wins.
I believe ultimately the composition chooses the singer. We sing a scratch for the director and several times the director insists the composer’s voice should be retained in the final version. That said, we have also successfully convinced the directors against us singing some songs. Sometimes we win and sometimes he wins.
HIMESH RESHAMMIYA: THE SINGER DEPENDS ON THE COMPOSITION
I have composed songs like Hookah Bar (Khiladi 786), the Son Of Sardaar title track, Chalao Na Naino Se Baan Re (Bol Bachchan) keeping my voice in mind. But the singer depends on the composition. So, for instance, a song like Long Drive (Khiladi 786) was designed for Mika and a Teri Meri Prem Kahani for Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
I have composed songs like Hookah Bar (Khiladi 786), the Son Of Sardaar title track, Chalao Na Naino Se Baan Re (Bol Bachchan) keeping my voice in mind. But the singer depends on the composition. So, for instance, a song like Long Drive (Khiladi 786) was designed for Mika and a Teri Meri Prem Kahani for Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
No comments:
Post a Comment