Shaan| Known for songs like Chand Sifarish and  Jab Se Tere Naina,  the singer talks to Musba Hashmi about his musical journey and the story behind him becoming Shaan from Shantanu Mukherjee

• We don’t see you singing playback numbers. What is keeping you busy these days?

My playback singing has declined when it comes to bigger films. But I have my studio at home and I am busy creating and composing music for my YouTube videos. I am also doing corporate and social songs and now I am focusing more on composing and singing rather than just singing.

• There is a lot of competition for singers. Does that affect senior artists like you?

The competition has increased and everyone is desperate to add at least one big song to his name. I feel lucky that I was in the phase where I got to sing a lot of popular songs. Now, when I am doing two-hour shows, I don’t need to sing anyone else’s songs and people still remember my songs. I don’t see that the competition has affected the senior singers because I am already very thankful that I have had such a good run and I can’t try to compete with the young generation singers that will be very unfair to them.

• You are the leading voice of Bollywood, what all did it take to reach here?

It took lots of dedication and destiny also because sometime you put your best in your work, but things just don’t go your way. Also to be able to reinvent yourself and to adapt to the styles and changes that music industry is going through and also to have that fire in your belly to keep going and never let the thought of giving up hinder your ability. The other thing is to always compete with the best and keep improving.

• Some best moments from your journey.

The years 2006 and 2007 when I won two back to back awards for Chand Sifarish and Sawariya. That’s the time I will cherish for the rest of my life. It was a wonderful phase for me in terms of success and popularity. Ashaji has been very complimentary and kind with her words for me, especially when I sung Jab Se Tere Naina from Sawariya. I count that as one of the best moments of my life.

• How have you evolved as an artist?

I try to continuously evolve and stay updated with the present style of singing. Everytime I sing, I try to be different. You can hear my songs from 2002 to 2017 and you will not be able to make out that it has been sung by the same artist.

• How did you become Shaan from Shantanu Mukherjee?

We were doing an album where people’s names were Shantanu, Sagarika and Naujawan. Composer Biddu got irritated with such long names and decided to cut my name short to Shaan. It was done even without my consent. It was not that I disapproved of it but they did not even ask me ki naam change kar dein kya. They just did it on their own saying it’s nice. (laughs)

• How can newcomers benefit from the digital platform?

In today’s time, YouTube has become the biggest platform and is like an independent music company where you can put up your music and if you are able to connect with the audience, you become popular. It is serving as a good platform for newcomers to explore and make the best of.

• You are judging Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs for the second time. What are you looking forward to?

Judging a music reality show, especially a children’s show, comes with a responsibility and  a lot of focus. You have to be sure of what you are looking for. It has not changed much down  the years, but when you know you are judging children you can’t judge them for expressions and emotional quotient because they are too young to understand these things, but when it comes to sur, taal, voice quality and whether their singing is reaching out to you, you judge them on these. I was judging this show five years ago too, but most of the children are still singing yesteryear songs. They are singing classics. In that sense, there is no evolution. But they are singing these in their own style without copying original artists. Bringing in originality to old numbers has changed as compared to a decade back.