Shaan | The playback singer-television presenter and judge has recently released Ye Faasla. He speaks with Shalini Saksena about why and how he ended up judging reality shows, and upcoming projects

What is Shaan Music Label about?

I had to create this label. When you create songs you have to have a publishing company. One would think that it is a new venture, no such thing, nothing commercial. As a senior composer’s son, I had this keeda to compose. There was this instinct in me that I wanted to explore composer. When you compose for films, it is difficult to have it your way. I knew that if I wanted to enjoy the creative process, I needed a little more control over what I am doing. So I decided to compose my own songs and put them out under the label.

The song — Ye Faasle — is about keeping distance. Do you think words are powerful to have an impact?

When the first wave happened, it was new to many of us. Making songs about keeping safe, maintaining social distance, encouraging them and telling to keep hope were working. It was giving people a feeling that there were others; that one is not alone. But with the second wave, there is nothing new to say. This song is about love. It doesn’t talk about Coronavirus; it doesn’t talk about the pandemic. It it about two people in love who can’t wait to meet again.

You have collaborated with international singers. Is there a project you had fun doing?

It is very important for me — to enjoy the project that I take up. One has to enjoy it. Interestingly, there was one project that I felt I wouldn’t have fun with and was reluctant to take it up but I did since I wanted to learn anew skill.

It was Jhalak Dikhla Jaa in 2013-14. I couldn’t dance to save my life, I still can’t. I had to wear a watch on my left hand to know which is which. But I have very fond memories of that process; it was life changing. After that, whenever, I felt that there was a project, that I didn’t want to do, I psych myself to take it up.

You have judged so many talent shows. What made you say yes to them?

I started as a host for these shows and I could relate to the role being played by the judge very closely and sensitively. As a judge,  you don’t realise the repercussions of your feedback to the contestants. As a host I could see what they were feeling. Hosting back then was reactive. I learnt so much from the judges, many veterans and go to know interesting things. I wanted to share this knowledge. When I took it up, I ensured I didn’t give false promises to the participants but not being rude to them either. I enjoyed judging. There is something about watching young talent with fire under their belly.

A Bollywood song that you struggled with?

By the time, I got to playback on a regular basis the rehearsals stopped happening. One ended up in a recording studio, given the lyrics and then and there sing it, it would happen with a few hours. There are a few songs that I felt I could have probably justified if I had more time but that as the process then. At that time, it was quite a feather in your hat that you went, heard the song, sang it was were out in two hours. There was were songs there a bit difficult but there has never been a song that I couldn’t sing.

How did you end up singing Telugu? Assamese, Odia, Kannada and even Sindhi songs?

By the time I started I had two songs live but it was on its way out. When it comes to languages, when you get to sing them line by line and with cuts and retakes, then it is not a big deal. But for singers who sang them live, in the 90s, it would take a lot of effort. One had to have lots of patience with languages in the South.The longest time I have taken to sing are the Tamil songs; it took me five-six hours to get them on track.

How did indie songs happen?

I started with creating my own songs in the 90s. Even then, I used to write my songs like Tanha Dil. It was not as if it was something that I decided to do. I have been doing. But meanwhile, when you do shows, live recording and Bollywood commitments I couldn’t commit and concentrate on creating my own music in the last few years. With time and as I wasn’t getting as many offers, I tried to utilise the time to compose again. I would love to do an album, but today, it is a single’s market. So I have been doing that; it’s homecoming.

What next?

I have a lot of songs that I have done and created; a lot of social songs. People today, want love or party songs. But I want to put out songs on mental health; songs about how we should be more sensitive to the elderly. These are all beautiful songs. But to put them out as singles will not work. There is need to connect with the right people. I am trying to tie up with NGOs so there is a platform. Then there are regular songs as well.