Item numbers go against my personality

Bollywood playback singer Shalmali Kholgade, known for super hit songs "Pareshaan" and "Daaru Desi", feels singing item numbers won't suit her personality.

"Singing item songs won't come naturally to me - it goes against my personality. Songs that have lyrics which objectify women or even if they are unsettling to listen to, I will think before singing such songs. I had turned down a few such songs offer," Shalmali told. 

However, the singer, an arts graduate, doesn't mind crooning songs with wacky lyrics that aren't vulgar. 

The 22-year-old hails from a Marathi family and says she is open to sing in any language. 

"I love knowing languages and enjoy the sound of dictions and intonations used in it. The first step for me to overcome a language barrier is to approach it with a mindset that allows me to make mistakes and not feel embarrassed about it." 

She tried her hand at acting with Marathi film "Tu Maza Jeev". 

"I tried my hand at acting and concluded that I am better as a singer than as an actor. Also, I prefer stage over camera. So if I ever act, I would like to stick to the stage," Shalmali said and added that a song is benefited by the presence of a star in the song. 
Shalmali, who was introduced to the industry by composer Amit Trivedi, recently contributed three songs to the upcoming indipop album "Bartender", a tribute to superstar Amitabh Bachchan on his 70th birthday. 

The album is likely to be released in the first week of November. 

She also sang for a yet-untitled Hindi film which has music by Agnel Roman and Faizan Hussain. 

Summing it up, Shalmali said, most important skill of a singer is to adapt to a melody and make it their own.

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Pareshaan girl Shalmali Kholgade talks

She's often called the 'Pareshaan' girl and that's not because Shalmali Kholgade is disturbed about anything. 

On the contrary, the singer who got everyone singing Pareshaan, Daaru Desi and more recently Aga Bai, is on a high with the success of these songs. Shalmali, who considers Amy Winehouse her idol, believes that her USP lies in the fact that she can combine two diverse musical styles, giving rise to a new sound. B-S speaks to the singer about her future plans:

Singing lessons
Music has been around me from the time I was born. My mother gave Indian Classical vocal lessons at home for around 12 years and I was made to sit in for my music class twice a week for an hour. 

But I've spent more time getting inspired by the music my brother, eight years older than me, used to listen to. He heard all the pop and rock bands of the time, like Queen, Phil Collins, Michael Jackson, Aerosmith among others. So at the time, definitely, these were my bigger influences.
The power of Bollywood
I am amazed at how popular the three songs I've sung have become! No doubt I loved and enjoyed singing all of them, but since I wasn't well acquainted with Bollywood before this, the outreach of a Bollywood song has really opened my eyes to the power of this industry. 

I am thrilled to hear people humming the songs, and bringing it up in conversation but I am also very anxious about what is in store for me here on and the pressure to perform at par or better than the existing songs is immense!

Experimenting galore
I don't consider myself a very good Indian Classical singer and so songs with more western arrangements suit my palette more easily than others. But I want to indulge in things I cannot do easily and challenge myself. I am very open to experimentation with any genre that comes my way. 

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Shalmali Kholgade turns judge at her own college

Singer Shalmali Kholgade (Pareshaan and Daru Desi) had a homecoming of sorts when she was invited to judge a musical event at St Xavier's, her alma mater, during their inter-college fest

Shalmali had performed at the same event before a panel of judges two years ago. And now she found herself on the other side of the stage as a judge! The crowd couldn't stop cheering for her.

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Shalmali Kholgade ecstatic about Deepika's compliments

The singer is smiling ear-to-ear these days. Deepika Padukone, on whom the song Daaru Desi has been picturised, complimented her online

Singer Shalmali Kholgade is smiling ear-to-ear these days. Deepika Padukone, on whom the song Daaru Desi has been picturised, recently stated on her micro-blogging site that the newbie crooner is amazing in the song

And naturally, Shalmali is thrilled. “I still cannot believe that Deepika said something that was directed at me. I hope I can live up to her praise and sing for her again,” she says. Shalmali also sang the Pareshaan track in Ishaqzaade.

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