Take away my singing, and I am useless says singer Shilpa Rao

Shilpa Rao’s soulful rendition in Khuda Jaane, Manmarziyaan and the recent one being Dhoom 3’s Malang, her voice surely stands out from the crowd. A career which started with Ek Ajnabee in 2006, it now boasts of more than fifty songs and working with the likes of A-list music directors like A R Rahman, Vishal-Shekhar, Pritam, Mithoon and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. The dusky singer is surely more than happy.

“All these composers are inspiring in themselves, I've learned from them with every song I've done and strive further to imbibe their knowledge and patience,” but insist on which directors have helped her carve a niche for herself, she states, “Mithoon, Vishal Shekhar and Pritam keep helping me push the envelope with every project.”

In fact, Mithoon got her to sing her first ever Sufi song, Tose Naina Laage. “Tose naina lage, there's an innocence that it has which makes me remember my 7 years ago self.” The music director, though responsible for many hits songs found fame only with 2013’s Aashiqui 2. Though many believe the kind of frenzy Mithoon is enjoying today should have come earlier, Shilpa states, “People who are his fans have always loved and followed his work. With Aashiqui 2 there's a face that they associate with Mithoon and I'm very glad and proud of him for the music that he gives to his fans. He's simple and true with his music which makes him special.”

Shilpa’s own journey has been very fruitful and engaging. “Every project I've done I've tried to bring something new and fresh to the audiences. That's the effort I make with each song. I'm glad to have worked with the best people in the music fraternity who have helped me all through my journey and I hope I can keep delivering something new for the audiences.”

Shilpa has had a great working relationship with Amit Trivedi, she has sung for the musician’s many times- Dev D, Lootera and Aamir. She also finds Ek lau from Aamir her most difficult songs. “Ek Lau, this song is a combination of sweetness, soul, pain, hope and fortitude and it was very emotional for me to sing it. I'm glad that people have received this song with the same love I put into it.”

Shilpa entered the industry at a time, when the one actor-one voice phenomenon was dying. Lata Mangeshkar, Alka Yagnik, Sadhna Sargam were getting lesser work and newer talent like Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal were getting busier. Shilpa has herself sung for a variety of B-town actresses- Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Vidya Balan, Sridevi, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma, Chitrangada Singh. “Trends are changing from time to time and I guess with a singer a genre is more attached nowadays. Deepika and Katrina are the two actors I’m associated more with the songs I'm doing these days.” Shilpa is singing for Katrina starrer Bang Bang.

Though she has got recognition as a playback singer, Shilpa is also part of Band Called Nine, with lyricist Neelesh Misra and composer Amartya Rahut. Between recording in a studio and performing live what gives her more high? “Both, I'm greedy. At the studio or on stage both are a different high and each experience is equally challenging and thrilling for me,” she confesses.

The process of music is often said to have been eased out because of technology, Shilpa however has a different take. “A singer is called in for a sing because he or she can express the thought well, technology can create sound design to suit the track but its all about the heart which is human which only a singer can bring into the song.”

Born in Jamshedpur, Shilpa has surely achieved a lot before she turns 30 this year. Not that we want this to happen, but if she were to choose any other profession than singing, what would it be. She shares, “Take away my singing, andI'm very useless, this is all I know and this is all I'm happy doing. So its always going to be music.”