Making her debut in Bollywood with the sing-along favourite Pareshaan, Shalmali Kholgade is known for delivering dancefloor hits such as Daru Desi, Balam Pichkari, Lat Lag Gayee, Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai. She was recently in the city to perform her newly released single Ruka Ruka,in collaboration with Gaana Originals.
Talking about the vibe of this love song that makes you think about the lack of communication in modern relationships in spite of all connectivity, the singer says, “It’s melancholic. There’s a feeling of longing and unwilling separation. There’s a yearning to solve a conflict. Working on this has been one of the most memorable experiences I have had in the recent past. From the first time I heard Ruka Ruka, the one-and-a-half minute version that Digvijay Singh came to me with, then taking it to the music producer, it was a great collaborative experience. I’ve always wanted to be associated with music from the very inception of it, where I’m not just called to sing it but I’m also a part of the making — what instruments will be used, what instruments it will have, what kind of production it requires, what kind of video we will make of it.”
She says that the collaboration with Gaana Originals has worked for her. “It’s been an absolute delight to have an ecosystem like this to make sure that a song like Ruka Ruka reaches an audience on a platform that is really for the music. People who have been a part of my team from Gaana Originals, have enjoyed the song and shown me how they believed in it so that I knew it was in good hands,” she says.
Sharing her taking on modern relationships, she says, “What marks a modern relationship is the fact that we are so connected and so available at all times that there is no space for longing, no space for missing your loved one. You’re always able to connect with the one that you love, which I believe is what connectivity through mobile phones or text messaging was meant for when it was developed initially. But do we need to stay so connected all the time is the question we need to ask ourselves today.”
Inspired by the video of her song, she has made certain changes in her life. “I’ve learnt from the video we’ve made, I’m trying not to use text messaging as much, and instead have been meeting people in person. This is important for all kinds of relationships — parents, best friends, loved ones.”
The singer claims that she has never used dating apps, but has friends that do. “They either genuinely want to find someone or just have a good time. I feel so disconnected in that way to the dating scene. I have only dated people when I have met them in person. I’ve never had a relationship which has begun with an anonymous person that I haven’t seen or spoken to. I’m completely disconnected with the millennial fashion of relationships,” she says.
She talks about how modern love is a double-edged sword. “The one good thing may also be the bad thing. I think that the first choice that you make of someone you want to date or fall in love with, though at that time you may think it’s going to last forever, may not always be the ideal partner for you or you may end up not wanting to spend your life with them. Modern relationships give you the opportunity to call it off without having to feel that you were pledged to the person for life. But bad thing is that maybe you don’t give it your all, or make more effort to try to make it work, as relationships used to be in the past. Back then, if you are engaged to marry someone, you would do everything to make it work, put your all into it,” says she.
The love of her life though, is music. And releasing non-filmy singles was always a dream. “It has been my dream to be a popstar. Apart from singing, my skill-set also includes dancing and performing. I entered Bollywood when I hadn’t thought I wanted to be a playback singer, but life gave me fruits when I asked for lemons and I am thankful for all the work I have done,” she says, adding, “People know me as the Pareshaan girl, or even the Balam Pichkari girl. Now they are requesting songs like Daru Desi and even Don’t Be Shy. It’s wonderful to know how people associate me with so many songs now.”
Talking about her love for the stage, the artist says, “My live performance avatar is that of a cat, which is why my Instagram handle is @shalmiaow. Not because I love cats, but I love all the qualities of a cat — how they are fierce, fast, agile, and go after what they want. My live performance avatar is very different from what I have to be in a studio when I am a playback singer.”
Before she wraps up this year, she has some good news for her fans. “I might just drop another single before this year ends. As for 2020, there will be lots of new independent music. There will also be a lot of playback singing but I can’t give you a definite number or dates. Good times ahead,” she signs off.