'My whole focus is always on music'

Some people need no introduction, just the name is enough. Shreya Goshal.

The singing diva was in the city recently to perform for 'Alive India In Concert - Season 6' at Phoenix MarketCity and enthralled the huge crowd with old and new hits like 'Deewani Mastani', 'Jaadu Hai Nasha' and 'Ghoomar'.

Away from the flash of the cameras and throngs of ecstatic fans, Shreya took time off to chat with Rajitha Menon about the person behind the brand.

What kind of music do you listen to in your spare time?

A whole lot of variety; from classical music to thumris to Bade Ghulam Ali Khan to Begum Akhtar to Lata Mangeshkar to contemporary music to even Justin Beiber. It depends on my mood, I can't choose a particular favourite.

You have sung in 14 languages. How do you ensure that you get the pronounciation of the words right?

I focus, I am a keen observer. I have the support of the composer and whoever is the diction master in the studio. There has to be someone who makes sure that I am not mispronouncing anything. And I just write it in perfect script and read it out.

Most memorable moment in your career so far?

There have been many. The journey has been amazing and it will be difficult to pinpoint one such milestone. Having said that, I think the debut is always special. 'Devdas' was the beginning of my journey and I mark it as one of the most important moments of my life.

As an artiste, what are some of the challenges you face?

I think every day is a challenge. There is always this question of whether I am doing enough, whether I am doing better than what I was doing yesterday.

So, it's always music that comes first?

I am very involved, my whole focus is always on music and it has never been about anything else beyond that. Our lives eventually become about a lot of other things and there are so many distractions in and around you but I have seen to it that I keep myself focussed on good music.

Bowled over by Bengaluru

Shreya Goshal praised the audience after a sing-along session, saying that the audience in Bengaluru was one of the most musical ones she had seen and said they would always remain close to her heart. She is not the first one. Many renowned musicians have praised the city's concert-going crowd for its depth of knowledge and singing skills.

Music over manners

The huge crowd that gathered for the concert was all ears to listen to the melody queen but even before the concert started, some members of the audience got into a verbal argument with each other in the 'silver' box. Some people sat on chairs stacked on top of each other to get a better view and when others complained, three of the ladies said they had back problems and needed to sit comfortably. When the programme started, one of these ladies could be seen dancing energetically.