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'If my album works, it will prove that melody rules'
Mahalakshmi credits composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy for her first self-titled solo album
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Mahalakshmi Iyer has been going from strength to strength.
From jingles, remixes and television serial tracks (
Noorjehan, Adhikar, Zameen Aasmaan, Ek Se Badh Kar Ek), she notched up movies like Mani Ratnam's Dil Se (her first recorded film song in which she only had a line); Mukul Anand's Dus (which was never completed, though the album was released and fared well); Sunny Deol's Dillagi (her first film release in which she sang the title track and Kya yeh sach hai).
She also sang in Raj Kaushal's Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Mission Kashmir, Prakash Jha's Rahul, Subhash Ghai's Yaadein, Hansal Mehta's Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai and Anees Bazmi's Deewangee.
But it was the popular number Kabhi shaam dhale from Tanuja Chandra's Sur, that had the industry taking note of her.
She bagged films like Tinnu Anand's
Ek Hindustani, Shaad Ali's Saathiya and Raja Menon's Bas Yun Hi. Now, the singer has released her first self-titled pop album, on Sony Music.
Mahalakshmi tells
Dr Rajiv Vijayakar about her album, her triumphs and her future work.
Tell us something about your album Mahalakshmi.
Mahalakshmi is a pop album, high in melodic content. It is what an Indipop album should be, essentially Indian. I think Indipop is going haywire and albums are not doing well because we churn out music and artistes that sound like clones of Western pop.
I took a lot of time to decide on doing a solo album because I felt I was not ready. I was happy being part of other albums.
You have got quite a team with you with the video being done by Santosh Sivan.
Yes. The lyrics are by the very talented Ajay Jhingran. Shankar Mahadevan has composed six songs and Ehsaan-Loy the remaining two.
Why did the trio work on the songs separately?
Well, Shankar had this old commitment to me from the time when we were both struggling. We began together singing ad jingles.
When this album came up, I asked him whether he would compose for me as he had promised. He said, "100 per cent!" Also, during my work with all of them, I had liked two tunes done by Ehsaan and Loy, and I requested them to keep the songs for my album.
Which is your favourite track in the album?
That's a difficult question! But I like two a lot. One is Zindagi composed by Ehsaan-Loy. The structure of this song is not a typical mukhda-antara one, it is more like a limerick. Then there is Tu hi to bataa, which is a fast-paced, drum-and-bass-oriented number that is fast and sad. It is a 'how dare you do this to me?' kind of angry song.
We have used Latino, reggae and hip-hop too, but in an Indianised way. If the album does well, it will prove that melody rules.
Are you confident about doing more albums now?
Of course. *laughs*
Recently, you sang for Deep Forest...
I have not even heard the album. I have also done a shloka in the classical style. They have treated my voice, I think.
Among the songs you have sung, which composers have added to your skills and how?
Composers tend to brand you if you sing a particular kind of song well and it works. Only Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have experimented with my voice freely.
Besides, Shankar and I share a staple diet of Marathi bhavgeet and abhangs (Marathi devotional songs in praise of Lord Vitthal). In fact, my first guru, Pandit Gautam Madhusudan, was a Maharashtrian and would always wind up teaching a raga with an abhang or geet based on that raga.
Shankar has been surrounded by Marathi culture and has imbibed those influences. We have also grown up on the music of [ghazal exponents] Mehdi Hasan and Ghulam Ali.
Why haven't you recorded Marathi songs?
I have sung for three Marathi films, one of which is Aadharstambh. The music directors (Kaushal Inamdar, Kamlesh) are new talents. Then there is Anurag Shah, who speaks Marathi better than most Maharashtrians. I was very comfortable singing with them.
Would you say that you have benefited by coming into films via the jingles scene?
Of course. The world of jingles is large-hearted and absorbs a new talent easily. The biggest names are very receptive. Films relish seeing a stuggling artiste. Jingles also taught me to express, understand, emote and deliver what was needed in 30 seconds or less.
Kabhi shaam dhale of Sur was a breakthrough for you...
Yes, I had done some voicing for the background score of Tanuja Chandraji's Sangharsh. Also, [lyricist of Sur] Nida Fazlisaab had worked with me on the title songs of many television serials. With M M Kreem [composer of Sur], I have done several Telugu songs too, so they were unanimous about calling me for the song.
There were so many alaaps, as it was a singer's debut song on stage. The musical portions were few. The song had so much 'voice' compared to a normal song. The feedback from the industry has been simply amazing. I have had musicians, recording engineers calling me up to congratulate me.
I am getting better songs. Nadeem-Shravan have recorded three songs with me and Himesh Reshammiya has called me for Chura Liya Hai Tumne.
What can we look foward to from you?
I have sung Daboo Malik's Pehchaan directed by Shrabani Deodhar, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's Armaan, Nayee Padosan and other films, Anand-Milind's film with Cinevista, and several songs for Sanjeev Darshan.