Singer says excessive use of technology is not allowing new talent to challenge their voice in its purest form
Soumya Vajpayee Tiwari (MID-DAY; July 25, 2017)

Shaan has enjoyed a long-standing romance with music since he made his singing debut in 1998. While he made his mark in Bollywood, he feels things are not as easy for the new crop of singers. Detractors often accuse the new talent of sounding similar and lacking an identity, but Shaan doesn’t share the sentiment. He points out that due to the excessive use of technology on their voices, the younger generation is left underutilized.

“I get to hear many singers live on TV shows; they are all so confident. But, they are not getting their due because of the strong processing done these days. I was lucky to be part of an era when a voice was recognized in its pure form. You could feel the personality through the voice. Given that vocals can be processed, good singers are not encouraged to better their skills,” he says.

Shaan, who mentored young singers on a reality show recently, has created a platform that can help upcoming singers. “We nurture and groom new talent and offer them platforms.”

Singing a new tune
Shaan may not have worked on a Bollywood film in the last two years, but he has kept fans entertained with his live performances. He recently recorded the title track of a musical reality show, Suron Ka Eklavya, which airs on Doordarshan. It pays tribute to Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar. “The show pays homage to our legendary singers, and I am a huge Kishore Kumar fan. I am privileged to have got the chance to record the song,” says the singer, who is hoping to return to Hindi film music.

The singer is also looking forward to new independent projects. “I am working on a few singles that will be out soon,” he says.