Music lovers have grooved to her songs like Baby Doll (Ragini MMS2), Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan (Roy) and the more recent Oo Bolega Ya Oo Oo Bolega (Pushpa: The Rise). While she has crooned a number of hit tracks and enjoyed success, Kanika Kapoor has also faced her share of struggles. The singer, who began her career at 35 a decade ago, speaks candidly about her struggles, triumphs and meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Excerpts:

Talking to us about her career, Kanika says, “At 35, you have already developed as a person, your habits and the way you live your life. And as a mother, to leave your children in one place and pursue your career in another is extremely tough.”

Soon after she began her career, she got a chance to go on a world tour. “I went on my first world tour with Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. I was trembling on stage because I did not know how to entertain people. There was one very important person in the show who told me, ‘You know what, you are quite a disaster on stage’.”

Kanika, however, did not give up. “I worked very hard at creating a band and learning how to perform on stage. I have come a long way, but I’ve had to wake up every morning and push myself to get out of my comfort zone.”

Not many know Kanika had contemplated quitting the music industry two years ago when the Coronavirus pandemic set in. “I went back to London in 2020, and at some point, I was in a bad place in my life. I was on the verge of giving up. I was scared to be on my own in Mumbai while my family was away in London. I think it’s only in the last one year that I have managed to get over that feeling. I realized that I could not give up what I love the most — music. I did take a little bit of a break to reach a place where I could feel emotionally solid,” she says.

Kanika tied the knot with business Gautam Hathiramani in May this year.

Kanika, mother of three kids, Yuvraj (19), Aayana (17) and Samara (15), had to leave them in London while she was in Mumbai for work after her divorce with first husband, Raj Chandok. “My children have been extremely understanding. Owing to my work, they had to be in London while I was away. Whenever they would have a holiday or any break, we would spend time together,” she shares.

In October, Kanika’s Insta post with the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak went viral. Talking about it, she says, “I have been a part of The British Asian Trust and the Elephant Family (a charity started by Camilla Parker Bowles’ late brother Mark Shand) for the last six years. For the work that I’ve done in India as a British Asian artiste, Rishi Sunak gave me the prestigious award for contribution to UK-India cultural ties at the UK-India Awards 2022 organized by the India Global Forum a few weeks before he was appointed the Prime Minister. That is how I met him.”