Shruti Pathak, the voice behind hits like Shubhaarambh (Kai Po Che!), Mar Jaavan (Fashion) and Tujhe Bhula Diya (Anjaana Anjaani), was recently in Ahmedabad to perform at the Karnavati Literature & Film Festival. “Performing here is always exciting. It’s my home pitch and I know what the crowd here likes because I’ve been an audience member back in the day. Apne logon ke beech mein aa kar perform karna aur achha response milna is a great high,” she tells us in a chat. Excerpts:

Shruti says if the essence of the original isn’t ruined, a remix would work. “We live in an era of taste-driven music. Remixes, if done well, can be fun. Agar aap ek gaane ko leke usmein kuch behtar add nahi kar rahe ho, toh mazaa nahi aata.”

“Also, I feel remixes and recreations are just trends, and will soon pass. The core of Indian music that people love will continue in the long run,” the singer says.

Along with remixes, indie music too has found its footing in the Indian music scene now, and the singer is all for it. “This year, I have pledged to create more songs and focus on non-film music because finally the era of indie music has arrived in India. I am looking forward to more songwriting and production work too. You can say it’s my bucket list for this year!”

Shruti says that she has always believed in exploring various genres, and thankfully opportunities have come her way to try out new things. “I’ve dabbled in all kinds of songs, from classical and hip hop to folk, but music is so vast that the more you do, the more you’ll find to do. And what I don’t get to do via film music, I love to do through indie songs,” she says.

Despite having received good opportunities in her life, Shruti feels it is much easier for artistes now to get an audience. “Debutant artistes have it easier now. With so many platforms, everyone will get some form of an opportunity, no matter how big or small, to showcase their talent. When I moved to Mumbai to pursue music, there were no platforms, social media or a scene for indie music, and the only way to achieve success was through film songs. Going to studios, meeting composers, making demos, and presenting your mu-sic wasn’t easy. Now it’s totally different. You can create a video of your liking sitting in your comfort zone, upload it and it still goes viral. There are incredible audio streaming platforms too which allow easy access to artistes. It’s an amazing time for music,” the singer shares.

Social media has made it easier for music to break language barriers. She says, “The language barrier in music no longer exists. All kinds of music have listeners now. Music itself was never bound by languages I believe, but now it’s easier for listeners to access music of different languages, either through reels or streaming platforms.”

However, the singer says catching the audience’s attention in 30 seconds is tough. “Songs are all about the 30-second reels now. If you’re able to catch the audience’s attention in those 30 seconds, it’s all it takes to make a hit. Personally, I feel a song cannot be justifiably presented in 30 seconds. Audiences don’t have the patience to survive through a three-four minute song now,” she adds.