Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; May 15, 2014)

You must grant it to Priyanka Chopra. She has taken size able strides in the world of international music since she began her journey two years ago. And with each new song that she records, PC has so far struck the right chord.

Her latest track - I Can't Make You Love Me - will be featured in a US ad campaign and will run nationwide in America through the end of May. The US ad campaign sees Priyanka in august company, with the likes of Nicki Minaj, Pharrell, will.I.am and Lil Wayne, having featured in earlier commercials.

Her song, released first on April 30, has amassed a million views in a short span. However, the reason the actress is on a high currently is because she is still getting amazing reactions to her first live performance in India, which took place at a club in Mumbai a few days ago.

Says she, “I had just landed in Mumbai on the day of my live performance. I didn't have time to rehearse in India, so I did it in Los Angeles. And though I'm a very confident girl on most occasions, I was really, really scared because it was my first live performance. I had a whole choreography routine ready when I got to Blue Frog. I was supposed to sing, pull the mike very stylishly and dance. And guess what? When I saw so many people - there was the press - I just froze. My mother, my coach, my team and so many people were sitting out there. And when the lights came on, I had to start singing. And for a few seconds, I couldn't find my voice. I forgot my steps. There was one step I had practised that I would do and then go forward to pull out the mic. It was meant to look really cool, like a rockstar. But as luck would have it, the mic got stuck. It was really funny. Of course, these minor blips and hiccups apart, when I sang the first time and everyone demanded an encore, my nervousness disappeared. I sang again. And between the first two times that I sang my track, I felt relieved. I said to myself, `Well, that wasn't so bad'. The second time around, I sang a lot more confidently. When someone said that was cool and asked me to sing without the track also, I was game."

Ecstatic over the numerous compliments that came her way, the actress says, “I think I will do more live performances. It is a new phase in my life. I have always sung since I was a kid. I have sung on stage too. But doing shows and singing professionally is a different ball game."

PC recalls how friends like Farhan Akhtar and Vishal Dadlani, who also perform live, had told her that the experience was wild. Says she, “Farhan told me that once I start singing on stage, everything else will pale in comparison. Vishal had also said something similar. He said nothing else will compare in terms of performing arts. I am someone who is very big on performances in the movies and concerts, etc, so I wondered how something can be bigger and better than what I have already done. But let me tell you, after the live performance that night; I understood what Farhan and Vishal were talking about. Even my father had told me that when you sing in front of an audience, it's totally pure. It was his dream for me to sing live. He once said, `Beta, you are so good in the creative space, but you have not touched the greatest feeling of them all, which is singing'. He told me it is the closest thing to God. It is so pure and created entirely by you. I missed him like crazy that evening. Hopefully, this is the start of a really beautiful journey."

PC hasn't planned her second live performance yet. But she knows it will be sometime soon. Says she, “I was just supposed to go there and launch the single, but then people asked me to sing. When I reached the club, I didn't know whether I was up for it. Just a few days prior to the launch, I was at a concert in America and my act required me to be in a harness. I was shouting instructions to the technical crew below and by the end of the act, I realised that I had lost my voice. A doctor came and my manager explained how I had to get my voice back. For a couple of hours, I was like - God, I'm never going to be able to sing. I really wanted to be able to sing and I am glad it happened."

Manish Mishra (DNA; May 7, 2014)

One would have never imagined the image-conscious, swear-by-my-stylist Bollywood lasses going that extra mile and exposing their lingerie, unlike pop stars in the West. However, Priyanka Chopra did the unthinkable at I Can’t Make You Love Me release when she managed to pull off a daring sheer textured skirt which gave ample glimpse of her white thong and baring her shapely butt underneath.

Designers Muiccia Prada and Marc Jacobs have time and again brought lingerie exposing ensembles in their collections, however, this look is only meant for a very fashion forward woman who just has the right combo of chutzpah and attitude to rock it.

Full marks to PC for pulling off déshabillé chic with aplomb! She completed her look with a crop top, black and gold bracelets and gladiator heels. Well done!

Parag Maniar (BOMBAY TIMES; April 27, 2014)

After the success of her first two singles — In My City featuring rapper Will.I.Am and Exotic with rapper Pitbull — Priyanka Chopra, on April 22, launched her third international single. Titled I Can't Make You Love Me, it’s a unique cover of famous American singer and songwriter Bonnie Raitt’s 1991 hit single, which was voted into an international music magazine’s ‘500 Greatest Songs of All Time’ list.

Priyanka says, “I’ve added in a bit of my own ‘Priyanka tadka’ to this version, which is an EDM (electronic dance music) track.”

Shot in Los Angeles, the video has been directed by Jeff Nicholas and Jonathan Craven, who have previously worked with artistes like Rihanna and Justin Timberlake. It features American actor Milo Ventimiglia, who became popular as Peter Petrelli in TV’s hit series Heroes. The video is expected to hit airwaves in early May. About Milo, Priyanka said, “The directors and I were very clear that we needed someone who could not only look a certain way, but also be able to portray the emotions required for this video. Milo is kinda like the bad boy you want to take home to meet the parents and was the perfect choice for us. He was super cool to work with… fun, easy, involved and so talented. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

She adds, “I approached the video almost like a movie with every scene broken down to the minutest detail. I’m super excited about this song. It’s my first solo single and also one of my all-time favourites.”

Milo said, “I’ve always admired the vibrancy and depth of Bollywood films, so working with Priyanka was an amazing and enriching experience. She had such a clear and unique vision for the video, that it was really cool to see each of those moments come to life in the form of a mini movie. Her passion, talent and beauty are inspiring, how could I not fall in love with her.”

The song is already on the Number 1 position on the charts, just a few hours post its release on several digital platforms.