Superstars 2014: croon along with Shalmali Kholgade, Arijit Singh this year

Every year is about the people (and things) that make it fabulous. And so, in our year-end issue, we always look forward to who’s going to make it big next year.

We ask a jury of experts in our favourite fields – films, music, sports, technology – to suggest names of people and products that will hit the jackpot.

Some of the names we have recommended in the past – MS Dhoni, Sneha Khanwalkar, Amit Trivedi, Deepika Padukone – did very well for themselves, as predicted.

With the last issue of 2013, we bring you a list of people – newer names who, our jury says (and we agree), are going to stand out in 2014.

We wish them all the luck, and we wish you, our readers, a very happy New Year! Take our advice and party hard – the rest will follow!

Shalmali Kholgade

She made the whole nation sway to her debut song Pareshaan from the film Ishaqzaade (2012). In just one year, Shalmali Kholgade is being touted as the female singer to watch out for. “I’ve received a lot of affection from the very first song I sang in Bollywood. I feel blessed and determined,” she says.

It was her mother, a teacher of Hindustani classical music, who initiated Kholgade into singing. “She is the reason I sing. My mother was learning music when she was expecting me and she believes that it affected my musical leaning. She made it compulsory for me to sit for one-hour music classes twice a week,” says Kholgade. But she didn’t just enjoy listening to Hindustani classical sounds, she had an equal interest in Western music thanks to her older brother. “I took to the guitar after watching him sing and he’s been my encyclopaedia for English music.”

Her entry into Bollywood was accidental, says Kholgade. “I was heading to the US to pursue a degree in vocal studies. Two demos (in English) that were meant to be used solely as audition material to get into the LA Music Academy were sent a week later to Amit Trivedi’s studio. I did this after being persuaded by a friend who worked with Amit then. I had no expectations, and hence no fear of getting lost among the many voices in the industry. The song that I bagged was Pareshaan,” she reveals with a smile.

What does the chart-topper look for in a song?

“I know I am associated with a handful of ‘hit songs’. But I’ve never gauged my songs on that meter,” she says. “Songs with a beautiful arrangement and melody have made it big before they even release.”

(By Shreya Sethuraman)

Arijit Singh

His voice swept lovers off their feet with the chart-bursting Tum Hi Ho from the film Aashiqui 2. And then he mesmerised his fans with Kabira in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. Arijit Singh is the male singer to look out for in 2014, according to our judges.

From Murshidabad in West Bengal to Mumbai, Arijit Singh has come a long way. A participant in the reality show Fame Gurukul in 2005, he was one of the top six contestants in the show. “Even though I did not win, participating in a reality show brought me into the public eye,” he says. Several music directors noticed Singh’s work and he was soon working with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. He also assisted music director Pritam.

A trained classical singer, Singh has lent his voice to several Bengali movies and sung the title song Hum Hain Deewane from the popular serial Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon on Colors. Apart from singing, Singh also programmes musical tracks.

The popularity of Tum Hi Ho is a particular point of pride. “I feel happy it has become so big despite not being a peppy, upbeat song or a dance track,” he says.

How does he react to the tag of the singer to look out for in 2014? “I’m honoured that such esteemed people have liked my work. Now I’ll have to work extra hard to prove the judges right,” he says.

(by Veenu Singh)

Judge-speak

From HT Brunch, December 31

Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch
Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch