MUMBAI : The shiny world of fame and glory is not for the fainthearted. For those who are not from the industry, the struggle can be long and tedious. It can make you and it can break you. But if you are true to your talent and have the persistence, you can hit gold.
JD Singh- singer and music director began his career doing what most new musicians do. He ran jingles for numerous national and international brands such as Pepsi, Dabut, Paytm, Maruti, Hero Motors, Honda, Samsung, Roca, Sprite and so many more. Despite what people believe, jingles are tough and challenging! It teaches you the nuances of music making, how to graciously handle rejections and how to start from the very beginning with a smile on your face. Creating the vision of a director in just a short 30 - 120 seconds jingle is not everyone’s cup of tea, but JD imbibed himself into his music and allowed the experience to broadened his horizon as a musician.
While jingles were the first part of his story, JD has moved forward and has come out with his new single ‘Nakhra’, a peppy foot tapping song, with both the music and vocals by himself. “I am so very happy. Sometimes I feel that I may burst with joy. My music video ‘Nakhra’ has crossed 250 K views. Idea for this song had come while I was sitting in a coffee shop and I saw a pretty girl arguing with the manager. She was so stately and classy even while arguing. ... that’s when I started --- .. ke nakhra ni .. saareyan too wakhra ni .. tu gall kujh hor hi hai. Few days later sitting in my studio I instinctively started singing the same lines in a tune... and this is how this song was born. I made a scratch immediately and sent it to T Series... they liked it. I finalised the song with lyricist Kunaal Verma, shot a video with Manan Bhardwaj and the rest is history,” narrates JD.
This is the time of the independent artist. Today, people have stopped depending on record labels and music directors for work. Of course the exposure of a big label or a song in an album helmed by a Big name music director is THE DREAM, we are now living in the digital world. There are so many new avenues and platforms available online. For a new artist, recognition is just a click away.
Says JD, “It is keeping our connectivity with our audience and listeners that’s keeps us alive. Your scale doesn’t matter, as long as you are thinking long term. Keep posting and updating, responding to your followers. Every phone has a camera and with so many apps out there, making fun videos is quick and easy. YouTube does not discriminate, neither does Instagram and Facebook! But ofcourse, without good content and the absence of filters, you get nothing but critics as your followers. So keep it alive..”
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JDs inspiration are musicians like ABBA, Englebert and Pink Floyd along with Jagjit Singh, Rafi Saab, Lata ji, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Madan Mohan, Shankar Jaikishan, SD Burman , RD Burman and Ilaiyaraaja. He turned to AR Rahman post late 80s. “From making repeated phone calls to music stores to standing in lines for his CDs. I’ve done it all…. Rahman Sir’s music was my savior. So a lot of learning came from there, minutely listening to every detail of his music and believe me there were countless details. Even today I end up discovering something new. I challenge anyone even with today’s given technology , come up with a Rangeela or a Dil Se or a thiruda thiruda or Kannathil Muthamitaal or Kandu Kondein….his work is mind bogglingly intricate,” laughs JD, an Audio engineer from SAE. Music is a long endless uphill journey, so enjoy it even thogh you are getting breathless with the strain. Depression is not an option.
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