Singing is a sacred experience: Shweta

When the pretty Shweta Pandit makes an entry on stage, her petite frame belies the oodles of energy that’s stacked within her.
In the city recently for the A R Rahman concert, she set the stage on fire with her energetic singing and seemed pretty much at ease as she performed. Ask her about it and she says, “Stage is like home to me. Barring the few minutes of nervousness that I feel a li'l before the show, I relish the stage experience. I know it's a momentary thing and I must cherish it, which is so unlike when you are in a studio!” Ask her to explain and she says, “A studio is more of an isolated place. You record a song nobody's ever sung before. While there's a burden on you to sing it well, it's a happy responsibility to shoulder. Somehow just stepping into the studio and singing is such a sacred experience. It's uplifting and humbling.”
Elusive hit
Speaking of her most recent hit Chada de rang from Yamla Pagla Deewana, the singer says, “I really enjoyed singing the song, but what made it even more special was when Dharamji, Bobby and Sunny appreciated it at a party that was thrown for the success of the film. They came to know only at the do that I was the one who sang this song and personally came and told me that they loved it.” Though she has famous songs like that of Mohabbatein to her credit, does she rue one chartbuster that’s eluding her? Thinking a bit, she says, “Oh yes I do wish for that one song that will change it all for me, but I am busy singing, so I guess it will happen on its own. There's a time and place for everything. Like I was the only Indian singer to accompany Rahman at the Nobel Peace Prize concert and was sharing the stage with the greats in world music. Not many can boast of that!”
‘Rahman and I’
As Shweta gears up to sing more in Bollywood, ask her if she has any favourite composer? After all, she is a constant fixture in most A R Rahman tours! She says, “I love to work with Rahman because he’s a master composer, but I do not have any favourites. All composers including Vishal Shekar, Shankar- Ehsaan-Loy, Salim-Sulaiman etc have a different niche and it's very unfair to compare them.” Ask her to reveal what she likes best about Rahman and she says, “Well, it's got to be the way he plays with the sound of music. Even when we singers hear ourselves, it’s amazing to hear what he does to our voices. We just sound so different when we sing for Rahman. Also after seeing him play the piano, I've gotten this urge to learn the instrument. He looks so magical playing it and makes it seem so simple.” She adds with a laugh, “But I know it's damn tough, I've tried and that’s why I want to learn the instrument. I need to keep doing something new all the time.”
Style icon
Speaking of new, ask her if a new look is also on the agenda as in the world of Lady Gagas and J Los, our Indian singers look pretty sedate! She laughs and says, “Actually yes. I'd love to be known for a unique style of dressing, but I haven't figured out which style! Coming to think of it all our male singers - Sonu Niigaam, Rahat Fateh Ali, Kailash Kher, Daler Mehndi - they have such unique styles. It's high time we female singers matched them in their style quotient!”