Alisha Chinai, with a voice that could move mountains, is not happy with the current music scene.
“I have been there, done that, and I’m semi-retired and blissfully happy. To the new singers, my advice is — you don’t need record companies anymore! Start your own YouTube channel, showcase your work, and get your shows on your own merit! Priyanka Chopra is India’s global icon, and Ananya Birla is signed to Universal abroad. That’s ironic too — it just re-confirms that the music scene in India is suffering badly. They don’t recognise real artistes! I record my songs mostly in English and put them on YouTube, since that’s the best place to expose your talent without fear of intrusion. There is no money in the music industry, and playback singing is more or less dead.”
Playback Singing Is Dying
Alisha feels playback singing has no future.
“Artists are uninspired and unmotivated. In India, there is no honest collection bureau for singers’ royalties. Singers and music producers are all wary, as there’s so much corruption in the music business. It’s almost like a music mafia here! Singers don’t get their dues at all, and most of the new singers work for free nowadays! I stopped singing for Bollywood long ago! Detached myself! Good artists are just languishing here. There is no money, period! The best option for recording artists now is to put up their own website or YouTube channel and showcase themselves. And you can survive on reality shows — that’s where the moolah is!”
No Real Non-Film Music In India
Alisha laments the lack of real non-film music in India.
“There are no credible composer-producers for the pop dance genre either. They can only give us cheesy Bollywood sounds, nothing international. So whom do I sing for?! My Made in India became a global hit because of my collaboration with Biddu! There’s no one here who understands pop. Tinka Tinka is the best ballad Vishal–Shekhar have composed — nothing else of theirs even compares. And I had to sing it… Ironic! I’m the hot-headed Bad Girl of Indipop, and Vishal Dadlani is the Bad Boy of Rock and Bollywood. Although his song productions are really wicked, I have to admit!”
On Love And Loneliness
The enchanting songstress of many chartbusters in the past is single.
“I’ve been on my own for many years now. And I’d be pretending if I said I didn’t miss that someone special in my life. It’s been very tough on me to be companion-less. But love meri fitrat aur kismet mein nahin. Grahon se balwaan koi nahin hota. It’s better to accept the karmic truth than to keep searching for something that destiny has not willed for you — and hurt yourself repeatedly by trying to get it.”
Relationships And Heartbreaks
Alisha was married to Rajesh Jhaveri in the 1980s. They separated after her career took off. In 2003, she was in a serious relationship with Canadian musician-entrepreneur Romel Kazzouah. The two of them almost made it to the altar before they broke up.
Sighs Alisha,
“I am a giver in any relationship. I gave everything I could to make my relationships work. But fate had other plans. I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss love in my life — of course, I do. But after so many years, love has become a fantasy in my head rather than a reality on my bed. Reality bites. And I have to admit, I am better off alone. Love sounds better in a song. I am happy being the queen in my own castle.”
Finding Peace Amid Industry Challenges
Today, with the slump in the music industry and an ongoing royalty fight with a leading recording company, Alisha is happy crooning a song once in a while. The last time she sang for a film was for composer Rajesh Roshan in Krrish 3.
Looking back, the singer is grateful for all she has received.
“Some people crib about the thorns in the roses. I am grateful there are some roses in a bouquet of thorns! My life has not been a bed of roses. My failures have inspired me more than my success.”7
