It’s not everyday that you come across artists from the industry who share their hometown with you. So, I was particularly excited to speak to singer-songwriter Shashwat Singh who hails from Allahabad (now Prayagraj), which is known for its diverse arts and culture, apart from the confluence of the holy rivers of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati (Sangam). Shashwat crooned his debut Bollywood song, Wat Wat Wat in Imtiaz Ali’s Tamasha (2015), and his most recent track Zamaana Lage from Anurag Basu’s much anticipated Metro…In Dino (2025) is topping the charts ever since its release. From making his debut with AR Rahman to collaborating with Pritam, the singer from a small town in Uttar Pradesh has come a long way.
In this exclusive conversation with The Movie Mail, Shashwat Singh opens up on his roots, his first meeting with AR Rahman, current trends in the music industry, sharing vocals with Arijit Singh and more.
Edited excerpts:
How did music happen to you? Did you always want to be a singer? You’ve spoken about the influence of your grandmother previously. Could you shed some light on it?
A. I think music was always there, because ghar mein mahol (the environment in my home) was always very musical, and there used to be a lot of bhajans and everything. And as a child, I was forced to sit and attend the bhajans and sing. So, light classical music training was always going on. The dream was never to become a musician or anything, but it was definitely something that I enjoyed and relished the most in my life. When I was playing an instrument or singing, I used to enjoy that the most. And I’ve never met my grandmom because she passed away before I was born, but my mother gets it (music) from her, and I, of course, get it from my mother. I think that is the way I got the genetics of music in me, but there was never a plan (to become a musician).
I actually wanted to become a military man. I wanted to join the military. I’ve stayed in the cant(onment) area, so that was my dream, but unfortunately, because of a certain injury that I had later in school life, that plan became out of the question. After that, I thought, okay, music is something I enjoy the most, so I’ll see what I can do about it. So, there was no certainty about anything, but I was told by my parents and brother, ‘Since you are from the commerce stream, you should start preparing for CPT and Charted Accountancy.’ And when I saw ke kitna padhai karna hoga (when I saw the course and how much I’d have to study), then that was out of the question too (laughs). I was never a studious guy, so that was it. I told them ke yeh toh mujhse nahi hoga (I won’t be able to do this). My sister actually informed me that (AR) Rahman saab’s music college has opened in Chennai (KM Music Conservatory), ‘Why don’t you go there and do a course?’ Then, eventually, I went there. My mother and father were very generous and kind. They helped me in this dream from the very beginning. They were like, ‘This is the last investment we are making on you. Go do your thing.’ So that’s it. That was the moment I got completely immersed in the musical environment.
Then, after a few years, my first song came out. And again, that was never the plan. When I was in KM (music school) also, the plan was never that one day I would meet Rahman saab and record for him. That was never the plan. I was literally enjoying the process of being a student, doing different projects, and trying out musical theatre. I was learning how to play the piano, sing opera. I was trying my hand at different things that I had never done before.
So before that, you never took up training in music? You have Prayag Sangeet Samiti in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), which is known as a premier institute for Indian classical music.
A. Okay, so now the funny thing is, Prayag Sangeet Samiti was actually something that was planned between Indira Gandhi and my great-grandfather; he was an IAS, and they were the ones who came up with the idea of this (institute). But I never took training then because main kabhi bhi koi system nahi follow kar pata tha (I could never follow any system with rules and regulations). I had that problem as I was a very impatient kid (chuckles). Once western classical training happened, I started taking piano lessons, Opera singing, and I also got attracted to Carnatic music, so I learned Carnatic music as well. Then I took a little bit of Hindustani classical training, and with all of these combined, I think it became an interesting mishran (amalgamation).
You mentioned you studied at KM Music Conservatory, and you’ve also collaborated with AR Rahman quite a few times, more recently, for Sugar Baby in Thug Life. Do you remember your first meeting or first interaction with Rahman sir?
A. Of course. The first time I met him, it was during a course that was going on in our college, which had a project called Classic Incantation. We had to make the famous Western pieces (like a piece from Black Swan, or some other musical) in Hindi. And apart from me, very few people knew Hindi there. My friends were aware that I am interested in writing lyrics, and poetry is something that I like as well. So my professor approached me to write it.
I had written a conversation between a mother and her daughter in Hindi based on a song from Black Swan. This project went to AR sir. I had written the lyrics in Hindi and next to it was the explanation in English, according to each line. So, he told his engineers, ‘Call this guy. I want to meet him.’ Then I got a call from them. So, I went, and Rahman sir was right there, and he looked at me and said, “Hey man, you wrote this?”. I was like, “Yes, sir, I wrote it,” and he said, “You’re very good. You should continue exploring writing lyrics because it looks like you have it in you.” I was like, thank you so much, but andar hi andar main soch raha tha ke koi inko bata do ke main gaana gaata hun (from within I was thinking, somebody please tell him that I sing songs) because I’m unable to.
I am a very reserved, shy kind of person. I’m a little introvert. Especially, if a stalwart like Rahman sir is sitting right in front of me, I wouldn’t be able to open my mouth at that time (laughs). I just said “Thank you” and looked around me, thinking that they all know that I sing but none of them is telling him, I’ll remember it well (laughs). So that was the first time I met him. After that, we used to do chorus recordings and a lot of work. One day, it just happened that I was in the studio and (Rahman) sir was taking the session. But yeah, the first time I met him, it was as a lyricist.
One of your songs that I really enjoy listening to is Wat Wat Wat from Tamasha. The movie clocks 10 years since its release this year, and so have you. How do you look back at your decade-long journey so far?
A. It feels like yesterday, I’ll be very honest. I never realised how 10 whole years passed by. When I look at myself today, I still see the kid at KM. I think everything has happened in a rush. I’ve never felt that 10 years have gone by. But, yeah, I’m very happy Tamasha was such a brilliant project. Every project of Imtiaz Ali sir is very meaningful and carries a lot of depth. I was very lucky that I could be a part of that. And Wat Wat Wat also got a new life when it caught on Reels because at the time of the film’s release, people didn’t notice it much. But after a few years, it did really well on Instagram, and then people caught on to it, and they were like, ‘We know Arijit Singh, but who’s Shashwat Singh?’ (chuckles).
Q. A lot of songs that we grew up listening to as 90s kids are rehashed and are either being released as singles or as part of movies, whereas original music seems hard to find these days. What are your thoughts on this particular trend of songs being rehashed and re-released?
A. It’s been going on for quite some time, actually. DJ Aqeel ke time se chal raha hai yeh (It’s been going on since the time of DJ Aqeel). Remix culture was always there. I think, after the 90s, once electronic music came, remix culture also started from the very beginning. Of course, now there is more of a recreation culture, I’d say.
Q. Correct, which is why I said ‘rehashed’…
A. Yeah, rehashed versions of songs (pauses). There is an audience for it – they like listening to it. Anyway, everyone wants to cater to everyone. If I am a businessman, even I will not lose out on that market. If I know that, as a businessman, I own a song that garnered these many crores for me back when it was released in the 90s, I’d want to re-release it and see how much more that song can make today. It’s okay. It’s a business module. The day the public stops listening to it, that module will automatically be redundant. It’s all in the hands of the audience.
As artists, we also have to cater to the wants and needs of the listener. Also, it is our responsibility to give them something so nice and so fresh that that becomes their new standard. That is our duty. But both kinds of songs co-exist as of now. So, I think this debate on whether the recreations should happen or not is pointless. No matter what we do, it will continue to happen.
Q. Coming to Zamaana Lage, your most recent song in Metro… In Dino – How did this collab with Pritam happen? What was his brief to you?
A. I’ll tell you the whole story. I keep singing a lot of songs for Pritam Dada. Almost every song that comes out, sung by anyone else, mostly Arijit (Singh) sings most of his songs, but they would have been sung by at least three or four other singers. So, I’m one of those other singers, because I think we are the current face of playback singing. I keep working on some or the other songs with Dada. So he called me for this (song) and I would have sung at least 15-20 versions of Zamaana Lage – with different lyrics, different melodies. My vocal take of this song was actually recorded on a rock track, which was a bit harder on the ears. This version (which has come out) is more mellow and romantic, but my vocals were recorded on the other track. This is a part of the process, and we can’t really do anything about it (smiles).
We are called to sing; we go and sing. Sometimes we ask what the project is. So, I always knew that this song is for Metro…In Dino, both Anurag (Basu) Da and Pritam Dada had liked my version a lot. So I knew that it’s going to happen, but I had no idea or surety of when it would be released. One day, I randomly found out that next week the song is coming out. And I was like, ‘Which song?’ It was then that they told me, “We’re putting out a song from Metro… In Dino and yours is the first one to be released.” These are things that are part of the job.
Q. Multiple singers are made to sing the scratches of the same song, but nobody knows whose version is going to make it to the final cut. As a singer, what are your thoughts on this practice? Don’t you think that it leaves a lot of singers, especially young talent, in a lot of uncertainty?
A. Even I was a young talent at one point in time, and I’ve gone through this whole grind. Well, I’m still a young talent, so to speak (chuckles). Everyone has to begin at the same place, and it’s a learning curve. Unless you’re such a blessed person that you come and shock everyone with the impact of your voice jo ki Arijit Singh ka bhi nahi tha (which isn’t the case for even somebody like Arijit Singh). If you listen to his Fame Gurukul work, his style of singing – it was very different from what you hear now. It is a learning curve for all artists. Nobody’s a born genius like Van Gogh who’ll make paintings that are masterpieces without any kind of formal training.
So, young ones especially, should be very excited about this process because even if you aren’t getting a song, you are getting the experience of a main playback singer. I think it’s a very big thing. Yes, if you are going to ask me, is it irritating to go through multiple versions and all of that? Yes, sometimes it is. But let’s say if you’re working from nine to five in a corporate job, and a client asks for a change, then you’ll have to do it and deliver. You can’t say, “I won’t do it.” So, it’s the same thing. Of course, it won’t be like they’d know that your voice won’t make it, but still, they’ll call you to sing the song. I don’t think there would be any sadists like that in the industry. If you’re getting called again and again for the same song multiple times, it means that you are doing good.
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Even for actors, there are multiple rounds of auditions, readings, and then they’re finalised. It is the process. Earlier it used to be like they’d call Kishore Da directly, compose the song, sing, and finalise it, and the song would be a hit. Now, there are singers in every nook and corner. You see such amazing talent on reality shows. So, I think now, the supply is more and the demand is less. Now, the parents are also more open to the idea that their child can go into a creative field. That wasn’t the case earlier, when out of 500, 10 would remain in the running. Now, out of 10 thousand, five thousand remain. It’s crazy. The numbers have changed, and there is a shift in time. What is important for us to understand and realise is that we all will have to adapt to the changes. What was comfortable back then is no longer comfortable today.
Till last to last year, even I used to think that I’m singing a lot and working so hard. After COVID, there was a lull period as well. And things like these will happen. My mother always tells me that as an artist, you will experience things that are going to define your path in the future, but you have to utilise that experience. It’s natural to feel bad. It happens to everyone. I also feel bad ke maine pura toh gaana achha gaya tha phir bhi mujhe gaana share karna pad raha hai (I’d sung the song so well, still I have to share it with someone else). But it is what it is. It’s not in my hands. I can only go and sing; the song comes out, and it (Zamaana Lage) is getting loved by people. That is the ultimate gift. It’s worth it but then there is the next set of challenges. You want to do live shows, get more shows, look for an agent, so many other things. There is a lot to this career (smiles).
Q. What do you enjoy more? You’ve done quite a few live shows as well. Do you enjoy live concerts more or playback singing?
A. I love performing on stage. I really enjoy the exchange of energy with the audience a lot. It feels like a big family every time you go on stage and perform; everyone sings along with you, and the kind of atmosphere that gets created, is something else.
Q. What is the one trend in Indian music industry that you think is going to stay?
A. Arijit Singh (bursts out laughing).
Q. Well said. You’ve sung quite a few songs with him. How has your experience been?
A. I’ve never recorded with him, but he is a phenomenal singer. There is absolutely no question about that. I think we are blessed to have an artist like him, because, knowingly or unknowingly, he has taught all of us who’ve come into the industry after him; we’ve all learnt so much from him. So it’s nice, but, yeah, if you are asking me, how does it feel to share a song, I mean, how do I answer that? It’s like asking if you’d like to share your tiffin box when you’ve got your favourite food for lunch (smiles).
Q. See, people who are listening to songs casually, in general, are unable to differentiate between the voice of an Arijit Singh and that of a Shashwat Singh. For them, it becomes an Arijit Singh song. It’s bound to hurt somewhere…
A. Of course. I have been noticing that a lot of confusion gets created. If you look at the whole scenario, then it’s not fair to one or the other singer. Also, I am sure Arijit Singh would also want his own song. Pura gaana hi mujhe de do, kyu Shashwat ko daal rahe ho (He’d also think, ‘Give the whole song to me, why are you bringing in Shashwat as well?’) (laughs).
Q. How do you take it?
A. I take it very sportingly. I’m honestly telling you, Prachita, I have now stopped getting affected by it. Earlier, I used to get really affected. I used to get hurt as well. But I realised that it’s the decision of the market force, that of a businessman. This is neither Pritam Da’s decision nor is it the decision of our director. It is probably the decision of the label and it is to promote the album, to promote the project, to promote the movie. That’s how they think and that’s how they work. Of course, slowly, slowly, people have started expressing that they are now getting bored. But the return on investment is so much from one artist that they are okay with it. They are okay to have him on board. And I don’t know how long this process will go on.
Q. And you think that he’s here to stay. There’s no such thing as too much Arijit Singh…
A. He must (stay), because he’s brilliant. I know him very well. He has a lot of depth as an artist. An artist like him should stay. It is not the artist’s fault at all. This is not Arijit versus other singers. This is just the norm right now. It’ll change when it has to. We’ll see when it happens. It’s usually the labels that make and break the singers, and we don’t know what their plans are. But the point is, as long as the song comes out, and of course, it’s not that my chunk got cut. Almost 50 to 60 percent of the song is mine in Zamaana Lage, so I’m very, very glad about that. I’m very thankful, and I just hope that there comes a time when the public asks for my solo songs. So, that’s something that I’ll leave up to the masters, or whoever decides.
Q. Okay, tell me what kind of songs or genres and music do you personally gravitate to?
A. I listen to a lot of R&B. I listen to a lot of hip hop. I listen to ghazals and thumris as well, depending upon my mood. My algorithm is so mixed that I can’t give you one genre. It’s multiple things.
Q. You’ve dabbled in acting as well in your music video for Burai. Do you plan to explore acting in the future as well?
A. I would love to give that a shot, because acting is a supremely immersive process. But I don’t want to do a bad job at it, so I want to take training. I want to train, so, most probably in the off-season, when I’m not traveling, I’ll join a theatre group and see where it goes. Let’s see.
Q. What are your thoughts on actors turning singers?
A. Kishore Kumar sab koi nahi ban sakta (Not everyone can become Kishore Kumar), I’d just like to say that.
Q. What’s next for you after Zamaana Lage? Can we expect more songs by you in the album?
A. Yeah, you can expect. And I hope your expectations come true (laughs). There’s a lot of music coming. I have a duo with Nikita Gandhi. It’s called ShNik. We make a lot of songs together, so we’ve started this duo. I’ll be releasing a lot of songs through that. Something’s going to come out next month only. There’s a lot in the pipeline. Let’s see.
