One of the most prolific and multifaceted talents of the music industry Vaishali Samant, exploded on the music scene as an independent artist with her chartbusting single “Aika Dajiba”. Her interest in the technical aspect and fascination toward composing gave her the wings to establish herself as one of the leading music composers of Marathi films and independent albums. No less than Legendary singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Usha Utthup, Suresh Wadkar, Shankar Mahadevan, among others have voiced her mellifluous compositions. She has recently recorded a duet with Sudesh Bhonsale, where she has sung, composed and written the lyrics for the film जन्म ऋण that also won her a best lyricist award.
IPRS met the versatile Vaishali Samant, to learn about her musical leanings, her prolific track record, and tried to unveil what makes her a big draw for the music loving Janta.
Here are edited excerpts.
Q. Your versatility as a complete artist that includes singing, composing, and writing lyrics makes you a rare artist. Can you tell us about your interest in the three related but independent art forms?
A . My earliest tryst with music was as a singer. Gradually when my interactions in the music community grew, I saw the effort that went into the making of a song. The music composer creates a song out of nothing and has to showcase it to the world. Believe you me it is a very challenging task and has always attracted me. “Band Hoton Ki Kahani” was the first melody I wrote and composed and with a fair amount of anxiety played it to Sagarika Das of Sagarika music. Thankfully, she liked it and released it. A very important lesson in my growth as a composer came through during the making of Aika Dajiba. It was the time I took in a lot of insights that groomed my thinking as a music composer and I learnt the intricacies of composing.
Q. Were you always a composer or did you gravitate towards composing as you progressed as a singer?
A. My singing has definitely shaped my abilities as a music composer. It is a beautiful learning process that I thoroughly relish. As a music composer I keenly observe the value additions made by the singer in the song as they reproduce it. I’ve come to realize that I can use them to embellish my craft as a singer
Q. Who are your favorite music composers/ influences from the Golden era?
A. There are many great composers, but I tend to lean more toward the singer music director combination. Going by that I am very fond of the combination of Lata Ji and Madan Mohan and Asha Bhosle RD Burman. I think their work together was path breaking and the purest in its culmination. Both went beyond the everyday and came up with timeless work. Madan Mohan ji and Lataji’s Hum Hain Mataye Kucha is a ghazal from Majrooh Sultanpuri’s literary works. There’s so much beauty embedded in the work. R.D. Burman and Asha Bhonsle’s “Mera Naam Hain Shabnam” is also an all time favorite.
Q. What, according to you, was the point that got you the opportunity to take up music composing?
A. It was during my third album composed by Avdhoot Gupte, that I was pushed into the thick of things. With one song remaining Avdhoot got busy with some other work and I could find no alternative and had to step in as a full-fledged composer. It was the time I put in my exposure to good use and created Ghotala that proved to be a decent success.
Q. Tell us about your big moment as a film music composer. Jeta, Gostha Lagna Nantarchi, apart, tell us about your first film song?
A. I’d always wanted to compose music for films. Things fell into place when I did the music for Kedar Shinde’s film Galgale Nighale. The song I composed and penned was Gori Gauri Mandwa Khali. The film and the music were a big hit and I got the chance to work with the fabulous Anand Shinde sir. The experience was enriching and memorable and also made me realize the joy a composer derives when they work with the singer they have so admired over the years. The joy of crafting music for Lata Ji Asha ji, Usha Utthup, Suresh Wadkar, Shankar Mahadevan, Sadhna Sargam, Sonu Nigam is sublime. Among my friends, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Avdhoot Gupte, Swapnil Bandodkar, and many others.
Q. You have recorded the Goddess of music Lata Mangeshkar, please take us through the whole experience. How did the thought process begin? Was it that you composed with her in mind, or did you think it suited her style and got her on board?
A. Working with Sakshat Lata ji was always been on top of my mind. Who wouldn’t like to work with the legend? As a music composer, it was important for me to have a song that’d be worthy of her golden voice. Her approval mattered most. Thankfully, working on a project with her became a reality when I came across these beautiful words written by Savitribai Phule in praise of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule. I was thrilled to read the words that were heartfelt and deeply moving. Out of the many choices I had for the singer, I knew that I wanted Lata Ji to sing it. These words deserved her voice, I thought. I had to match the poem with an equally good composition she would agree to sing. Being aware of her style of singing, I created a melody tailored for her which I then reached her and waited for her approval, which came after a few days.
Lata ji is a voice one has grown with and experienced deeply. When she came to the recording studio, she had studied the melody, its nuances & was very involved. She called the song Swanand, changing it from a possible negative connotation “Jeevanachi Vaat” (Vaat has two meanings- path and a mess) as earlier called. I was glad that she loved the song and complimented that I’m a good composer. I still cannot believe that such a magnificent event occurred in my life and that our names are now connected for posterity. The moment for me is frozen in time. She also mentioned that I was the fourth female music director she had worked with which continues to ring in my ears. The recording day was like a Saraswati Puja day and I felt like Saraswati Mata was singing for me. What more could an artist want! I still can’t believe that she sang my song.
Q. Do your compositions in private albums and film overlap, or are they entirely different from each other?
A. When it comes to film music, it is the story situation that becomes the initial energy I absorb and build on. The tempo and the groove are formed by this early whiff of creation. The lyrics almost come as a compliment to the melody, like a handmaiden. As a film music composer, I prioritize lyrics because that has a bearing on the story you are telling. Lyrics have to be in sync with the story world the film is depicting, else the whole setup may go for a toss. The singer is equally significant. The kind of melody and the mood of the song give me a peek into the ideal voice that will go with it. Also, the fact that I am a singer means that the vocal expression, tone, and style of the singer take precedence from there on in my thought process, and the song takes its final shape
For non-film or independent music, which I have composed for myself and a few friends, the thinking process is different. It is here that I can use a variety of grooves and delve into genres I may not be able to indulge in films. Which is what makes it very interesting for me. In my indie music album “Hello” I’ve used a set of eclectic sounds and grooves
Q. There may be instances when you’ve to compose for an actor and his/ her playback voice. Do you consider that to be challenging? Would you prefer to choose the singer for the mood and then compose irrespective of the actor?
A. Yes. Actors voicing their song has become a renewed possibility in the contemporary era. For my film Kiran Kulkarni versus Kiran Kulkarni directed by Kanchan Adhikari, the song Lutala, I worked with the lead pair of Kranti Redkar and Subodh Bhave as singers too. The song was all about their characters and Kanchanji and I felt it’d be wonderful if the characters render it in their voice, as it’d gel well with the narrative of the film. They were very expressive when the mics turned on.
Q. Do you see the necessity for a music composer to know classical music?
Classical music is the base and lets you find new nuances that you can explore in your creation. This is true both for a music composer and a singer. To give you a different but related parallel: you can be better at coding if you know a basic computer language like Python. That imbibed knowledge will make you sharper and better at coding. Classical music knowledge will only make you a better version of yourself as a creator.
Q. Is there any dream film-maker you would like to collaborate with as a music composer, and why?
A. I think it helps when the film directors are also musically inclined. Having a good ear and a decent knowledge of music are qualities I, as a music director would like to see in the filmmaker. I think a maker like Kedar Shinde has an amazing musical sense is truly encouraging and goes a long way in playing the catalyst and brings out the best in you, whatever the subject or the scope of the film. Galgale Nighale, Kho Kho, Shrimant Damodar Pant, are the names that come to mind immediately. Most of the films I have composed for have a variety of themes and storylines. This has allowed me to adapt my musical compositions to different situations and helped me grow as an artist.
Q. What, according to you, is the difference between a lyric and a poem?
A. Lyrics writing for a song is a different or say a special ability of a poet to write on the song meter or the subject. I salute all of them for their inner struggle to create content in a manner that meets the expected standards and the approval of all those involved: the music director or producer, and the singer. I’ve great admiration and a great tuning with many writers like Vaibhav Joshi, Avdhoot Gupte and Mandar. Avdhoot, once penned a very tricky song in one day when I was stuck and wondering what lyrical idea would fit the song. They are all amazing. Words mean the world to me as a composer.
Q. How and at what stage do you think of picking the singer for your song?
A. When I am composing music, I need the lyrics before I compose because that is what pivots my composition. Lyrics give order to my musical thought process. After I compose, I do a deep mental research of the kind of voice I’d like to bring to life the song. One of my songs “Matching Navra” had the kind of zing that had to have Sonu Nigam’s artistry and effervescence. He brings so much value to the song
Kho Kho the film title-track needed a kind voice soaked in a vivacious, exuberant wrapping. Someone whose voice was dripping timeless energy. Who else but Usha Uthupji could pull it off? I consider her an international voice and a truly special artist. The song needed her, and she did great justice to the melody. We had great fun recording it.
For the light-hearted and peppy Radha Radha, Sagarika Mam and I decided that only Swapnil Bandodkar would add the impish emotion underlying the track. The song worked wonders. Understanding a singer’s strength and working around it is an important quality for a composer.
Q. The grammar of melody has changed significantly over the years and keeps evolving. How have you adapted to that as a composer?
A. As is rightly said, the only thing constant is change. What better barometer than the audience to gauge your reach as an artist?
With the availability of a slew of grooves and genres and the intermingling of musical cultures from across the world, the audience exposure has grown manifold. There is also more acceptance and openness to enjoy all kinds of music. With the sheer variety of languages spoken in our country, the average music lover wants to listen to everything in their language because that is what they most identify with. This change, to my mind, is the heart of the new-listeners musical preference. It is the clinching factor. Musical collaborations are the culmination of this new reality. This has also, in turn, ushered in many new musical styles in the form of arrangements, rhythm, language and sound. It is no wonder that with these changes the song sounds different. A synthesis of the above was bound to emerge as the new age sound.
I am of the strong opinion that any change that does not take away the soul of the creation is welcome.
Q. What do you have to say about the influx of independent artists into the industry? How do you see it at its core?
A. In my view, it is good that artists today can express themselves without depending on any music label. Any new music creator can explore a subject or musical genre close to their heart. This gives them the liberty to be their natural selves, which would have otherwise been a difficult ask. I think everyone who feels they can create music must get a platform, as they have a right to present their work to a wide listener base. Speaking personally, I consider myself to be an Indie artist and love the idea of experimenting with my music. As the scenario unfolds, it is evident that my identity as a music creator will be better served by experimenting and trying new styles. Samudra Manthan (Churning of the ocean) is how I would like to describe the way the music world is going to shape up. The music content that survives the churning is the good and will emerge as the music lovers’ preference
Q. Where do you see the music from Maharashtra in terms of the national scenario?
A. The musical legacy of Maharashtra and its stunning range is astounding. It is the churn of centuries that has entered the mainstream music of Maharashtra today and has given it a splendorous hue. As a contemporary artist from Maharashtra, I feel I’ve gained an identity as a Marathi Mulgi with Aika Dajiba and take great pride in it.
Q . With AI becoming a major part of the music industry, do you see it as beneficial or detrimental to the music scene on the whole?
A. My take on AI is that, like all technologies, there is going to be a constant phase of trial and error that can only be expected. With technology evolving rapidly, the trial-and-error phase will be continuous. As I see it, AI will be used rightly or overused. It will be some time before the music industry gets a grip on the optimum use of AI. Be that as it may, I strongly feel that we cannot lose the human element in any creation. Exacting standards of perfection attained through artificial means may end up sounding mechanical or dead. At some point, I believe, people will tire of this and be back to non-AI method of working, or reach a point beyond which they will draw a line on the use of AI in creation, which could be the optimum use of AI eventually.
Q. What next are we going to hear from you Vaishali?
A. Some of my forthcoming projects include independent devotional compositions of Swami Samartha, a subject close to my heart. A peppy number with Sudesh Bhonsale that I’ve crafted to his vivacious style and a Marathi film जन्म ऋण for Kanchan Adhikari.
Vibhav Rao