For Kanika Kapoor, one of the biggest highs of her life was at an awards show last year, when a senior member of the music industry walked up to her and complimented her on her singing. “He introduced himself to me and asked me if I’m the same Kanika Kapoor who sang Chhil Gaye Naina. When I said yes, he held my hand and said ‘well done’. I guess he didn’t expect that from me after Baby Doll and Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan,” she recalls.
It’s not just this veteran from the music industry (who she chose not to name), but many who didn’t expect such a soulful number from the London-based singer, who stormed her way into Bollywood playback with Sunny Leone’s racy dance track. Fun, peppy numbers such as Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan (Roy), Lovely and Kamlee (from Happy New Year) and Desi Look (Ek Paheli Leela) followed and it was easy to box the singer in the ‘item number singer’ slot.
But with Chhil Gaye Naina, Kanika proved that she could do a great job of singing a soulful track as well. “Even when I sang the lines ‘Yeh duniya pittal di’ in Baby Doll, the soul that I sang it with was very Sufi. I want people to know that I can also sing serious songs and not just item numbers,” she says firmly.
Kanika, however, is candid enough to admit that she has heard all kinds of rumours about herself. “I’ve heard that I’m an autotune singer and that I can sing only one kind of songs. Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m a singer and I do the best I can. I love Sufi music. People haven’t heard my classical side, but they will soon. The point is, I’m not here to prove myself to anyone. I sing for myself and for the people who love my music and I will carry on doing that,” she adds.
The songstress is excited about some of her upcoming Bollywood numbers, including a Sufi number for the movie Do Lafzon Ki Kahani. “Then, there is a dance track for Sunny Leone in Beimaan Love and songs for Udta Punjab and XXX,” she informs. On the independent music front too, Kanika’s got some great stuff lined up, but is hesitant about sharing details. “There is a Sufi track there too. I’m collaborating with a number of musicians for other singles. Internationally, there is a collaboration with songwriter and DJ Naughty Boy,” she says. And while Kanika’s musical career is on an upswing, the singer, who didn’t have much luck in her previous marriage, says she would’t mind giving love another chance. “The man I would like to spend the rest of my life with should be fun, honest and have the ability to make me laugh. The simpler, the better,” she says with a smile.
