'I'm Not A Competitive Person': Nikhita Gandhi On The Competitive Music Industry In Today's Time

Music sensation Nikhita Gandhi has been basking in the glory of her recent chartbusters titled 'Gore Gore Mukhde Pe' and the title track from the movie 'Ishq Vishk Rebound' that is set to release in theatres on 21st June. The songs of the movie have been trending and have taken over everyone's playlist already. She has worked in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, and Kannada film projects and has done playback for several actors.

On the occasion of World Music Day 2024, ABP Live had a conversation with her over email where she shared her experiences in the industry, her current projects and a message for World Music Day.

Here Are Some Excerpts From The Interview:

1. Your music style is quite diverse, what inspires you to experiment with different styles?

Most of the time, ironically, it's the people I collaborate with or the people I work with, who kind of push me to experiment with different styles. My first blockbuster song, which was 'Lady O' with Rehman Sir, back in 2013 or 14, was first in Tamil, it was very high-pitched, very fast, and a very difficult song for a normal Tamil-speaking soprano singer to sing. So, everything about it was against what I thought was the reality of my singing. But it came out so well, and it made me see how important it is to keep trying new things.

I've always been pushed to try new things. I've tried a few ghazal projects as well, which have been, again, so out of the box for me. So, I love the fact that all the musicians that I've gotten to work with, have all pushed me to see sides of myself that even I didn't know I could have.

2. Can you tell us about your current projects and what we can expect from your upcoming music?

Well, currently, the most exciting projects have been my two songs from 'Ishq Vishq Rebound' that have been going viral on the internet. One is 'Goree Goree Mukhde Pe Kaala Kaala Chashma' and the other one is 'Ishq Vishq Pyaar Vyaar'. They are both semi-recreations with new lines.    'Ishq Vishq Pyaar Vyaar' particularly was such a cool number for me because I got to sing it with the OG singer Sonu Nigam. I cannot describe in words how crazy and amazing it feels to be able to sing with the kind of artists that we've grown up listening to.    Recently, I also did a song called Maashuka which was a single that has been a really exciting process for me because I featured in the music video and you get to see a lot of me on screen.

3. What do you think is the key to success in the competitive music industry, and how do you stay relevant and motivated?

I've never been the one to look at competition and I'm not a very competitive person and I don't think art is competitive in any case. The best thing to do is to focus on your personal growth and your growth as an artist.

4. Can you elaborate on how you maintain your artistic integrity in the face of commercial pressures and industry expectations?

I have been very fortunate to work with such artists who are held in very high regard. So, you know be it working with Preetamda or Rehman sir or any of the wonderful composers that I have gotten to work with, they are all such high-quality artists that I never really have to worry about maintaining artistic integrity. Apart from that I would like to say that there are of course moments when we come across songs that we are not particularly vibing and it takes some amount of courage to refuse, but having said that I think it is important to eventually learn the art of saying no and learn the art of understanding what your aesthetic is and maintaining that.

I have been trying to do that, of late, and I have been getting mostly a very positive response especially when it comes to non-film music. I have been trying to do projects that only, sort of, feature the artists and not other people like influencers and stuff and I think it is very important that in non-film music, the musicians and artists are at the forefront.

5. What message would you like to convey to your fans and the music industry as a whole on World Music Day?

I'd just like to say to my fans and listeners that film music comes with a lot of promotional power and I think the only thing I can ask for is to give all my music love whether it's film, non-film, a super independent song that I've self-funded or an independent song with an independent label.

I will be celebrating this World Music Day in its truest form which is on stage singing. I'm going to be in Dubai, performing on stage and I'm excited about doing the thing I love, and my dad often tells me that I turn into a whole other person when I'm on stage.