Shubha's swar

"Please don't ask me to sing while posing for pictures," says a hesitant Shubha Mudgal, as we request her to render a few lines of the full-bodied Ab Ke Sawaan while she was being shot. The lady was in town to perform at the Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Yaadgar Sabha recently. Dressed in a white sari with her trademark red bindi and kohl, Shubha talks to CS about her musical influences:


WHO: Shubha Mudgal
WHAT: Speaks about her role models
WHERE: Tata Theatre

A role model
I never got a chance to learn from Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saab or his disciples, but there's not a single Hindustani classical singer who has escaped his influence. My parents loved his music, so I grew up listening to him on almost a daily basis. The magnificence and delicacy of his voice is unparalleled. Even if you tried to imitate his voice by listening, you would learn so much in terms of voice control, expression and artistry. Such was his genius. I love his renditions of kamod, todi and shuddha sarang.

A lifetime isn't enough
When you study music, you realise that one lifetime isn't enough to learn even a single form of music. Unless you are supremely confident or complacement, you cannot say that you are a master of any form. I still consider myself a student, and that gives me immense happiness, satisfaction and inspiration. Though people associate me with Hindustani classical, I like to listen to all kinds of music. And I consider myself very lucky to be in a age where I have easy access to all music forms.

Guru gyaan
I believe that the voice defines the power of music. I have never put much value in the gharana system and so have learnt music from various gurus. Each one of them had something special in them. Ustad Amir Khan Saab, Ustad Abdul Karim Khan and Kumar Gandharva have had tremendous influence on me. In the world of thumri, I adore Begum Akhtar.

My playlist ufffd
I absolutely love Ella Fitzgerald, the late American jazz vocalist. Larry Armstrong is another favourite. Basically, I love jazz. I enjoy listening to the pop divas like Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Shakira, as well as Bollywood film music. Yes, I like Shakira (laughs).