'The stage is where I belong'

Nandini Deb may be new to the scene but she has already established herself by working with some of the most sought after names in the music industry like Sukhwinder Singh, Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Udit Narayan and Kunal Ganjawala.

She is now keeping her fingers crossed for her big Bollywood musical debut, ‘Beparwah’ from Tiger Shroff’s ‘Munna Michael’. Nandini shares her thoughts on being a part of the industry with Anila Kurian.

It’s your first Bollywood song. How does that feel?
Absolutely amazing! It’s been a long journey and I’m glad my hard work has been recognised. I finally
feel like I am a part of the industry.

Where does your musical inspiration come from?
I grew up in a musically inclined family — everyone from my grandparents to mother has made a mark with their talent. I’ve always been interested in dancing as well, so it all just came naturally to me.

Was it difficult convincing your parents for this career choice?
Somewhat — yes and no! I moved to Mumbai to study music and after a year of the course, I realised how much I loved what I was doing. So I decided to stay back and explore more opportunities. My family was a little sceptical but they have always been very supportive of my choices.

Do you have any other Bollywood projects lined up?
I do have a few in the kitty but I can’t talk about them yet. I am working on my own music video project too and hope to release it in a couple of months.

You have worked with big names like Sonu Nigam and  Shaan. What was the experience like?
It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I am very thankful for that. They have helped me understand what it’s like being on stage and how to control the situations around you. The entire experience has helped me grow as a person and musician. It’s because of them that I realised the stage is where I belong.

Any other artistes you want to work with?
It would be a dream come true to work with A R Rahman. He has been a great inspiration and it would be an honour to learn from him. I would also like to work with Pritam Chakraborty.

Every musician has their own sound. How would you describe yours?
As this is my first Bollywood song, I don’t have the liberty to choose. ‘Beparwah’ is a peppy dance track and I loved working on it. But to answer the question, I’d like to believe that I am a versatile singer and want to experiment with as many sounds as I can.