Singer Jubin Nautiyal On What He Would Like To Change About Today’s Film Music

Singer-songwriter Jubin Nautiyal first broke through with the song 'Zindagi Kuch Toh Bata' from the 2015 film Bajrangi Bhaijaan for which he was awarded the Upcoming Male Vocalist of the Year at the 8th Mirchi Music Awards. Since then, he has gone on to become one of the most recognizable voices in mainstream Hindi music, singing on hits like Kaabil's 'Kaabil Hoon' and Ok Jaanu's 'The Humma Humma Song' remix. His single 'Humnava Mere' amassed more than 120 million views on YouTube. Here he talks about and the best piece of advice he would give aspiring singers:

On The Importance Of Social Media

Since I've started getting more active on social media, I've started getting to know myself and my voice and work better. Because I think if I ask a friend, "How did you like my song?", he'll say, "Very nice." Of course he'll say that. But fans on social media don't lie – it's very honest and genuine. That is something that's very important to me to know what kind of work I'm doing.

On What He Does When He Isn't Feeling A Song

Somehow when I'm sitting with a guitar and I'm just singing a song, it's not like 'singing a song'. I just kind of say it. When I say it, it happens. When I try to sing it, it doesn't happen.

It has to appeal to me otherwise I will not be able to do a good job. If I'm not feeling the song, then you will never feel the song and the whole purpose is defeated. So it doesn't make sense going and struggling. If I have to struggle with a song, then it's not mine.

On The Advice He Would Give Aspiring Singers

Don't forget why you started this. Music is such a personal thing to you. As you start getting deeply involved with it and as you start choosing it as a career, you forget why you started music. And that innocence is gone. The thought of starting music is very innocent and very real and very pure. And that's what music is. When you lose that thought, you lose the plot. Then you just become a product which is being sold in the market and that's not what a musician is. That's just a product.

On What He Would Like To Change About The Industry

I think people have forgotten the old-school charm of romance in music – I miss that. I miss the expression of that old-school love that made music so important in our country. First we had Kishore Da and Rafi saab who did brilliant work, then the 90s happened. Then suddenly you felt that the depth of the lyrics has started vanishing and suddenly a different language has started happening in music – slang language with double meanings and stuff. I won't say it's a bad expression – it's one of the expressions. But it shouldn't be the only expression.

Music is supposed to have all kinds of expression. And what we miss is that whole old-school charm that we as a generation have been losing for a while. And that depth of love is not there anymore. I think we are in a place of responsibility where we can teach young kids to be in love all over again.