MUMBAI: She is one of the most popular and versatile playback singers in India at the moment, with hits like ‘Sheila Ki Jawani’, ‘Desi Girl’, ‘Halkat Jawani’ and ‘Shut up & Bounce’ under her belt. Sunidhi Chauhan has crooned tracks in a number of languages like Oriya, Punjabi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali, Assamee, Nepali, Urdu and English, making her an excellent choice to coach the upcoming generation of singers. Chauhan is currently busy prepping a group of youngsters, readying them for the music world.

In conversation with Radioandmusic.com, the popular singer who is also coach on &TV’s singing reality show- ‘The Voice India’ talks about her dedication to the show, attachment with the contestants and her future plans.

Do you like coaching contestants on 'The Voice India'?

They already are very good, so I do not have to teach them much. However, whatever I think is right, according to me, I share that with them. The good thing is that they accept these ideas, and are extremely happy about it. Basically, they are implementing things in their own way.

Who do you think is the strongest singer in your team?

Honestly, all seven singers are really strong, but I am really excited about Parth, Shristi, Rishabh, Vishva and Gopal. They are really good singers.

How much time do you spend coaching these contestants?

I do not coach them every day. When the dates are decided, I am always there for them. But when I am with them, we do not look at the time. Sometimes I might decide to come in for just an hour, but I stay for seven. Like I said they do not need much coaching, but whenever I am suppose to be there, I am there.

According to you, how important is it to pronounce words correctly while singing?

The way it is going in the industry right now is completely acceptable to me. Some people do not listen or pay attention to the words, and that is fine. You may call me old school, but I think words are everything, if they are sung and portrayed correctly. I tell my team to pay just as much attention to words as to the melodies. But today, it is more about the sound, rather than words.

What qualities do you look for in a contestant while judging them?

I do not really have a list of things that I look for. I want to get inspired when I hear a voice. I am here to discover unique voices in India, which probably do not have a platform to showcase themselves. I have real good voices in my team, and they are doing well so I am not really worried.

Now that you are coaching ‘The Voice India’, would you like to open a music institute to teach aspiring singers?

That is a good idea, but I think I am too young and still learning. There is a lot for me to explore in music. When I think that I have enough to share, I will consider opening an institute. But, I think I will give it good 30 years before it can happen.

Tell us about your upcoming projects?

There are some things in the pipeline. I cannot talk about them at the moment, but something is definitely cooking.

Is there any form of music that you would like to experiment with?

I would like to do a Ghazal album.