Talented playback singer Akriti Kakar has achieved a lot in a young age. Reality shows, live performances in India and abroad to lending her voice for top Bollywood stars, Kakar has come a long way. What has earned her accolades is her passion and respect for her art. Always ready to learn and improve, Kakar is also a music fan with a wide ranging taste- from the predictable to the eclectic. The gifted singer tells her readers about her journey and love for music:-

Genesis:

My musical upbringing was from the legends of the Indian music industry including Lataji, Ashaji, Rafi sahab, Kishore Da, Madan Mohan and C Ramachandra.

I grew up hearing to old classics. The first song I ever learnt was ‘Piyaa Tose Nainaa Laage Re’ from Guide composed by SD Burman followed by ‘Main Kya Janu Kya’ by KL Saigal sahab. My parents used to give me Rs 500 as my music splurging budget every month. I carefully picked and always bought cassettes because CDs were very expensive. My first ever CD was a Nat King Cole’s ‘All Time Classics’- a new world of jazz music that was exposed to me. And then was the Michael Jackson mania and Mariah Carey craze that drove me insane.

I was so possessive of my cassettes that I barely told anyone about what I bought and always kept it all at home. I used to keep money aside from my canteen allowance and rickshaw fare to add to my pocket money to buy more music. I still have a huge chest full of those old priced possessions of mine. Mom added hers also to them. We must be having at least 2,000 cassettes I presume, kept as cherished memoirs.

Journey:

My debut with making music started with working for my own solo album which was a self titled release. That too when Shankar Mahadevan sir insisted that I just must compose for my own album since I'd know best what I should make my audiences hear. Apart from that, I keep making songs for my own enjoyment. And when I sit down to create something it never happens. Rather it flows naturally most of the times. For all these are mostly for my own ears.

As far as inspiration goes I think it could be hearing something amazing or visiting some gorgeous places or a moving incident or even a great seasonal rain. The greatest of composers and their compositions truly inspire me and what moves me more is their thought process behind expressing feelings through those notes so unbelievably.

I don't know if I am superstitious, but I am definitely very, very self critical. I'm my worst and best critic. I usually scrap most of the things I create.

Favourite Music:

I can't pick my favorite. I'm just a little less fond of Hard/ Metal rock. I can soak in classical notes of Kaushiki Chakrabarty, Rashid Khan sahab and Begum Parveen Sultana all the time. I love romantic ballads and current (contemporary) pop too. I dote on Bollywood music and keep a track of it- Everything from Nicki Minaj to Taylor Swift and David Guetta to RDB. I love to sing across all genres too.

I'm currently overdosing on a lot of Sufi from across the border. A lot of ghazals by Mehdi Hassan sahib, Ghulam Ali sahab and Hamid Ali sahab. ‘Apni Tasveer Ko Aankhon Se Lagata’ fails to leave my mind. And in totally contrast, I'm loving the new bank of the entire Grammy nominations folder in my iPod- like Gotye, Black Keys, fun, Mumford and Sons, Adele, and even Kelly Clarkson.

Copyrights & Piracy:

I think it's pretty odd of anyone to pick an old existing song and rip it off exactly like that. Being inspired is one thing, lifting it entirely is terribly wrong and unfair to the original creator. In case an existing song is used its rights must be bought. There have been examples of that too- like ‘Pretty Woman’ in ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ and ‘Jail House Rock’ incidentally sung by me for ‘We are Family’. Everyone who is responsible for the making of a song from namely the composer, lyricist, musicians, singers, engineers and the ones who release it should be given their due since it’s their property. 

I feel very strongly against piracy. All of us spend unnecessarily way too much and spend on internet connections to make sure we have great speed to download music. Since now we have iTunes available in India along with other official sites from where we can pay and download music we should make an effort to do that instead of downloading songs from pirated sites. It will only make us shell out about Rs5- 10 per song and in turn help the music industry in a huge way. A small thought given to this big issue may turn the tide anti piracy in a huge way in India.