In Tune With Neeti

After winning a musical reality show and belting out award-winning hits, Neeti Mohan is amongst the most sought-after names in the music industry. Read on as she strikes a chord with ’s HENA DESAI and provides a glimpse into her world…

TAKE US THROUGH YOUR INITIATION INTO MUSIC.

My musical journey began at a very young age on frequent travels with my parents from Delhi to the Iskcon temple in Vrindavan. I used to get mesmerised by Lord Krishna devotees dressed up wearing garlands, saris, playing mridangam and singing and dancing in front of the God. They used to look so happy and lost in their own world. So I started dressing up in my mom’s sari just like them and started singing bhajans with them. And I started performing like that in my house and school. Then I went to a boarding school in Pilani, Rajasthan, where I repeatedly heard A.R. Rahman’s songs in Roja, Bombay, etc. and singing became a serious hobby. I started winning prizes in school and inter-school singing competitions. I don’t come from a musical family, but I was a natural when it came to music. I was always ready to go on stage and perform. I learnt Hindustani classical for 10 years and after Channel V Popstars, there was no looking back. My classical training taught me how to approach a song in different octaves. When I was a child, the idea of coming to Mumbai and becoming a singer was a far-fetched one. But today, I’ve come a long way. It’s been a long journey— singing in a band, singing jingles, singing for TV show title tracks, performing on stage and then finally graduating to becoming a Bollywood singer. It feels great!

HOW DID CHANNEL V POPSTARS AND AASMA HAPPEN? ARE YOU STILL IN TOUCH WITH THE OTHER BAND MEMBERS?