Saba Azad Recall Value: Dil ki toh lag gayi,Dhak dhak (Nautanki Saala)Charting The Chartbuster: For Saba Azad,music was incidental to acting on stage she was with Delhi theatre company Jana Natya Manch. The spark in her singing voice got an outlet after she moved to Mumbai and began to participate in casual jamming sessions with independent musicians in the city. Her sultry,languid style of singing was put to excellent use by composer Mikey McCleary in Dil ki toh lag gayi and a reworked version of Dhak dhak from Rohan Sippys Nautanki Saala. I wasnt told about the song before recording,and when I came to know it was the iconic Dhak dhak,I was scared, says the 24-year-old actor-musician. She also has a band,Madboy/ Mink,with boyfriend Imad Shah. Idols Idols: Pink Floyd,Jimi Hendrix,AR Rahman,Ram Sampath,Mikey McCleary,qawwali,and Punjabi folk More To Follow: Sonali Cable Divya Kumar Recall Value: Maston ka jhund (Bhaag Milkha Bhaag),Shubharambh (Kai Po Che!)Charting The Chartbuster: Despite growing up in an environment steeped in film music (his father Bhagwan Pushkarna was a musician with the troupes of various music composers,from RD Burman to Jatin-Lalit) Divya Kumar nurtured a voice far removed from the smoothness associated with playback singers. I never thought I could sing for films,my voice never matched with that of the ideal screen voice, says the 27-year old singer,who attributes his voice texture to his affinity towards folk music. In less than a year,Kumars powerful,folksy vocals have been able to create an impact in songs such as Aafaton ke parindey (Ishaqzaade) and Allah meherbaan (Ghanchakkar). Idols Idols: A lot of Sufi and folk music More To Follow: For Sachin-Jigar in Shuddh Desi Romance,and songs with Amit Trivedi,Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy Mili Nair Recall Value: Meethi boliyan (Kai Po Che!) Charting The Chartbuster: That Mili Nair is well-versed with Western music is evident from Kai Po Ches breezy chartbuster Meethi boliyan. But the singer is trained in Western Classical as well as Carnatic music. Asking me to pick one genre would be like asking me to choose a family member, says the 28-year old singer,who finished eight grades of training at Trinity College of Music and,being a Malayalee girl,went through the mandatory Carnatic classical training. Nair got her first break in Mani Ratnams Raavanan,and more recently in Raanjhanaas Tamil version,Ambikapathy. With Amit Trivedi,her association started in Coke Studio and continued with Meethi boliyan. I got to bring my jazz elements towards the end of the song. I am lucky to have worked with Rahman sir and Amit who are open to new voices, she says. Besides film music,Nair is also an independent singer-songwriter. Idols Idols: AR Rahman,Amit Trivedi,Vishal-Shekhar,Pink Floyd,Coldplay and Sting More To Follow: More with Rahman and Trivedi Neeti Mohan Recall Value: Nazar laaye (Raanjhanaa) Charting The Chartbuster: Recording a song in the presence of AR Rahman,Yash Chopra and Gulzar is likely to be intimidating,especially if one is a newcomer. But Neeti Mohan sealed the opportunity to make it her biggest career boost. Her spirited and spunky Jiya re from Jab Tak Hai Jaan became the albums biggest hit,which followed the success of her debut Bollywood song,Ishq wala love from Student of the Year. Originally from Delhi,the 28-year old Mohan,once a member of pop band Aasma,is a regular in Rahman concerts and considers the maestro as her mentor and guru. Idols Idols: A lot of jazz,including Louis Armstrong and Chick Corea. AR Rahman,Amit Trivedi,Vishal-Shekhar,songs of Lata-Asha. More To Follow: Kashmir se kanyakumari from Chennai Express,songs in Gulab Gang and songs with Amit Trivedi and Rahman. Ankit Tiwary Recall Value: Sun raha hai na tu (Aashiqui 2) Charting The Chartbuster: Behind the anthem of a lovelorn rockstar in Aashiqui 2 is a man who grew up in the hybrid musical environment of jagrans of Mata ki Chowki,Hindustani classical and Bollywood music in Kanpur. Even though 26-year-old Ankit Tiwary had composed songs in Do Dooni Chaar and Saheb Biwi aur Gansgter,its this years smash sufi-pop-rock hit from Aashiqui 2 that has given him his first success in Bollywood. I didnt even know that I am going to sing the song,but when I presented it live in front of Mohit Suri,Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt,they were sure that they wanted my voice, he says. Idols Idols: Latin music,Pritam,Vishal Shekhar,Salim Sulaiman,Ismail Darbar,Mithoon,KK,Shreya and Arijit Singh. More To Follow: Mohit Suris next and more film albums produced by T-Series. Monali Thakur Recall Value: Sawaar loon (Lootera) Charting The Chartbuster: The latest earworm,the lovingly old-fashioned Sawaar loon isnt Monali Thakurs first hit song in Bollywood,but it has given a new lease of life to her singing career. I was only being offered peppy,dance numbers. But I wanted to show other sides of my singing ability too, says the 27-year old singer originally from Kolkata,who has sung the two popular chartbusters from Race Khawaab dekhe jhoothe and Zara zara touch me. She also sang the quirky Aga bai in Aiyyaa. Besides being a singer,Thakur wears many other hats she was a judge with a Bengali music reality show,and is acting in Nagesh Kukunoors Laxmi and Abbas Tyrewalas Mango. Idols Idols: Coke Studio Pakistan producer Rohail Hyatt,Amit Trivedi,AR Rahman,Sunidhi Chauha,Shalmoli Kholgade,Nandini Srikar,Shilpa Rao. American alt rock band Imagine Dragons. More To Follow: Krrish 3,Mango,Laxmi
