Indian Idol 12
's
Shanmukha Priya
takes tough questions in a video interview with ETimes TV: Does she feel that she shouldn't have ended up 6th but far more up? What exactly did she feel when Aditya Narayan announced that she was 6th? What does she think of
Pawandeep Rajan
and
Arunita Kanjilal
? Why did she hold on to her yodeling style despite receiving flak on social media? Should judges not improve the contestants by correcting them? Who are her favourite playback singers? What's coming her way next?
Excerpts from the conversation:
Do you feel that you shouldn't have ended up 6th but far more up in 'Indian Idol 12'?
The finale was my last performance and I wanted to give my 100 per cent.
So I was immersed in my preparation. I think each one of us in the Top Six was unique in his/her own way.
See the video below:
Shanmukha Priya Interview AFTER Indian Idol 12: If given one vote, I'd cast it for myself
Didn't you have a hunch who will lift the trophy?
I think the amount of love I have got in 'Indian Idol 12' from my well-wishers is immense. I was too happy with that. Yes, my mom and Dad wanted to see me in Indian Idol and win it. But now, I want to move ahead and do a lot of work.
What exactly did you feel when Aditya Narayan announced that you are 6th? Disappointment?
Hmmm... no, I just thought, yeh ho gaya. I was happy that finally I am going home and meeting my father whom I was missing a lot.
So who did you expect would win? Did you think that it could be Pawandeep Rajan or Arunita Kanjilal?
As for the result, I think it is largely decided by the votes. Pawandeep Rajan was leading since quite some time.
Okay, but if you were to cast one vote, who would you give it to?
Without me being counted in that lot?
Okay, with you being counted in that lot...
If I was to cast one vote (to choose the 'Indian Idol 12' winner), I would cast it for myself.
Name your song from 'Indian Idol 12' that gave you the most satisfaction? Your personal choice and the public's.
The public responded very warmly to Huma Huma. My personal favourite would be Manali Trance; I was just enjoying in that, bindaas.
How did you take to the social media criticising you that you sing in only one style?
Well, everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. Moreover, I am ready to get better and better. Frankly, initially I didn't know what was going on in social media. Later when a well-wisher told me, I felt that everybody is entitled to have an opinion as I am on a public stage.
What made you hold on to your yodeling style despite receiving flak on social media?
But you see, for one side of criticism, there was another side that was loving my style.
So, are you saying that your number of fans outnumbered your number of critics and you went with the majority?
Yes.
Sreerama Chandra (Winner of Indian Idol 5) told us that you have a beautiful classical side to your singing? Why didn't you exhibit that in 'Indian Idol 12'?
We were going with the theme given to us and largely with who was the special guest. By that yardstick, I decided the way I went about it.
Should judges not improve the contestants by correcting them?
(Thinks hard) I don't remember.
But let's consider Pawandeep and Arunita. Was any correction in their performance pointed out? Or even when it comes to yourself, do you remember any such incident?
Hmmm.. not that I remember. But look, here every contestant was trained and experienced. So they knew what they had to do. As far as I am concerned, I rehearse a lot so that I have control over my voice and mistakes don't happen.
So, you are saying that you kept raising your bar of singing and have set your standards high. We hear you getting offers for international projects as well. What's the route ahead?
I want to sing several
songs
. We did receive a lot of encouragement hinting at work. Shakti Kapoor made me talk to Shraddha Kapoor and she was talking in terms of me in one of her next films, Umang Kumar said that he would like a full album with me singing. Octopus Entertainment's Mr Surani is supporting a lot. And how can I forget Vijay Deverakonda's support?
Who are your favourite playback singers?
Lata Mangeshkar (Female) and Kishore Kumar (Male). S P Balasubramaniam too.
