I feel like a cat who has survived nine lives: Singing Diva Alisha Chinai

Singing Diva Alisha Chinai Speaks To  Subhash K Jha  As She Turns 60 On  March 18

Hello Alisha, how  does  it feel to have come so far ? 

I feel like a cat who has survived nine  lives .Seriously!!!

How did you bring in your  birthday?

I saw The Phantom Of The Opera at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, followed by Mexican dinner at Lyla. I couldn’t have hoped  for  a better birthday.

Why don’t we hear  you anymore?

Is there  anything worthy  of  me?But seriously, I am getting my MOJO back and  I   hope to be reborn once again .

What do you think of the current trends in  popular music?

New Trends n composers singers all very good in their own niche .There are  Tanishk Bagchi, Diljit Dosanjh, Arijit Singh and  Shreya Ghosal, all ruling the roost.

Do you  agree that playback singing is dead?

Playback singing is dead?  Hmmm …. I had predicted that few years ago well it’s a good thing n a bad thing … I mean I miss it  but  the  end of playback was inevitable. Nowadays audiences have grown up .Listeners are exposed to western sounds and are finally appreciating independent singers and that’s great .Hindi film music will survive as long as the Music is good !!

Which songs  do you  consider to be milestones?

Milestones…let me see…Made in India and  Kajra re of course!!!  These two  number define my career. When Made In  India came out,listeners were thunderstruck. They had  not heard  anything like  it before. A  lot of  the impact for Kajra re must go to  Aishwarya Rai  Bachchan.

Your birthday wish?

My birthday wish is to go back to the future !!

Your opinion on  the current music scene?

Punjabi songs and artistes have taken over in a big way.The sincerity and the commitment to their Art is something you don’t see much these days ;it’s more about the Moolah.

Who  are your  singing idols?

I have so many… list of favourites list is endless.But from top of my head there are a four names: Lataji ,Noorjehan,Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand.