On World Music Day Asia’s Nightingale Lata Mangeshkar Offers Tips To Upcoming Singers

When asked  to  give  suggestions to  new  upcoming singers  the  Goddess Of All Melodious Thing demurs, protesting  that  today’s  generation doesn’t take advice  kindly. When I  persuade her she finally agrees and  gives these  invaluable tips.

1. Be A Shishya  All Your Life: “Even at my age  I consider  myself a student  of  music, Music  is an unfathomable ocean. The  more  you learn, the  less you seem  to know. I’ve  always been a learner. Every one  of  the  great music composers whom I  worked with taught me how to better myself. And I am forever indebted  to all of them.”
2. Riaz Every Morning: “The one thing I  truly regret  is  not practising my music every day. Riaz each morning is very important. It is by honing your skills that you better yourself. In my heydays I  was  so busy  recording  songs,  going from studio to studio that I  never  got  a chance  to  sit every morning and just practise.”
3. Focus on the  diction:  “Not enough attention is paid nowadays  to   the pronunciation  of words. This  must be rectified. The  only way that a  song comes alive is if the singer feels the  words.And the only way you can  feel  the lyrics is to  know them in and  out.”
4. Be Original:  “Singing re-mixes  may get you instant fame. But it is the  original compositions that are  remembered  in  the  long run. By all means sing  the songs  from the golden  era.But don’t make them your passport to instant fame. Follow your idols, but find your own  path .
5. Don’t Let  Success  Get To  You: Success and failure can be  equally  toxic and damaging. Don’t let either  of  the  two get to  you. Never stop to count your blessings  or  curse your setbacks. Just  continue doing  your work honestly.Leave the rest to  the One Above.”