MUMBAI: Hailed as India’s first female folk rapper, Pinky Maidasani has released her debut song, Bullet Wale Saiyaan today. Among the crowd of rappers, she is that one rapper, who has a desi core to her rap music, which makes her stand out from the crowd. Having started her musical innings as one of the contestants on popular music reality show, Indian Idol 3, success didn’t come easy for Pinky, who has earlier sung songs like Kikli Kalerdi for the Bollywood film Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana. In an exclusive interview with Radioandmusic, Pinky talks about her debut single, her love for folk rap, singing in Bollywood, and how Indian Idol 3 did nothing for her!
Can you tell us about your debut song ‘Bullet Wale Saiyaan’?
Bullet Wale Saiyyan is a desi folk rap song because it has an essence of rap while we have maintained folk in it. We shot the music video in Rajasthan and have worn Rajasthani outfits for the song. It is composed as well as written by Sandy Taneja, who has given hip-hop music. The song has released, today, on the official YouTube handle of Future Wings Music. It has released all over the world on about 170 platforms.
What is the key highlight of this song?
After the release of this song, about 45 DJs, from across the world will be remixing this song at the same time, which would be something new. Also, it is my sixth single and we have tried to do it better based on the experience of the past five singles. Also, this is my first original number, which is releasing on my own portal. We have tried to cover all the target audience.
What made you realise that you want to do folk rapping?
I am Sindhi and we hardly have any connection with music or film industry. But, I am a proud Sindhi and I feel proud and I believe I can make it. Since my childhood, I have always dreamt of becoming a singer. Basically, I am a folk singer, who has learnt classical singing for nine years. But, I could write as well as do rap. Initially, I was trying to be a playback singer, but didn’t get a response initially. Earlier, two-three people called me for rapping because they knew that I do rap. When I went for the recording, I found that people were exclaiming ‘Oh wow!’ on seeing my performance. This motivated me and I thought, rapping is something new and I should do it. Then I started approaching music directors and music producers in order to tell about my speciality of doing folk rap. I got instant replies from music composers, after I approached them. The first composer to give me break was Amit Trivedi for Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana. I sang a Punjabi rap, Kikli Kalerdi with Yo Yo Honey Singh for the movie. Later, I have sung for many movies, for Ranvijay Singh, Viacom 18 etc. So, in any song that comes across to me, I try to do a little bit of rap into it. I sing a lot of jingles as well for Havells fan, Jio Dan Dana Dan, Amul Milk etc. Recently I sang one for Ranveer Singh also.
Any reason to rap in Hindi and other regional languages?
It is because in India, people understand and connect well with their local language. Also, since I have lived in MP and Rajasthan, I can also sing in certain languages. But, It doesn’t mean that I cannot rap in English, but in English we have a lot of competition, as there are a lot of international artists. Two years back I did cover of Dhaakad from Dangal, which Aamir Khan not only liked but had also tweeted about it.
How was your experience of working with various music directors?
Amit Trivedi is amazing, superb. The way he records your song is wow! With different composers, it is a different experience.
Today most of the rappers have an agenda behind their raps. What is your motto of rapping?
Folk has become a forgettable, unknown thing for our new generation. They don’t even know about it. If you ask me, rap was already there in our folk culture, be it Rajasthani, U.P or Gujarati folk. Now, the new terminology is rap. See, rap is nothing but your thoughts, which you are expressing in a musical form, most of beats. Thus, if we can express our culture in the form of rap, then why not?
Have you faced criticism for being a female folk rapper in India? How did you take it?
I hardly listen to anyone. If you do anything good also there are critics. You cannot please everyone. I read all the comments and listen to criticism, but take only which is important for me. I just believe that I have to go one step ahead. Even when I was a contestant on Indian Idol 3, I always had an attitude that I have to show what I have. If I get selected then it would be great, else it would be an experience for me. This is how, i had managed to reach top 12.
You have been one of the contestants on Indian Idol 3. How did Indian Idol 3 contribute to your musical career?
For me Indian Idol gave me nothing. I got no recognition because after four years of Indian Idol 3, I was working at the same school where I use to work as a music teacher earlier. In these years, I use to meet music directors and did small shows. Everyone have had a different experience with music reality shows. For some of them, it was a no looking back one, but there were so many unforgertable singers from Indian Idol Season 1 to 10.
Being an outsider in the industry, did you face favouritism, or saw talent getting credit?
If I say that only talent gets recognition, it will be totally wrong because they see the package like whose TRP is good as the channel is not making a show to make the career of a singer, but to make their show superhit. Also, it is there bread and butter, as they want to make money. In India, emotions sell very well, so they create a story around it for the show. I got eliminated because they were not getting good masala from me and i had a vibe earlier that my stay would be for a certain period on the show.
What your upcoming projects and collaborations?
We are collaborating with international artists as well like I have my friends from Istanbul. Turkey has a good folk so I am collaborating with Turkish and Australian singers may be in three-four months. We are coming up with original folk, which will have a desi touch. The best example is the Haryanvi song, Teri Akhayo ka yo kajal, which everyone loves because it’s desi touch!
Also, next month, we are coming up with Haryanvi rap song, which will also be in the folk genre. Another song, I have sung for web series, Four More Shots Please! It is releasing on 25 January 2019. It’s again a Punjabi rap having an indie mix because the story is based on girls based in Mumbai, on which I will be performing on 23 rd at its launch.
Do you perform at various events? What are your upcoming events?
I perform all over the world for various events, including corporates. It is almost every second day. Recently, I performed in Udaipur. On 23 January 2019, I will be performing for Wizcraft on my dong, I have sung for Amazon Prime’s Web series, Four More Shots Please! On 24 jan, I will be performing in Pune. I have a show for valentines in Powai, later I will perform on the occasion of Holi in Uganda etc. Therefore, I will be performing at various corporates, public events and private shows.
Lastly, any message, do you want to give to budding female rappers?
Iti s not a big deal to be a female rapper or a female folk rapper in India. Just grab it and just do it!
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