ALKA YAGNIK

Alka Yagnik has been singing for nearly three decades and her popularity continues to soar. New, much younger singers may come and go, but Alka is right up there, cosily settled in her own niche.

As a talented struggler, she got her break working with great music directors like Kalyanji - Anandji and Laxmikant - Pyarelal nearly three decades back. Since then, she has continued to grow in spite of the intense competition among playback singers in Bollywood. No other female singer, except Lata Mangeshkar, has enjoyed this longevity nor commanded this respect. It is no surprise that, today, she is being considered as Lata's successor.
It has been a long journey for Alka from her first song as a solo singer in Rajesh Roshan's 'Hamari Bahu Alka'. Her first hit was 'Mere angne mein' in Laawaris but her popularity soared with 'Ek do teen char' in Tezaab. Incidentally, this song was a turning point in actress Madhuri Dixit's career too making her a star in Bollywood.

After Tezaab, there was no turning back for Alka Yagnik. Her unforgettable hits include Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Baazigar, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham among many, many others.
What is the secret of Alka's longevity and spectacular career? The only logical answer is, of course, that she is phenomenally talented. After fifteen years of delighting the people with her voice, she is now slowing down. The reason, says the singer, is that she is very particular about the kind of songs she wants to sing. She likes melodious songs which composers like Anu Malik, Nadeem-Shravan, A.R. Rahman, and Rajesh Roshan gave her. Today, musical trends have changed and while she still gets songs that appeal to her, they are fewer in number.
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She goes on to say that today's music does not satisfy even the younger generation. Melody seems to have taken a backseat but she predicts that in the coming years, melody will make a comeback. Indian classical melody will always hold an irresistible appeal to all generations, she asserts. Western beats may be incorporated but the basic music will remain Indian. Until then, she makes it clear that she will continue to pick and choose songs.

For Alka, every song is a test to her talent. She takes no song lightly and gives it her full concentration. She goes on to say that during her time, it was difficult to get breaks while today's aspiring singers have it easy. They seem to achieve instant success but disappear as quickly. According to her, sustaining one's position is not easy. It has nothing to do with destiny or luck. It means sheer hard work, commitment and working on one's talent on a daily basis. However, younger singers are not aware of this many times and they lose out in the long run.
Alka considers it a blessing to have sung for music composing giants like Kalyanji-Anandji and Laxmikant-Pyarelal. She does feel that while her generation of singers had to work harder to get breaks, it also helped hone their talent and become more committed to their talent. Besides, which singer of today's generation will have the privilege of working with maestros like Kalyanji - Anandji and Laxmikant Pyarelal?

She feels very good about being considered Lata Mangeshkar's successor and while she can never compare herself to Lata, she feels that she is being given her due at last. With typical humility she says that none of this could have happened without her family's support, her gurus, her fans and those who gave her big breaks. And none of this could have happened without her talent either.