World Music Day: Shekhar Ravjiani talks of India's 'great undiscovered treasure of musical talent'

On the occasion of World Music Day on Monday, singer-composer Shekhar Ravjiani of the popular duo Vishal-Shekhar has shared his take on remixes, which currently play a dominant role in Bollywood music.

Jun 21, 2021, 10:32 am ISTMusicIANS

"There was a time when remixes too had a strong, fresh, creative take, making them popular with people. They also served as a great way to give the younger generation a glimpse of yesteryear classics and widen their tastes in music to include those brilliant compositions and tracks. In the recent past, remixes have degenerated into unimaginative and hastily put together numbers that do not elevate the original in any way," Shekhar said.

"When it comes to Bollywood, remixes only work when they are integrated into the storyline. If not, it's just a quick fix for a soundtrack that's wanting in creativity," he added.

Shekhar recently started his music school in partnership with Global Indian International School (GIIS).

"We are celebrating one year of GIIS Shekhar Ravjiani School of Music on June 22, and it is no coincidence that World Music Day falls just one day before our school was born. The last one year has been a dream come true for me. I wanted to give back to the community through my music and the best way was to groom new, emerging talent," he said.

"That is when I joined hands with Global Indian International School to launch our music school. In the last one year, I have groomed students through one-on-one sessions, and they have shown a significant amount of improvement in their understanding and rendition of music. In fact, I have been speaking with folks from the music industry and am certain that more opportunities will open up for our students to showcase their talent," the music composer further informed.

Beyond music, Shekhar has also given acting a shot. He was notably seen essaying a short role in the 2016 film "Neerja".

On why he doesn't feature on the screen more often, Shekhar smiled: "Acting in Neerja was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I received love and appreciation for my performance and feel honoured to have been associated with such a powerful and meaningful film. Acting is something I have always done for the pure passion and joy of it and while I have been offered many different roles and scripts, I have yet to come across one that feels like it's strong or exciting enough to set aside my music for."

Any message for music lovers on World Music Day?

"In a world filled with uncertainty and anxiety, I believe music has the power to help us all feel centred, healed and loved. Our country has a great undiscovered treasure of musical talent that is waiting to be heard. I urge music lovers to open their minds and hearts to these new, upcoming musicians and singers and help them find their audience so they can pave the way for a new era of music. It is also my dream that more and more kids pursue their love for music and I hope to do my bit in making this happen," he signed off.