Nothing fancy please

Mona

With Kokaa, Shael moves away from the regular ballads that he has been in love with. His latest single has the rustic Punjabi touch (though it’s shot in NYC), something that this industrialist swears he will never part with!

Old is platinum

It was the desire to something ‘different’ that led to Kokaa. An ‘old’ school when it comes to his musical preferences, Shael’s creative team had suggested to bring about a change in his latest song. However, his only condition was that it must be a melody with some lyrics. No surprise, that he is a diehard fan of Kishore Kumar and RD Burman. 

And, there are more. “I still listen to the music I grew up on. I love Bon Jovi and his Bed of Roses remains still my favourite,” shares Shael.

Singing....finally

When Shael met Biddu Appaiah in London, an impromptu recording followed. The famous singer-songwriter encouraged Shael to pursue singing, and it was then his dreams found wings. 

“When I shared back home, mum was supportive but not dad. He was like, ‘Na puttar’. But with my mum’s constant support, my first album Kahan Ho Tum was out in 2001.” It was soon followed by Aitbar and Sun Le. 

His favourites

Sonu Nigam is his favourite in the current crop of singers. Now, with technology one can do a lot with the voice, sound, music, but Sonu remains one who sounds better live than his studio recordings. Shael bets. “I listened to him last year in Singapore in a concert and I was totally bowled over.” In the Punjabi zone, he enjoys listening to Daler Mehndi and Hans Raj Hans.

Punjabi by nature

Tending to the mine business and his home in Singapore, Shael keeps in touch with his native country with frequent visits to his family in Delhi. “I have been living in Singapore since a decade, but I still hold the Indian passport and there is no way I am parting with that.” As for Punjabiyat, “Born in Ludhiana it’s the only way of life I would know. Even if I try to move away, my mother would slap me and bring me back on the path.”

Football... anytime

Apart from music, he is a sports enthusiast too. While FIFA World Cup has lost its charm to him ever since his favourite team, Argentina, was knocked out of the game, he continues to follow. He plays all kinds of sports to keep fit, badminton being his favourite.

Expect another Punjabi ballad from him by the end of the year...

mona@tribunemail.com