Salim Merchant says he hasn’t worked even for a single day as he is in love with what he does. He talks to K Bhardwaj about gobal influences in his compositions and why he thinks Honey Singh is just a temporary sensation
There could be Honey Singh-isation of Bollywood music nowadays with every second composition inducting raps and raw lyrics but music composer Salim Merchant (from Salim-Sulaiman) believes it’s just a wave and will pass with time. According to the composer, Honey Singh’s tracks have short life and do not leave a lasting impact on listeners. “I am nobody to say whether it is good or bad. But I think it (Honey Singh) is a sensation. It will come and go. For me, real music is timeless. If you create music and if you can remember that decades later, then that’s certainly not an achievement,” says the composer.
Merchant has been a prolific musician and has learnt both Indian and western classic music. He also excels in several instruments. “For any musician, the most important thing is to learn classical music. It is the foundation of music. I have been fortunate that I could learn classical music of both the worlds. Also, my lesson for young musicians would be that they should learn instruments. If you look at greats like Mohommad Rafi, Kishore Kumar, lata Mangheshkar or Asha Bhosle or singers from our generation like Sonu Nigam or Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, they all can play instrument and sing. It really helps you pitch your songs beautifully. It helps you understand music much better. Even if you have studied western classical music, you must learn instruments as it makes you a better musician,” he says.
The composer has been a mentor and judge for various reality shows including Indian Idol. Recently, he and Shraddha Sharma have become the brand ambassadors for ‘i-genius Young Singing Stars’, an initiative by Max life Insurance to scout and honour the young singing sensations. Merchant believes that Bollywood is brimming with opportunities and there’s a huge scope for new voices. “Everyday you have a new actor. So there’s automatically demand for new voices,” he says adding that the budding vocalists are paying too much of attention to romantic songs these days. “New singers are concentrating on romantic texture which is why we have songs like Baarish, Galiyaan massive hit. They are projected to be sensuous way,” he says.
Salim-Sulaiman’s compositions have a lot of influences from all over the world. They are inspired from many regions and cultures. He says he’s a ‘good observer and travel a lot’. “I avoid going to bars and visit places which are rich in culture and music. Such places educate me and enrich my knowledge about music. My music is reflection of my personality. I embrace cultures and put them into my music,” he says.
Merchant has been active for over two decades and but claims to have not worked even for a single day. According to him, music is his passion as well as hobyy, so there’s no question of burning out. “Music is really my lifestyle. I don’t think too much as it comes naturally. If I am tired, music becomes my therapy. If I am happy, music becomes my celebration. People keep asking me how I manage to work so much. But I tell them that I haven’t worked even for a single day. I have been on a vacation since past two decades because I do what I am in love with,” he says.
The composer also fosters indie music and keeps collaborating with local and global artistes. He finds indie music ‘flourishing by leaps and bounds’. “There are so many opportunities and I hope it continues and grows by the advent of festivals like NH7, Storm and others. I won’t be surprised if Bollywood comes and swallows it all and signs all these artists as music composers. Then we will have more variety of music and it will become so independent,” he says.
After Mardaani, the composer duo is looking forward to a few projects apart from a tour abroad. “There is love Story, then Ungli. I am also working for Madhur Bhandarkar’s Madam Ji and Anand l Rai’s next. I am also going to North America and Canada for my Diwali tour,” he says.