Singing Legend Lata Mangeshkar has said that she doesn't listen to much of today's music. But she seems to have some things to say to today's singers.
As a tip to the new-age singers, she said in an interview to a news portal that no artiste should be satisfied with what they have achieved. "I get the feeling they are happy achieving what they get to achieve in no time at all. No artiste should be satisfied with what he or she has achieved. There is always another sky to conquer beyond the one that you think you've just reached," she said.
Talking about the one thing that she thinks is lacking in today's singers, she reportedly said its practice. "Riyaaz. That is what makes singing worthwhile. I never felt I had enough time to do riyaaz because I was in and out of recordings constantly. But I still made time to do riyaaz. Alas, not enough time. I wish I had devoted more time to practicing my classical singing. Singers today are losing touch completely with their classical heritage. An A.R. Rahman or a Shankar Mahadevan are so successful and long-lasting because they know their classical heritage," the veteran shared.
And while warning against imitative music, she says, "Remixes and cover versions of old classics are very lazy routes to instant success. Remember, a song that has attained a classic's status is regarded so highly because it is of a quality that cannot be replicated. I've heard some of the remixes of the songs sung by Rafi Saab, Kishoreda (Kumar), Mukesh Bhaiyya, me and my sister Asha. And I cringe. Please, create original music. Imitation is not creation. It isn't even art."