Of all the hit songs that we have heard in the past few years, Neeyum Naanum from Naanum Rowdy Dhan has a special place in the hearts of anyone who loves melody songs. The voice which brought the song to life — Neeti Mohan was in the city recently for a performance and she has a lot to tell, especially about Chennai and the spirit of the city. “I feel I have a great connection with the city because of the many Tamil songs I have recorded here,” begins Neeti, adding, “The people and the culture are very warm, and I feel very much at home here. Not to mention the great food options, I just had a big South Indian breakfast, in fact.”
Neeti is all praise for Chennai’s audience, whom she feels has a great taste for music. “When I come here, I feel a great shift in the kind of audience I perform for. Many of them are musically inclined. It is quite tough to sing in a language that is not your mother tongue. So I go through my lyrics extensively and listen to how the words are pronounced, so that I get it right. I make sure I get the gist of the song, and try to understand the meaning of what is being conveyed. It is actually a lot of brain exercise, and I see it as a fun challenge. Even during live concerts with AR Rahman sir, we make sure to memorise the lyrics beforehand,” she says.
Anyone who has watched Neeti perform live can vouch for her crazy energy, which is on display. “Being well prepared definitely helps calm my nerves. The audience who enjoy my performance, play a major part. I think music is the best form of communication, and just loving what we do draws energy from everywhere,” she explains.
Talking about the varied genres of music she has dabbled with, Neeti says, “Mona Gasolina from Lingaa really put me on the map down here, which was a crazy song, to say the least. When I listened to the song, I couldn’t recognise my own voice, because of the variations I did. Until then, even I didn’t know my voice could be that raw. Neeyum Naanum also became a big hit and it’s a very mellifluous number. It’s great that I get to sing many different genres in a language that was alien to me.”
After collaborating with many leading music directors, what’s next on her agenda, we ask? “One thing I look forward to every morning is more music, because it is something that is always interesting. I am also exploring into other medium like television these days and I find it to be a good change.” Neeti replies.
Neeti, and her sisters Mukti and Shakti, who are accomplished dancers and actors grab eyeballs wherever they go. Their influences rub off on each other, Neeti says, “I used to dance earlier too. I don’t get to do it much now, and my sisters are very much into music too. We practice vocal training before they have plays, etc.,” She says that with such talent on disposal, a collaboration is not far away.
“Our house is always buzzing with ideas, We sing, dance, act, practice yoga, so there’s always some form of creativity happening in our household. We are always on the lookout to do things that will inspire other women. We are looking to collaborate on something — a dance and music project maybe,” concludes Neeti.
