Shweta Subram on life post viral song Jalebi Baby: It has been sweet, but you also get typecast

Singer-songwriter Shweta Subram rose to fame after the song Jalebi Baby, which became an instant chart topper upon its release.

Talking about how things have been for her on the career front, she tells us, “Post Jalebi Baby, life has been sweet. People have showered so much love on me and continue to do so. My new name is Jalebi baby or Jalebi girl wherever I go. The hook of the song is Jalebi baby and I have literally gotten people hooked to my voice with the rendition of those two words. I’m overwhelmed with the love and response I get.”

However, she admits that when a singer has that one great song, there is pressure to deliver each time.

“Unfortunately, you also get typecast and people expect you to release more such songs in a similar genre,” she opines, adding, “But I would like to break the mould and surprise the audiences with different styles. As an artiste, I would love to prove my versatility to the world.”

The Canada-based singer debut in Bollywood came through the movie Hawaizaada in 2015 with the song Dil-e-Nadaan. She recently launched a song Dil Mera in collaboration with American music producer Janapriyan Levine.

“Dil Mera is a song straight from the heart. Few years ago, I was sitting with a friend and we were just penning down lyrics and playing with some melodies. The next thing I know, I had 2 full verses in front of me. I remember thinking one day I will release this as a song. Then I met Janapriyan in California. He had reached out to me through Facebook and took an instant liking for the composition and decided that he wanted to produce it,” she explains.

Subram, who does film as well as independent music, wants to balance between both.

However, she adds, “Over the years, the source of music and entertainment for a common man has been Bollywood. Bollywood music has completely overshadowed independent music in the last 2 decades. I feel that in the process of commercialization, creativity has taken a back seat. Remakes and remixes are all that we see in Bollywood. I hope to see more indie musicians come to the forefront and get due recognition. There’s no dearth of talent in our country! Imagine the wonders we can create at a global level.”