March 23, 1998

The Indian pop music industry is being invaded  by talented teenagers who do everything their older counterparts can. Maybe even better.

By Robin Abreu

Aditya Narain's just 11 and in Standard VI at Mumbai's Juhu Utpal Sanghvi School. A kid who hit the pop scene with the chartbusting Yeh kaali kaali aankhen, from the remixed album Aditya, his claim to fame began with the jerks and jiggles of Chhota bachcha from the movie Masoom. With a pop album that sold over one lakh copies, Aditya's done remarkably well in the film world and already has a number of successes like Rangeela and Akele Hum Akele Tum to his credit. And, he's not the only one.

Roll over all those above 20. It's time for the teenyboppers to hit the stage. Switch on your favourite music channel -- the desi Music Asia, the phoren MTV or the cross-bred Channel [V] -- just don't get surprised when kids appear on the screen singing and dancing away. You may think they ought to be in school but the "kiddy brigade" has arrived -- to stay on the music circuit. Overnight, little darlings, once restricted to the silver screen, are being as easily marketed as popcorn.

Remember Michael Jackson as a kid in the famous Jackson 5, Whitney Houston when she sang with Mama Houston, and the band to recently hit the British pop scene -- Hanson, whose lead singer is nine years old and whose album Mmmbpp topped the UK charts for two consecutive months? Realising there is a market for child artistes in India too, music companies are willing to gamble. Admits Bhaskar Sheikh, marketing manager, BMG Crescendo, "The reason why these young artistes are selling despite the lack of recording experience is because young children relate to them."

The economics is simple. The cost of bringing out an album for a young artiste is comparatively cheaper than that of a popular star in the long run. Till established, a young singer might not be paid the amount an older colleague would. They forego royalties and don't demand established music or video directors. That keeps the music companies' money boxes jingling and gives the kids a launching pad. As actor Shammi Kapoor remarks, "These child artistes are the giants of tomorrow." Because they're smart, savvy, in tune with today's tastes, and willing to make the switch to adapt to the current mood.

Today's young talent has a USP, unique in its own way. "Indian pop is here to stay in all shapes and sizes," asserts Sunil Lulla, general manager, creative, MTV. So much so that well-known music director Kalyanji even has his own academy called Little Wonders, which has attracted talent from all over and from where some leading playback singers like Kavita Paudwal, Anuradha Paudwal and Baby Tabassum have graduated. "If you want talented artistes, you have to catch them young, train them and then watch them dominate," he says.

While Indipop was still in the embryo stage in 1991, Penny Vaz sold 3,000 copies of her debut album My Daddy is Best. Taking the plunge into the world of pop music with its gruelling photo sessions, video shoots and classical music training classes, the tough routine soon becomes a way of life with innumerable budding stars. Zeenia Mirza, 13, who is doing more shows today than any veteran performer, has come a long way since her debutante days in 1994, when she performed for her neighbours at a housing society function. Today, with one album Abhi Chhoti Hoon Main already under her belt, she will be launching another soon. Her ideas are childishly philosophical, "If you work hard, success will definitely come your way."

This far, if you thought it was only the Indipop segment that is witness to the influx of child artistes waiting to cut their milk teeth on their first albums, think again. Magnasound, which already has one child artiste to their credit -- Shalini, 15, who released her first Tamil record in 1995 -- has lined up an additional 14 artistes, all of whom will be launched in regional languages like Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu. Madhav Das, director, Magnasound India Ltd, attributes much of the awareness about music among youngsters to the growth of satellite channels in the remotest corners of the country. "Music has become an important criterion in the young child's mind and with their inherent talent, these young artistes are becoming extremely popular," he says. Anooradha Sriram, whose first album Wonder Girl was released in December 1997 and who made the switch from classical music to pop, found the challenge daunting but not completely overwhelming. She's been singing since she was 12 and today, she attributes her success to her originality. "Film songs are imitations of western songs. The public wants something totally different and this is where we provide that breath of fresh air," she says.

Looking for something new, music companies scout around for fresh talent all the time. Charan and Devan, the talented duo, are one such discovery. Charan, son of noted playback singer S.P. Balasubramaniam, and Devan released their first album titled Kamban Oru Kannile in January this year. Says Devan: "When I was 15, I bought a guitar and started playing heavy metal and rock and roll. My parents then introduced me to an Indian band which was influenced by Carnatic music. That's how my love for Tamil music began."

The kind of music these teens provide, in comparison to their older counterparts who appear wilted at the edges, makes them instant hits. Now most of them cherish dreams of releasing their own album someday. Says Vinay Sapru, chief programming officer, Polygram India Ltd, matter-of-factly: "There is nothing in this particular segment which young children can purchase. There are either nursery rhymes or fables, no songs, so we wanted to bridge the gap."

The gap definitely looks like it's being bridged. Nineteen-year-old Amrita Bhendre, who entered the music industry when it was tired of old cliched numbers, became an instant success with her debut album Kaun Hai Woh in October last year. The title song topped the MTV and Channel [V] countdown music shows for almost two months. A student of sociology and anthropology at St Xavier's College, Mumbai, Amrita does the balancing act between studies and her career in music. Her youthfulness, and her seriousness, reflect in her songs too. According to Shweta Agnihotri, marketing manager, HMV, Amrita's age was the main reason for her success. Amrita just says, "I want to sing and connect with people of my own age." HMV's latest act will be an album by Sunidhi Chauhan to be released by mid-May. The 13-year-old has been performing since the age of eight. She's even done stage appearances with Amitabh Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit. Agnihotri stresses her confidence in the young segment, "Young pop stars have the maturity within them to perform like experienced stars."

However, with the stakes indomitably high in the pop arena, it is not surprising that many will just fade away in the near future. But unlike their senior colleagues whose lives revolve around their music careers, these youngsters have far more fun and, while they're at it, succeed. And give older artistes a real run for their money. But what if they fail? They simply keep their options open, maintaining a balance between school work and a pop career. With talent given a place for the time being and the ability to meet any challenge head on, they usually end up doing well. As Mirza puts it, "I initially wanted to be an air hostess but I guess, with my singing abilities I can soar even higher." No walk in the clouds for these kids.

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