Prateek Kuhad doesn’t like playback singing: If you give me a playback song, I will suck at it

Singer Prateek Kuhad, known for independent music, reveals he isn’t fond of playback singing. “I never did that because I don’t like playback singing. I did one Bollywood song. It was exactly how they (the composers) wanted it to be like. I couldn’t change one note. It was too mechanical to me. I did not enjoy the process,” he says.

Talking about his singing style, the 32-year-old adds, “I think very instinctively. I sing how I feel and it’s my song and I can do whatever I want to. But I don’t have that technical knowledge in terms of how to change my voice and how to hit certain notes. It’s a technical thing to do and my technical skills are not that good. So, if you give me a playback song, I will suck at it.”

The Cold/Mess singer adds, “I am a good singer, I have a good voice, but my expertise is not that (singing). What I am really good at is writing songs. Playback singing is a skill and a creative process. Playback singers are really good at it. This is like a technical thing, you tell them to sing these 10 notes in order, in a particular sort of tone and they know exactly how to do it. It’s a skill and I can’t do that. “

Thus, despite being in the music industry for over a decade, Kuhad, has not had many Bollywood projects to his credit. “I am not trying to distance myself (from Bollywood) but I am not trying to chase it either. If somebody wants me to write a song for their film and it’s a respectful work experience that I expect. I have my parameters in terms of how I need to work and as long as those boxes get checked I will do anything. I just want to make music,” he signs off.