If there’s one thing we’ve learnt from Lisa Mishra’s (the girl behind the cover of Taareefan) journey into Bollywood, it is that one must never underestimate the power of social media. For the unaware, she had posted a cover of the song on her Instagram. And that’s when Rhea Kapoor took notice and offered her to do the playback singing for the unplugged version in the movie. Of course, as we know, Lisa is not the only one. Some of the most beautiful voices we hear in the hit Bollywood tracks now, for instance, Shirley Setia and Jonita Gandhi started out as covers on social media. And then, as they say, the rest is history. So we have rounded up a list of 7 singers and musicians on Instagram that you must follow and watch out for!
1. Vidya Iyer
Most of you probably already know Vidya Iyer, who is better known by her stage name Vidya Vox, or would have at least heard her Kabira-Closer mashup. The same one that shot her to internet stardom. Vidya, a YouTuber and singer, is known for her signature style of mashing up Bollywood as well as Telegu, Tamil and Malayalam songs with Western pop songs. She also has several hit originals to her name featuring the Carnatic twist that she’s known for. Follow her on Instagram for some great cover mashups, snippets from her music videos and footage from her live concerts! (Yes, this girl has made it real big!)
Follow her on Instagram and subscribe to her YouTube channel.
2. Kamakshi Khanna
A Delhi based singer and songwriter, Kamakshi Khanna’s music is the perfect mix of the old and new. With RnB, Soul and Pop music, her music appeals to everyone alike. Kamakshi, who was also one of the 6 contestants on India’s first English singing reality show has also worked closely with the Bollywood duo, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa in conducting songwriting workshops across the country. Follow Kamakshi for beautiful hummable tunes, meaningful and relatable lyrics and a voice that heals!
Follow her on Instagram and subscribe to her YouTube channel.
3. Sharvi Yadav
Sharvi Yadav sang like a powerhouse and won The Stage 2. She also received major accolades and props from the likes of Vishal Dadlani, Ehsaan Noorani, Universal Music head Devrani Sanyal and singer-actor Monica Dogra. Sharvi, who was originally a part of Delhi’s jazz/acoustic band, also lent her voice to the title track of the Veere Di Wedding! Follow her for some beautiful covers of your favourite Hindi and English tracks. Sharvi’s got that voice that is perfect for a rainy day by the window!
Follow her on Instagram and subscribe to her YouTube channel.
4. Akanksha Bhandari
Akanksha Bhandari is a versatile singer who recently sang the song Tere Liye from the movie Namaste England starring Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor. Those who love Bollywood songs must follow her for their daily dose of covers of their favourite Hindi songs. Akanksha has also lent her voice to a few other Bollywood songs and is on her way to becoming the next big thing. She is one singer we suggest you watch out for!
Follow her on Instagram and subscribe to her YouTube channel.
5. Abhilasha Sinha
Ever heard a voice so sweet that you just can’t get enough of it? If not, we suggest you put on those earphones and head over to Abhilasha’s Instagram profile. With covers of some of your favourite Hindi and English tracks, Abhilasha’s voice is just utterly blissful. She also has many originals with her signature soaring vocals and poignant lyrics which will transport you to another time!
Follow her on Instagram.
6. Shobhit Banwait
The internet’s hot tabla player, Shobhit Banwait is known for his covers of Bollywood and international hits. He went viral for his videos of tabla covers of popular Bollywood and English songs. In fact, even Australian singer Sia tweeted his tabla cover of her viral song Cheap Thrills. His videos are as basic as they get, shot on a stationary iPhone, at his residence, with a ceiling fan in the background but his tabla renditions of popular tracks are a delight to the ears.
Follow him on Instagram and subscribe to his YouTube channel.
7. Shradha Sharma
Shraddha Sharma struck gold with her cover of the hit song Main Tenu Samjhawa Ki by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan from the movie Virsa. Which then resulted in an album deal with Universal and an entire album three years later. Shraddha’s vocal talent is thanks to her mother, a music teacher who ensured Shraddha trained in Indian classical music. She likes to sing slow songs, so people who are into soulful numbers and romantic track must make sure to follow her!
Follow her on Instagram and subscribe to her YouTube channel.
Featured Image Source: Facebook
