Shankar Mahadevan: You need to look good on stage, but first you need to be a good singer

In today’s world, appearance often takes centre stage. The new generation of singers aims to be performers, not just vocalists. With live shows and concerts booming, even playback singers are stepping into the spotlight.

As everyone competes to combine talent with striking looks, Shankar Mahadevan reminds us that true art must always come first.

‘You need to be a good singer first’

He tells us, “Looks are important. You need to look good when you are performing on stage. But above all that is your art. You need to be a good singer first. You may look good but if you are lip syncing all the time then what’s the point? That’s not the way I look at things. I want to be remembered for my singing than my looks.”

‘For my sons the essence of art comes before all the extras’

Mahadevan, who’s composed music for films like Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, shares that his sons Siddharth and Shivam (both singers), despite being part of today’s generation, also prioritise art over the glitz. “My sons are well aware of current trends—sometimes they even educate me! But for them, the essence of art comes before all the extras. You need to have heart and soul first; only then can you dress up the artist.

If the person is dead, you can’t dress them up. It won’t be of any use.”

‘Hair really can change how you look’

Interestingly, the maestro recently underwent a hair transplant—not due to any external pressure, but simply because he wanted to feel better about his appearance. “I’m the last person to give in to peer pressure. My hairline was thinning, so I decided to fix it. Boney Kapoor actually recommended the doctors (Dr Pradeep Sethi and Dr Arika Bansal). I’m excited for the transformation because hair really can change how you look.

I chose to do it before it was too late,” he said.