Neha
Bhasin was born on 18Nov. to Mr.Ashok Bhasin and Mrs.Rekha Bhasin. Her dreams started shaping up when she was in Frank Anthony
Public School, Delhi. She says,“Yeah I was nine years old. I was in class fourth. I remember my teacher Mr.Dais. He
was really nice. He actually brought this singer in me. He told me like you can sing and everything. And he put me like for
solo parts and choir. So that’s my first time. I sung 'Black or white'. I did you know like little parts on my own on
stage. So I don’t know ever since than I knew I want to be like Michael Jackson. I want to be famous. I want to be there
like."
NB
than started practicing and competiting in every contest she could. And what helped her in this endeavour was her family.
Everyone in her family has passion for music. Specially her mother.She is a Classical Singer.
NB won
her first singing competition by singing Mariah Carey’s “HERO”. After that there was nothing stopping her.
She won many competitions and awards. And if she ever lost, she says, "Whenever I lost, for me my competitions were
very very important. I used to tell my mom 'Ok that you know I lost'. And she used to always tell me 'Beta you are always
going to get something big in your life' .
When NB
was 12, she had a very close friend, Annette. Annette used to come to her house. Thats when she started writing
songs. And has been doing ever since. She says, "Being an extremely emotionally sensitive individual, I have to put my feelings
into words. It struck me that I could make songs out my writings. Whatever I experience, I write it down. It comes rather
naturally to me. I don’t look up in the dictionary to pick up right words. I write from the heart and hate it when people
tell me what to write.”
In 1998 NB felt she
should get formal training. So she joined Shiamak Davar’s SDIPA to get dance training and Ustad Ghulam Mustafa
Khan to learn Classical singing.
NB joined Lady
Sriram College.Its the same college from where people Mira Nair,Ritu Bari,Mini Mathur and many more successful women have
come through.
NB says,
"It was during my days at LSR that I realised my potential. College instilled in me immense confidence. Throughout school
I had felt like a misfit but LSR allowed me to celebrate my individuality and gave me confidence. I felt accepted in college
among my friends and teachers. One reason for that could be the immense opportunity one gets to pick an extra curricular activity
and then exploit it.
As I loved
music and wanted to pursue it as a profession, I joined the LSR's music society. Later, I became the society's secretary.
I was pursuing Sociology honours but hardly focussed on academics. Dance and music kept me occupied. College shifted my focus
from frivolous romance to more serious issues like career. Many of the dreams I'm chasing today were born at Big Chill, a
joint next to the college, where I used to hangout with friends."
In
2001 came Channel V ‘s Popstars contest. NB won! Along with four other girls Mahua,Anouskha,Seema, and Pratichee. Five
of them formed the Band VIVA!.
About
becoming a Popstar NB says, “For me it was just a dream,dream,dream, which I had to realize. I knew I had to become
a singer. I have to do nothing else. I would die if don’t become a singer. So it was something which God finally actually
listen to me and that to so early. So I am very thankful,very thankful. I can’t believe it. I still can’t believe
it”.
In
their first public concert in Delhi, VIVA! attracted more than 60,000 people.And there act started exactly the way NB used
to dream. She says,"I use to imagine myself, actually I use to put on Mariah Carey and close my eyes and I use to imagine
myself in black gown, on stage, looking sweet, singing."
And thats how NB came
on stage singing "Jaago Zara".She says, “It was mad. It was happening. It was just too much. Just before going on stage.
I got a message from my sister that we can’t see the show. We are going back home. And I was like, mera mood bilkul
karab ho gaya tha. But you could so distinctly hear people screaming VIVA!,VIVA!,VIVA!.You know seen people scream for artists
and today like same people are cheering for us I am like O God this is not real! It can’t be! It’s the best feeling
that anyone can ever get. I went down stage and “Jago zara” started. Lights came on, and the first thing I saw
my whole family standing right in front of my eyes and a big smile came on my face."
They recorded two albums
together.VIVA! and VIVA! Reloaded.In VIVA! Reloaded NB had also written two songs with Anoushka. "Yeh
pyar nahi to kya hai jana” and "Zindagi mere saath”.They
both even composed the song "Yeh pyar nahi to kya hai jana".
More than 7 lakhs copies
of VIVA! first album has been sold till date.
VIVA had also recorded
three songs for hindi films.One with A.R.Rehmann "Rozana" for film Lakeer, one with Anand-Milind "Din
hamara hai" for Rakht and one with Anu Malik "Chillake Chillake" for Chehra.
In
Dec.2004 the girls decided to go solo.NB says, "We spilt because there was a lot of disillusionment among the members. If
only we had been guided properly or even put on to people who could have managed our affairs, I am sure things would have
been different. The thing we lacked was vision. It isn’t easy to keep the band together,with so many minds together.
Everyone of us wanted to do our own thing.”
NB adds,“All
the good things have to come to an end. I was ready for the change. Mentally prepared for VIVA to part. This is a new beginning.
And it has been wonderful.
It’s nicer to sing solo. I am much more in control of the songs
and I am responsible for everything that’s happening on stage. Being solo one has more control over one’s career.
It’s been tough though. I have to prove myself with my music."
About
fame NB says, "Well I guess its got to sides to it. On one hand it gives you so much that a person wants in life. And
on other hand it takes so much you had in life. So I think there’s little prize one has to pay you know for becoming
famous."
NB very soon started
singing playbacks and performing Live with her dancers in major cities across the country and abroad. Hongkong, Malaysia,
Singapore, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai ... and so on.
NB has also sung very
popular jingles like Slice Aamsutra, Bajaj Almond Drop, Tanishq Converstions, Maggie, Savlon, Compaq,
Dulux, MTV konees etc.
NB then wrote two
songs for film Bullet Ek Dhamaka. One ghazal "Aahat sunni maine" and title the
track "Yeh zindagi bhi". Which she even sung.
In 2005 NB wrote and composed “Plea to the Lord”
and did numerous shows across the country for the Tsunami victims.
She performed it for
the first time at Mumbai Marathon. Which had the audience of more than 25,000, including Mumbai celebrities.
NB has officially
got the credit for the song "Ek look Ek look"of film Aryan.Earlier it had only her voice.As
the music director of the film had refused to give her the credit.So she took him to the court and won the case. She
says, "I went to record a song with the music director and I was told I'd be paid according to the
success of the song in the market. When the album was released I went and bought the CD and was shocked to see that my name
had been reduced to that of a back-up vocalist. That's when I decided to take a legal action against them. I believed in justice
and I got it."
NB has
already given number of hits as playback singer. Which include You and Me(Pyaar Impossible), Kuck Khaas
(Fashion), Ek Look Ek Look(Aryan), Hari Puttar(Hari Puttar),Yeh Zindagi Bhi(Bullet Ek Dhamka). In tamil Pesugiren Pesugiren(Sathum podhathay),Sei Yethavadhu(Billa),Thaniye(Kavithai Gundar), Om shanti om(Mutthirai)
and in Telugu Atu Nuvve Itu Nuvve(Current) .
As a guest and
a performer NB regularly appears on various TV shows. She has been on Lounge(Ndtv Goodtimes),Salaam Zindagi (Ndtv),Airtel Supersinger (Vijay tv), RKB Show (Sahara), Santabanta
Unlimted,Page 3,Popcorn(Zoom), After Hrs(Zee Cafe), Antakshri(Star One), Bha Bau Aur Cricket(Star News)
Times Now, Filmy and many more.
NB has even judged &
trained contestants of very popular TV Show "Sitaron
Ko Choona Hai" on Real Channel. Apart from hosting TV Show "SaReGaMaPa Hungama"
on Zee Music. Which reached the No.1 spot in popularity ratings across all Music Channels while she was hosting it. She
says, "It feels great to be part of NO.1 Show. When I came on board as the Anchor I came with the mindset that we have to
do well, but now after seeing that all our hardwork is producing such great results, we feel inspired to rock even more."
On May 3rd 2008, in Chennai, "2nd Reliance Mobile Vijay Awards" were held to honor the Tamil Cinema's best work
for 2007. NB won the Best Singer female Award for her song "Pesugiren Pesugiren" (Sathum podhathay).Which was composed by Yuvan Shanker Raja. Neha says,
"I have won prizes in school and college but yes, this is my first professional award. When
my name was announced, I was delighted to say the least, since, I had never imagined that the song would make such an impact,
more so since it is my first Tamil release."
