Singer Shalmali Kholgade, known for her breakthrough song Pareshaan in the 2012 film Ishaqzaade, recently performed at a private concert in Bengaluru. She expressed her love for live performances and shared in an exclusive interview with Bangalore Times that she prefers performing on stage over recording in a studio. Here are some highlights from the interview:

- She described music as an ever-evolving art that requires the collaboration of talented individuals.

- Shalmali emphasized the importance of planning a show to engage the audience, incorporating choreography and visuals to enhance the live experience.

- She discussed her approach to social media, mentioning that she maintains a balance by focusing on music, art, and avoiding oversharing personal opinions on sensitive topics.

- Shalmali credited composer Amit Trivedi for her success in Bollywood, particularly for offering her the opportunity to sing Pareshaan, which kick-started her playback singing career.

Shalmali described the stage as her true element where she feels empowered to captivate the audience with her performance.The credit for my original music holds a special place in my heart, as if it were my own creation. Before focusing solely on my music, I explored various avenues such as performing with my college band, entertaining audiences at clubs, and even being involved in a Latvian cabaret. I juggled live shows and recording jingles while pursuing my passion for music. Embracing my love for music, I wholeheartedly continue down this path, believing that I am truly living my best life. My father, fondly known as baba, once mentioned that the most profound education in life comes from travelling. With this advice in mind, I make a conscious effort to travel extensively, engage with diverse individuals, question everything, and maintain a spirit of curiosity. I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to experience all of this alongside my music career, which to me, defines an ideal life. Music has always been my core aspiration, encompassing diverse aspects beyond just singing. I derive great satisfaction from being involved in every step of the music-making process, rather than merely completing tasks for someone else. This approach allows me to extend and amplify my music in ways that resonate with my creative spirit. - Shalmali Kholgade "Artificial intelligence scares me profoundly." In a recent development, I released a song titled "Tu Hai" in collaboration with Nikhil D’Souza. After uploading the track to a streaming platform, I discovered another song titled "Tu Hi Tu Hai" the following day, credited to me as the female singer, despite not recording such a song myself. I suspect the existence of an AI-generated track, possibly intentionally uploaded to offset the number of streams on my original song, a situation that left me startled.