Shilpa Rao: Watching KK perform live was a learning experience for me

Like most members of the music fraternity, singer Shilpa Rao is also devastated by the sudden death of singer KK. She met him around 10 days ago and cannot come to terms with the fact that he’s no more. “We met at a concert and I remember hugging him for two minutes straight. I didn’t know that would be the last time I met him or spoke to him,” says the singer, who collaborated with the late singer for songs such as Khuda Jaane from Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008), Koi Jaane Na from Hijack (2008), Oya Oya from Horn Ok Pleassss (2009) and Apna Bombay Talkies from Bombay Talkies (2013).

Talking about the bond she shared with KK, the 38-year-old says, “I believe a bond with a fellow musician is inseparable because their music lives on in our hearts forever. I was fortunate that I had the opportunity of opening his concerts and watching him perform live was always a learning experience for me. The first time I met him after recording Khuda Jaane, we sang the song live together. Even when I was new, he would really support me. He was one of the most supportive and caring person.”

Ask Shilpa if she felt he was unwell when they met recently and the singer says he looked fine. “I was just so happy to bump into him that we didn’t really catch up on other things,” says the singer, who considers Khuda Jaane her most memorable association with KK: “From recording the song in the studio to performing live with KK, it was a great experience for me. Khuda Jaane would have been incomplete without him.”

As a musician, Rao learnt several things from the Pal singer. “He always said, ‘Let your music do all the work, you don’t need to do anything apart from that. Always stay the same person you are and make sure your behaviour doesn’t change. Whether someone is new or established, treat everyone with the same kind of respect.’ I would hold on to these learnings forever,” ends Rao.