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After Jay Sean and Juggy D, it’s time for Veronica, the Rishi Rich Project’s only female member, to release her debut album. On a promotional visit to India the singer-songwriter talks to The Record about her brand new album, making it in the music industry, doing her own graffiti and more. And if you ever wondered who takes longer to get dressed, Jay, Juggy or Veronica… we got her to tell on that too!
The Record: Tell us about your debut album Theen.
Veronica: The sound is basically a mixture between the East and West. In two words, it’s ‘urban desi’ – so its R & B, hip-hop, and pop mixed with bhangra and traditional vibes.
TR: Do you have any favourites off the album?
Veronica: I’ve got so many! Hey Ya, Dil Lagiya, Sitarey, Sajna - I’m just going down the whole list. [Laughs] Sitarey is very deep lyrically and was written about somebody very close to me. I’ve performed it live on the BBC Asian Network. I went down with Rishi and he played live keys and I sang and people are really digging that song. This is actually an exclusive because I’ve never said this was such a personal song before. [Laughs]
TR: Being a new artist, were you determined to direct the sound of your debut album?
Veronica: Absolutely! I’m really lucky to have found a record company that believed in me so I can be free and they just put you in the studio and let you create what you feel. That’s the best way to do it really, instead of having all these restrictions like ‘You can’t have a pop sound, or a bhangra sound or whatever’. Going into the studio with a free mind was really important. It was a mutual thing before I got involved with the project. They knew that this is how I want to take it so it worked out great.
TR: The song Indian Girl is interesting. Tell us more about it.
Veronica: We used a sample from Yeh Vada Raha in it. It’s one of my favourite songs and we integrated that into the track. Lyrically it’s really about how I feel I’ve struggled as an Asian female in this industry, in the music business. It’s not all as glamorous as it looks, there have been hardships, and it’s about how I’m just going to get through it and just hold my head up high, and kind of just aim for the sky.
TR: Was that like having two strikes against you – being Asian and being female?
Veronica: Yeah absolutely! I would agree. If I was a guy then it would have made it easier. Because people look at you and go, ‘Oh she’s a girl what’s she going to do?’ or ‘You’re not supposed to be here, you should be at home’. Or ‘You should have a different kind of profession but it shouldn’t be music’… So yeah if I was a guy it would have been a different case.
It’s gotten a bit better now. It’s not something you think about because you don’t think the prejudice will be there but you get into the market and think ‘Why do I keep getting doors shut in my face?’ I had to work harder.
TR: How did you get people to take you seriously?
Veronica: I produce my own music, I’ve co-produced my whole album, I’ve done lots of writing, not just for myself. I’ve written on Jay Sean’s Stolen, which charted at number 4 on the UK charts, so that was very good grounding for myself. Then I’ve been on [the Rishi Rich Project song from] the movie Hum Tum which sold like 5 million copies and I was on Kya Kool Hai Hum as well. So all these things add to what you’ve done and make a difference.
You feel proud that you’ve finally got to this step with your achievements. On the Asian network my album was number one for two weeks and I am the first Asian girl to get that slot ever! So that was, oh my God, it’s such an achievement! And hopefully I’m opening doors for other female artists like myself.
You can read the rest of our feature on Veronica in the July 2005 issue of The Record Music Magazine available at your local newsagent.
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