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ShareMumbai: For someone so shy and self-effacing, it's hard to believe that Tulsi Kumar is a regular Bollywood playback singer, with her three-year long resume boasting Love mera hit-hit in Shah Rukh-starrer Billoo, Let's rock soniye in Akshay Kumar's Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Tere bin chain na aave in Himesh Reshammiya's Karzzz.
And though she is the daughter ofmusic baron late Gulshan Kumar and an heiress to the T-Series music empire, Tulsi frankly admits that becoming a singer was a long, hard journey.
"I know it's interesting that no one else in my family is into singing or even playing musical instruments, despite them being so closely involved with the music industry for so many years," she shrugs.
"But I was fond of singing as a child and by the time I was seven years old, my father was convinced I had it in me to become a professional singer. My parents then sent me to the Suresh Wadkar Academy. After my father's demise, we shifted to Delhi for a while but my mother made sure I continued to learn under Pt Vinod Mishra."
While she's been singing for films since the last three years, she's only just launched her debut album, Love Ho Jaye. What took her so long? Says Tulsi, "I wanted to see if my voice was being accepted before I tried to do an album. With no disrespect, many singers jump straight in with an album and fade away soon after. I didn't want to go that way. I know I have a versatile voice, that's why I've experimented with a variety of styles in my album. There is a hip hop number, a romantic song, Punjabi, sufi, even a ghazal. My brother Bhushan helped me every step of the way, from the selection of the songs, the tracks, everything."
For Tulsi, the most special part about the whole launch was something entirely different. "It was my meeting with Lata didi. I was so fortunate to get her blessings. I visited her house to present her my album. She heard some of the songs and even gave me some tips to improvise my voice. I felt so happy," she gushes.
And now a question we couldn't resist -- she's a talented young girl singing about love --so is she in love? "No, I'm not in love, but yes, I'm waiting for love," she says with a shy smile. "And I'm hoping this album somehow plays a role in bringing that someone special into my life..." Amen to that.
