Singer by chance

At first glance, Iulia Vantur looks prettier than in her pictures. While talking, she’s guarded and knows what to say. Bright, confident and quite charming, one can realise why she has won over Salman’s heart. Salman Khan’s close friend and 36-year-old Romanian model-television actress-news anchor Iulia has sung with Himesh Reshammiya for Every Night and Day and Just You and Me. The songs seem to be a reflection of her and Salman Khan’s relationship. Here, she talks about singing, acting and plans for the way ahead…

Are you trained in singing?

A bit. (Himesh Reshammiya butts in, saying, ‘I think that she’s perfectly trained. As a composer, I feel that’). I liked to sing as a kid. When we used to play as kids, I used to sing in school. Every year for Christmas ­— that was my concert moment — I would sing during school plays and loved it. I never thought I will do this as a serious project. I never thought I would sing for an album till Himesh asked me to.

What’s different between singing on stage and for an album?

I don’t know (laughs), but singing in the studio was a very good experience. I loved it and Himesh’s team is so good. I had a good time in his studio and so, I would like this to happen again.

Is it true that Salman is putting together a six-track music album to launch you as a pop singer in India?

No, no. There are many things which are coming out, which are not true. I don’t know what will happen next. I have no idea.

Himesh and you owe your singing career to Salman. Himesh has become famous today. Do you also expect the same?

(Himesh butts in, “She will become bigger even more than me! God willing, Every Night And Day will do well, and if you listen to the song, it goes to another level because of her voice. As a composer I think she’s done full justice to the song) Himesh, you are too kind. To answer your question, no. This song happened by chance. I did not expect it. Honestly, I have no plans, but I think God does and I will follow that. I don’t know what, but I will be there.  

Himesh began as a composer, then singer and then got into acting. Do you also see yourself getting into acting?

No, not at all. My career was something else in Romania – hosting, news anchoring and all. I tried acting in Romania in a theatre play and I tried in other places. Though I loved the experiences, I decided against taking up acting as a profession. I didn’t want to make a career out of acting.

Would you like to shift here full-time if you got more opportunities to sing in India and took it up as a career?

I have no idea. We will see. Que sera sera, whatever will be will be… That’s a beautiful song, actually.

Do you see yourself singing in Salman’s movies?

I don’t know. I think every singer would like to be in a space where they get to do that.

Himesh Speak

Salmanbhai first made me hear her voice over the phone. Iulia was singing the theme of Teri Meri from Bodyguard which became the germ of the song.

While thinking of this music video, I had composed a song with her voice in mind. It’s fresh with the right pitch and absolutely natural. I messaged her, sent her the scratch and she immediately said that she liked the song and that she would do it. Iulia came to the studio and recorded the song in two hours flat and it was very surprising as I didn’t have to go to the machine to pitch it correctly. She is so natural and super talented. She never goes out of pitch in terms of sur which is very rare and is a great quality for a singer.

On a scale of one to 10, I would give her straight 10 and any composer would do that. When a singer is in perfect pitch, you can tell if it’s auto-tuned or not. Her voice is untouched. We have just added some delays, otherwise, we have not tuned it as it’s perfectly in sur. It’s a divine voice, a mainstream heroine voice and the diction is perfect which is where everyone was curious as she was singing in Hindi. She got it right. Now I won’t be surprised if she will become fluent in her Hindi dialogues, too. We are very confident of doing something again together – maybe something in the live space? A lot of radio people also want her to sing.