Sneha Astunkar is a Mumbai-based musician known for her captivating voice and poetic imagination. Her music uniquely blends pop with classical Hindu traditions to create a distinct and refreshing sound. Sneha’s recent track ‘Mohabbat Baaki’, released on July 26, exemplifies her innovative approach by presenting a contemporary take on the traditional ghazal. Written by Priya Saraiya and composed by Hriday Gattani, the song incorporates contemporary sounds to appeal to a younger audience, making it a special monsoon track to watch out for.

Sneha Astunkar versatility is highlighted by her collaborations with legends like Talat Aziz and Salim-Sulaiman. Her repertoire includes popular songs like “Rehna Tu Kareeb”, “Meherbaan” and “Bas Yun Hi”, demonstrating her ability to excel in both non-film Hindi tracks and multilingual devotional songs. With each new release, Sneha Astunkar continues to captivate listeners, establishing herself as a significant presence in the music industry.

During an exclusive interview, Sneha spoke about her latest track ‘Mohabbat Baki’ and the creative process behind creating the impressive music.

Here are excerpts:

Can you tell us about the inspiration and creative process behind your latest track, “Mohabbat Baaki”?

I’ve always loved the space where a song or a lyric is about longing… not sad longing, but positive longing, and I wanted to do something about that, so that thought inspired me to release this song… and I’m really glad that we were able to make this song in that space so beautifully. The process was really fun and inspiring, mostly because it’s a collaboration with wonderfully creative people on board like Hriday and Priya.

How was it working with Priya Saraiya for the lyrics and Hriday Gattani for ‘Mohabbat Baaki’?

It was an amazing and inspiring experience. From the first session we had for the song, it was amazing.. I think it is very important to have people who can understand and also help you connect the dots of your thoughts. And I am glad that with Hriday and Priya, we were all able to reach that level of understanding, support and creativity very quickly, which helped us carve out the idea smoothly.

What challenges did you face in mixing modern sounds with classical elements?

The main task was to preserve the modern sound, but at the same time not to lose a little of the traditional soul of the composition, on which Hriday worked his magic.

‘Mohabbat Baaki’ is described as a monsoon special. How does the monsoon season influence the mood and thematic elements of this track?

Yes, it is releasing in this beautiful monsoon and I think it is the right time for the song to release because I have always thought of rains as a gift of patience. I wait for the monsoons, it is my favourite time of the year. And I think people who love this season will relate to this feeling, we yearn for it all year and finally when it comes it feels like complete bliss and a feeling that the longing has paid off. So the feeling that this song brings matches the mood of the monsoons very well. The music of the song is soothing and peaceful like raindrops and the lyrics that describe this feeling match it perfectly and it makes the song a rewarding experience.

Your music uniquely combines pop with Hindustani classical elements. How do you balance the two genres to create your signature sound?

I think it is important to find the right balance between your strengths and the character of the music you are trying to create. And to achieve the right balance, a lot depends on who you trust to make it sound the way you imagine it. And this is where the important role of music production and the person behind it comes in, as it becomes his canvas for creativity. And I am glad that in this song, Hriday was able to balance it so beautifully with his wonderful creative mind and style.

How do you develop your poetic imagination and what influences the content of your lyrics and vocal style?

I love poetry. It is something I love very deeply. I have always been in love with meaningful, cultural, rich literature. I got it from my parents who are avid readers. We have so many books in Hindi, Ghazal, Urdu, Sanskrit, English and all kinds of it. My parents are followers of Osho Rajneesh, so am I, so we have a huge library of his books and CDs and all kinds of beautiful poetry books. I believe that reading good literature and poetry brings you more wisdom than anything else.

As an artist, the rich heritage of ghazal poetry that I read since childhood has had a great influence on my work. It has enriched and influenced my vocabulary as well as my singing style.

You have teamed up with legends like Talat Aziz and Salim-Suleiman. What have you learned from working with such respected artists and how has it influenced your music?

Talat Aziz ji is my guru and I have been learning the art of ghazals from him for a few years now and I feel so blessed and fortunate to be a part of the legacy that he carries from Ustad Mehdi Hassan sahab. His teachings have influenced my journey as an artist in many ways. He himself is a shining example of what a true artist should be. I feel blessed to learn the intricacies of the art of ghazals from him and he teaches with such love. He is not only my guru but also like a father to me and I am always grateful for his presence and guidance in my life. I met Salim Merchant sir through my single Meherbaan which was composed and produced by Sagar Dhote and because of him I could get the opportunity to present the song with Merchant records. Salim sir is a musical genius and he inspires new talents and helps them find their way in independent music. I think this is the surest way to guide new and upcoming artists.

Songs like ‘Rehna Tu Kareeb’, ‘Meherbaan’ and ‘Bas Yun Hi’ have resonated with listeners. Can you share the stories behind these tracks and what they mean to you personally?

Bas Yun Hi is my first independent single. It is a very simple, fun, upbeat song. It was composed and produced by Sagar Dhote, who inspired me to write it as well and I started writing from there. The interesting story behind the song is that it was made in a single day. I literally wrote it in 2-3 hours, he composed and arranged it in the next few hours and we uploaded it on the same day. The song received a lot of love and still remains in many people’s travel stories and playlists. It will always be very close to my heart as it was my first independent song that I wrote and sang. Meherbaan was presented by my label Salim-Sulaiman Music’s Merchant Records. I sang it with Abhay Jodhpurkar. This is the first song I have ever featured in. The video, the making, the release and everything about the whole song was an unforgettable experience for me. Rehna Tu Kareeb is a special song that I wrote and it is about the feeling of love that you always want to stay very close to.

You have demonstrated versatility by singing non-film tracks in Hindi and multilingual devotional songs. How do you approach different genres and what drives you to explore these diverse musical avenues?

I believe in exploring different styles of music, not only in terms of experimenting with my singing style, but also in terms of understanding my musical capabilities. I have done religious and non-film music in terms of hearing myself sound in different spaces of musical genres, and I love singing religious music. It brings me real joy when I sing any religious music. It lifts my soul and makes me want to sing more of it. I plan on recording some more soon.

How has your journey as a musician evolved over the years and what were some turning points in your career?

I think the journey has been happening on its own so far and now I am actually exploring it with some direction that I got when I started taking it seriously. Most of the way I was trying to figure out what kind of musical space I wanted to be in. Since my natural inclination was semi-classical music and ghazals, I started performing that genre. I would consider starting my training with Talat Aziz Ji one and two, starting my journey with Bas Yoon Hee as an independent artist, singer and songwriter as my career turning points.

What do you think about how your music is received by the public, especially the new, young ones?

Every month I get data from the audio platforms on how my music has sold that month, and I am so happy that each time there are new listeners on the chart. I am happy that the audience supports independent music as much as they love and support film music. This is what inspires independent musicians to continue making good music, and I think it is great to have a community that is equally involved in making good music.

Apart from Mohabbat Baaki, can you tell us about any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans are looking forward to?

I have a couple of singles coming out soon after Mohabbat Baaki. I have recorded a beautiful ghazal composed by Shri Talat Aziz Ji which will be out in September. I also have a few projects I am working on for music labels which will be out by the end of this year.

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians trying to find their own unique place in the music industry?

Make decisions about people and opportunities, listen to your intuition, instincts and judgment, continue to learn and grow, always keep your ears, eyes and mind open to new ideas, new perspectives, believe in cooperation.

Are there any personal influences, musical or otherwise, that particularly inspire or motivate you in your creative journey?

There are many. Firstly, my parents and my brother Vivek are my biggest inspirations. In my creative journey, I have always looked up to my gurus, friends who continue to make good music, anyone I can learn from motivates me.

What does your dream collaboration look like? Name the artists you would like to collaborate with in the next 5 years?

The list is quite long! But the most prominent of them are Rahman Sir, Gulzar Ji, Sonu Nigam Ji, Arijit Singh, Bismil.