Exclusive: Shalmali Sukthankar Shares How Being Regular with Content is Necessary To Stay Relevant

Shalmali Sukthankar is a multi-talented creator who has a song for every situation, striking a balance between singing and content creation. As one of the 12 finalists in Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs in 2008-09, Shalmali is well-regarded for the versatility of her voice. And what a voice it is!

The Reelstars recently connected with Shalmali, who spoke about her aspirations, journey, challenges, and more. Here’s an insight into her story:

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’ve been a professional singer and performer since I was 14. I graduated in Economics and Statistics, and have cleared Chartered Financial Analysis Level 1.

How different is your content from others?

I found my niche along the way. While I love singing, simply singing on social media isn’t enough. You need to provide context, tell a story, and make your content highly relatable. So, I decided to say something relatable before my song to make it more enjoyable, which has worked really well for me.

Any challenges you face?

Yes, many challenges arise as creating content is not easy. You have to consider what your audience would want to experience in their leisure time. Getting that right and delivering it well is challenging. Whether the audience likes your content is apparent from the number of views, likes, and shares. Each time you create content, you have to think about your followers in a new way. It’s challenging but exciting as well.

Do you feel pressured to stay active on social media constantly?

Yes, being regular with your content is necessary; otherwise, people forget you. But it can also be tiring. Sometimes you don’t feel like posting anything, but you need to.

Who is your inspiration?

I don’t have a specific person in mind, but I am inspired by all those who achieved their dreams by not giving up during the hardest times.

How do you balance singing and content creation?

Fortunately, you can do anything relatable to create content. It doesn’t have to be perfect, as people find relatability in the most imperfect situations. So, I often do both together, and it’s super fun.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully singing on a huge stage with great artists and recording for a Bollywood project (Fingers crossed).

If you had to describe your life with a song, which one would it be?

“Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala Gaya, Har Fikr Ko Dhuein Mein Udaata Chala Gaya.”

Which piece of your content went viral first?

I sang “Accha Ji Main Hari” which garnered 4 million views. Many big artists from the South commented on it and started following me. Most amazingly, the famous actor Tabu also commented on it.

Which platform works best for you – Insta, YT, FB? Why?

Instagram currently works best for me because, in a minute, you have to showcase a lot of your talent. That’s challenging and exciting. People have been liking my content on it so far.

How many hours do you put in each week for content creation?

Per week, just shooting a video takes me up to 4-5 hours, but creating it, putting thought into it, and preparing for various songs definitely takes a lot more time. In 4 months, I went from 3K to 50K followers, which is a humbling experience for any content creator. My team and I are always exploring what’s new and experimenting with our content.

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