HT City

JINGLE ALL THE WAY: ADS THAT LEAVE YOU HUMMING FOR MORE

Ahead of World Music Day (June 21), singers Kavita Krishnamur­thy, Kunal Ganjawalla and Ehsaan Noorani, talk about the everlastin­g charm of jingles, which evokes nostalgia and are an important part of pop culture

WI remember recording Washing Powder Nirma jingle with Preeti Sagar (singer). I learned quite a lot about my craft by recording several jingles. KAVITA KRISHNAMUR­THY, Singer

Despite the brevity of jingles, they require a deep understand­ing of music to ensure they resonate with listeners instantly. EHSAAN NOORANI, Musician

It’s a different experience because there is so much that needs to be told in fewer words and with a very concise tune. KUNAL GANJAWALLA, Singer

henever someone starts singing Washing Powder Nirma, there will be three others who will complete the rest of the lyrics! Such is the enduring charm of ad jingles in India. Even if the products don’t exist any longer, the memory of their catchy tunes live rentfree in our heads. Ahead of World Music Day (June 21), three iconic musicians — Kavita Krishnamur­thy, Kunal Ganjawalla and Ehsaan Noorani — who’ve lent their voice to some memorable Indian ads, help us decode the evergreen appeal of this kind of music.

MAKE ’EM CATCHY

Singer Kavita Krishnamur­thy, who is the voice behind the unforgetta­ble Washing Powder Nirma jingle, reflects on the success of the tune. “We never imagined that it would become a super hit!” she says, emphasisin­g that the “catchy compositio­n” and memorable, clear lines helped embed the tune into the minds of listeners.

OF FOND MEMORIES

For singer Kunal Ganjawalla, the Amul Doodh jingle holds a special place, because not only did it boost his career but only helped him forge new connection­s. “I recorded the jingle with Leslie Lewis (musician) for the first time in 1994... Then I sang it in 1996; that’s when I first met KK (late singer), and we instantly clicked. He showed me a photo of his family,” he recalls fondly.

CREATING MEMORABLE HOOKS Music composer Ehsaan Noorani, who created jingles for brands like Nescafé, Cadbury, emphasises the need to make an impact in limited time. “It’s very difficult to create an entire universe in just 30 seconds! But learning how to compose good hooks works, a skill that brought me closer to the film industry as well.”

THE LASTING IMPACT

The consensus among these artistes is that a combinatio­n of catchy compositio­ns, clear and concise messaging, and the ability to evoke emotions plays a vital role.

Krishnamur­thy reflects on the learning experience: “I learned that clarity of words is extremely important for ad music.” Meanwhile, Noorani highlights the importance of creating “ear candy”, a principle that has helped him with film music too. “The fact that these songs end up being in people’s memory for so long, make the effort worthwhile,” he adds.