What should have been a memorable musical moment at Jacob Collier’s Mumbai concert has instead turned into a polarising discussion online. During the India leg of Collier’s Djesse Vol. 4 World Tour at Nesco Center on November 30, the global music star invited Anuv Jain on stage to perform Baarishen. The collaboration, however, hasn’t landed well with a section of the audience.
Vishal Dadlani ’s blunt reaction fuels conversation
Soon after the show, a video of Anuv singing while Jacob accompanied him on the piano started circulating on Instagram. While some welcomed the crossover, many felt the act lacked finesse. The discussion intensified when singer–composer Vishal Dadlani weighed in on the same video. Not mincing words, he questioned the need for such appearances, commenting, “Is it necessary to keep doing embarrassing s*e like this? Is it part of some corporate mandate somewhere?”His remark instantly split the internet—while many agreed with him and thanked him for being honest about the state of live performances, others shifted the blame to music labels for pushing artists into situations they may not be ready for.
A pattern in Vishal’s criticism of live performances
This isn’t the first time Vishal has publicly called out lacklustre singing on big stages. Earlier this year, he posted a strongly worded note on Instagram Stories, stating, “I’m really sorry, but when you put a basic-to-bad singer in front of a large crowd on a large stage, all you’re doing is showing more people that the individual can’t really sing… I’ve just seen some clips, and my gosh… How embarrassing! For the country, the artiste, the public, as well as ‘the scene.’” Vishal—who began as the frontman of the influential electronic rock band Pentagram—has long been an outspoken figure in Indian music. As one-half of Vishal–Shekhar, he has delivered major hits like Om Shanti Om, Chennai Express, Befikre, and War, giving weight to his critiques.
