Fresh off her Indian Idol 15 win, Manasi Ghosh is still soaking it all in — but her gaze is firmly set on the future. “A dream collaboration would be with A.R. Rahman sir,” she says without hesitation.
“The list is long,” she quips, adding Pritam, Vishal Dadlani, Badshah, Sonu Nigam and Arijit Singh to her bucket list.
For the 21-year-old singer from Kolkata, whose unique voice and charismatic performances captured the hearts of judges and audiences alike, this isn’t just a lofty dream — it’s a direction. “I want to create all forms of music,” she says. “Originals, playback… I want to sing in films, and I want to create my own songs. That’s where I’m heading.”
Manasi’s journey has been as emotional as it has been meteoric. When her name was announced as the winner of Indian Idol 15, she was overwhelmed. “I went completely blank,” she recalls. “It was finally happening, and I didn’t know how to react. But I just felt grateful.”
Her family, watching from the sidelines, was jubilant. “They were extremely happy and emotional in the best way,” she says. “I feel good knowing they’re proud of me.”
But what set Manasi apart in a fiercely competitive season was not just her vocal prowess, but the pivotal moments that defined her run. “My performance of Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main really changed things for me,” she says. “Lalit [Pandit] sir was the guest judge that day, and after my performance, he offered me a song. The next day, I recorded a duet with Shaan sir for a film called Mannu Kya Karega.”
Another standout was her bold take on Sheila Ki Jawani. “That one got so much love. Vishal [Dadlani] sir even asked if I would perform it with him and Shekhar [Ravjiani] sir on stage,” she beams.
Manasi’s musical identity is deeply rooted in her Bengali upbringing. “Like a typical Bengali family, I started learning music at the age of two,” she shares. “From the beginning, music was always the path.”
While nerves did surface during the show, she credits her team for keeping her grounded. “Self-doubt and nervousness happened, yes. But my team was very supportive. I was able to overcome it.”
Her confidence also got a boost from the encouraging words of the show’s judges. “Shreya ma’am once said I have a very unique voice — like something she’s never heard before. And Badshah sir told me to stay just the way I am and that we’ll do a song together someday. Those words meant a lot.”