New vocalists have flocked to Bollywood from the classical and independent music scenes, hoping to make it great in the film business.

The world’s methods have always been to ring in the new and ring out the old. This is true of Bollywood as well. Whether it was Md. Rafi’s melodic 1960s, Kishoreda’s romantic 1970s, Kumar Sanu’s cult in the 1990s, or the multifaceted Sonu who reigned the previous decade, the times have changed, and so have the masters of the art. However, in recent years, a slew of fresh voices have sprung onto the scene, only to be quickly supplanted by others.

Despite having prominent numerals in their names, few have established a name recognition value. They require time, according to singer Mohit Chauhan, who says, “They will take time to construct a space of their own. Singers like Udit Narayan and Sonu Nigam have built immediate recognition value via years of listening to their voices. That is not an option for today’s vocalists.” With new vocalists being introduced in every film, the short shelf life of songs has morphed into a short shelf life of singers as well.

Bappi Lahiri, a seasoned musician, is to blame. “Not just vocalists, but even composers had a specific character and style concerning their music,” he explains. “While outstanding work is still being done in Bollywood, it is becoming increasingly impossible to tell who is singing which song. And it’s all because of a lack of uniqueness.”

Even though it is difficult to carve out a niche for oneself in these difficult times, these newcomers are making strides with some excellent work. Here are a handful of the most well-known Bollywood imports.

1.Arijit Singh