Shael Oswal Shares How And Why He Changed His Name From ‘Shailendra’

We recently enjoyed a hearty meal with none other than singer Shael Oswal! Our Editor-in-Chief, Kamiya Jani, enjoyed a healthy but delicious meal with the singer at Saar Cafe in Mumbai and talked about his heart-touching single ‘Rabba Kare.’ During the fun and musical discussion, we got to know the story of why Shael ended up changing his name. Want to know why? Scroll on to find out!

How ‘Shailendra’ Became Shael Oswal

In 2006, singer Shael Oswal took the nation by storm with his hit Punjabi song ‘Hiriye’. He became a household name with this hit number but did you know that this is not his original name? Intrigued by the name, Kamiya asked Shael the story behind his name. He revealed that his birth name was ‘Shailendra’ but he officially changed it.

He shares that when he came to Delhi, he joined Modern School Vasant Vihar. It was the first time he joined a co-ed school and it was quite a change for him. He joined the school in 11th grade and during some “ragging” by fellow female students, he was asked his name. He says, “I said my name is Shailendra and they said ‘chiiii’ itna ganda naam, yeah koi naam hai? Change your name!”

So, when he went back home, he sat his father down, told him about the ragging, and said that the girls suggested he change his name to Shael. Shocked, his father told him that he had been named after yesteryear singer Shailendra Kumar. To this, Shael replied, “Mera naam mujhe bahut tang kar raha hai, mujhe bahut taqlif de raha hai school main.” He then got in touch with a person who got all the necessary documents ready for him to officially change his name.

Also Read: “Singapore Is Not Warm. People Don’t Smile,” Says Shael Oswal After Having Lived In The Nation For 15 Years

Social Media & Its Pressure On The Music Artists

During the chat, Kamiya spoke to Shael Oswal about the pressure of “trending” on social media for a singer and how it affects them. Agreeing with this, Shael said that he was surprised by this as this was something very different from his own time in the industry. He further explained that it took him some time to understand the concept of ‘Reels’ and social media trending.

He then realised that he should channel his capability to what he could do best and decided to focus on his singing. While he agrees that an artist needs marketing, he says that he likes to focus more on singing and things he is good at, rather than worrying about anything else.

Also Read: Vijay Deverakonda, Radhikka Madan & Kamiya Jani Relished THESE Dishes At Jasleen Royal’s Home During The Sunday Brunch

Catch this entire video on the Curly Tales’ YouTube channel and know everything that went down during this fun interview.

Cover Image Courtesy: Internal