In Brief:
- Shreya Ghoshal described the music industry as "slightly patriarchal" and heavily male-dominated.
- She revealed turning down several popular songs due to sleazy or inappropriate lyrics.
- Ghoshal noted that while the frequency of such songs is decreasing, industry dynamics remain male-heavy.
- She added that female singers were historically limited mostly to item numbers, romantic duets, or few solo tracks.
Acclaimed playback singer Shreya Ghoshal spoke out about gender bias in the music industry, terming it "slightly patriarchal" and heavily male-driven despite recent progress. Opening up about her career choices, Ghoshal shared that she has consistently refused to sing tracks containing sleazy lyrics, even when those songs went on to achieve major commercial success. She noted that opportunities for female artists were previously confined mainly to item numbers or romantic duets, with very few solo compositions offered to women. Although she acknowledged positive shifts in recent years, Ghoshal emphasized that the industry still remains male-heavy.