The Womaniaz band's musical journeys began long before the band itself — often in homes where music was nurtured by families who encouraged daughters to follow artistic ambitions. (Source: Express Photo)Written by Neha RathodFor decades, the image of the female singer in the Indian music industry has often been solitary — a single voice at the microphone, fronting a performance largely shaped by others. The Womaniaz, however, offers a different picture.The nine-member band, that performed recently in Pune, places four women vocalists at the centre of the stage, creating music together rather than individually. The group’s four lead singers — Deepti Rege, Tanishq Karnawat, Veda Nerurkar and Shreya Jain Khandelwal — come from different generations and musical backgrounds, yet share a common foundation in classical training and a strong commitment to live performance.What makes the group unusual is not just its music, but its structure. Instead of competing for space, the four singers share it. “We were friends first,” the group says. “We already knew and respected each other’s music. Over time, the idea of creating something together just felt natural. Each of us brings something different to the table,” says Deepti Rege, the band’s co-founder and senior-most member.Their musical journeys, however, began long before the band itself — often in homes where music was nurtured by families who encouraged daughters to follow artistic ambitions.For Rege, music is almost hereditary. A Hindustani classical vocalist with over 25 years in the industry, she has contributed vocals to several Bollywood productions, including Gangubai Kathiawadi, Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat and Super 30. Her connection to music stretches back generations. “My grandmother was a disciple of Hirabai Badodekar and also a Marathi poet. I grew up hearing my mother’s riyaaz at home. Today, family support continues to play a crucial role in my career. My in-laws proudly talk about my work even more than I do,” she says with a smile.For Tanishq Karnawat, the path to music was shaped early by her parents’ encouragement. She began learning to sing at the age of three and continues to train in Hindustani classical music. “My parents were the ones who first encouraged me,” Karnawat says. “My mother used to perform at events and also taught music when she was younger, so music was always part of our home,” she says. Growing up in that environment helped transform a childhood passion into a profession. Today, alongside performing with The Womaniaz, Karnawat also mentors young singers as a vocal instructor at the Kailash Kher Academy for Learning Art.Story continues below this adSinger Shreya Jain Khandelwal similarly grew up surrounded by art. Her grandmother had a deep love for Indian classical music and was trained in the sitar, while her mother carried that artistic tradition forward as a Bharatanatyam dancer. “My parents always gave me the freedom to pursue what I love. Because of that support, I could embrace music wholeheartedly,” she says.Khandelwal, trained at the Shankar Mahadevan Academy and under Pt Murli Manohar Shukla, later performed at large-scale events such as the Ekam Satt Unity Concert at Jio Garden curated by Ameya Dabli, which featured composer A R Rahman.For Veda Nerurkar, the earliest musical lessons came directly from home. “My mother was my first guru. I grew up surrounded by music,” she says. Nerurkar first came into the spotlight as a runner-up on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Marathi Li’l Champs and later appeared on The Voice India Season 2. But behind those milestones was the steady support of her parents.“They travelled with me for competitions, auditions, and rehearsals. Their belief in me is the reason I could pursue music professionally,” she says.Story continues below this adWhile their journeys differ, the singers say those individual influences shape the sound of the band. Their performances often run for nearly two hours, weaving together melodies from different eras of Hindi cinema. A sold-out ticketed show at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre remains one of their most memorable milestones. Yet the singers say the most meaningful aspect of the project is the sense of solidarity it represents.“When women come together creatively, something powerful happens. On stage, we’re not competing with each other — we’re supporting each other,” they say.Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd