Singer Jasleen Royal has come under heavy criticism for her opening act at Coldplay’s recent concert in Mumbai, with many fans expressing disappointment over her performance. Amid the backlash, singer Sona Mohapatra has spoken out, criticising both Jasleen and the industry’s selection criteria for artists, emphasising that social media metrics should not determine stage opportunities.

Sona Mohapatra Questions Jasleen’s Credibility

In an interview with Indie’N Folk Project, Sona refrained from calling Jasleen either an artiste or a performer, expressing strong disapproval of her performance.

“When the entire Jasleen controversy happened, and people said ‘she can’t sing,’ it was all over the place. It was heartbreaking. It sounded terrible. It was such a huge stage and opportunity. It seemed like someone informed her last minute and there was no band or so, while in reality, there were backing singers and a full-fledged band in place,” Sona said.

Sona attributed the issue to corporate decision-making, stating that an artiste’s worth is increasingly being determined by social media statistics rather than actual talent. “It is a lack of foresight and backing merit when it comes to corporates and labels. Maybe you are a good songwriter, but it doesn’t mean that you are a good performer as well. Just because you have made a video with Dulquer (Salman) and received views… Corporates just see numbers. Does it mean you are a good performer? No,” she argued.

The singer momentarily paused mid-sentence while using the term ‘artiste’ in reference to Jasleen before retracting it. When the interviewer referred to Jasleen as a performer, Sona promptly disagreed. “That individual would never be on stage if there was an actual system of merit. The heartbreaking part is that the world caught it,” she added.

Mixed Reactions to Jasleen’s Performance

Jasleen Royal, known for her hit songs like Ranjha and Din Shagna Da, was the opening act for Coldplay’s three-night concert in Mumbai and Ahmedabad as part of their Music of the Spheres World Tour. However, her performance received mixed reactions, with many criticizing her vocals.

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri also took to social media to express his disapproval, writing, “The audience is more sureela than these auto-tuned, Instagram-generated singers. Imagine if she didn’t have followers on Instagram, would anyone have even allowed her to audition for a mohalla singing contest? Follower counts over talent is the new norm.”

The controversy has reignited debates over the criteria for selecting performers, with many questioning whether social media presence is overshadowing true musical talent in the industry.