Sahibjeet Kaur: The Art Of Hosting & Reading The Room

Sahibjeet Kaur shares her journey from a young high school graduate to a prominent figure in the event industry. Beginning with a foray into the fashion world and earning recognition in beauty contests, Kaur swiftly transitioned into the dynamic realm of emceeing. Overcoming challenges of recognition and breaking gender biases in the glamour industry, she embarked on a journey marked by versatility and resilience. From TV shopping portals to hosting events for the Indian army, Sahibjeet reflects on the memorable moments that shaped her career, emphasising the importance of understanding diverse audiences. In this insightful interview, she unveils her strategies for audience engagement, the essential skills for an outstanding emcee, and her unique approach to staying updated in an ever-evolving event industry.

Excerpts:

Could you share with us how your journey as an emcee began and what inspired you to pursue this career path?

I was a fresh high school pass-out back in 2013 before I started college, I wanted to do something and not sit idle, maybe gain some experience. I had been told multiple times that I could go into the fashion world. I entered a beauty contest and was second runner-up for Miss Delhi NCR 2013. From that, I started getting a couple of modelling assignments.

I didn't want to be labelled as a model, rather I wanted to be known by my name. Then I quit that and luckily enough, because I had good people around me, I got an opportunity to work with TV shopping portals like Naaptol and that's how my journey started. Now from there, I’m here.

What were some of the initial challenges you faced when you started hosting events, and how did you overcome them?

Number one was getting people to know that I am someone who does this work. People should know that there is somebody called Sahibjeet Kaur who works as an emcee. Number two would be fighting the prejudice that comes with being a woman in the glamour world. I had to go out at odd hours, I had to be there till the gig got done and there was no timing. I was pursuing my studies at the time, so, if I worked at night, I had to get up in the morning.

I just did my work and then eventually, I started getting more options, events, and practice makes perfect.

With experience hosting various types of events, which ones do you find the most challenging, and how do you adapt your style accordingly?

The events where the number of people is less, be it a social or corporate or live event. See, when we're dealing with a larger crowd, it's easier to get most of the people in the crowd to agree with you. I've hosted an event with five people in the audience, and that becomes very difficult because then people are listening to you, you are commanding the room and the spotlight is on you. To say something that those five people or 20 people agree on is very difficult.

I believe briefing helps you a lot to understand the vision of the organiser or your client and post that. Once I get on the stage, I take the first couple of minutes to understand the audience around me. Initially, I start by saying what they want me to say and then gradually I make a shift onto what I'm supposed to be saying.

Can you highlight some memorable events or moments in your career that have left a lasting impression on you?

Recently I hosted for the Indian army at their base camp in Hisar. That was one of the largest crowds I've dealt with, more than 20,000 families were there. I had the privilege to share the stage with Major General Ashish, who had more than 80,000 soldiers reporting to him. I got a chance to experience the hospitality at the army base and that was amazing.

What techniques or strategies do you employ to effectively engage diverse audiences during different types of events?

I work on my vocabulary and I read extensively. I've always been a big fan of literature, I'm also an avid reader of Indian mythology. I work on my knowledge of the topic before a show, I don't want to be a parrot who's up there saying things that they are told to say.

If I'm hosting an event, I like to have a briefing call two or three days prior to the event. If there is anything particular, I prepare on that part and I proofread my scripts, I proofread the agenda and everything, I go over the pronunciations and I watch a lot of Hollywood shows to keep abreast of any vocabulary developments. I work really hard on my vocabulary and dictionary.

In your opinion, what are the essential skills or qualities that an emcee must possess to excel in this profession?

Number one should be the understanding of the craft, that you are not doing this for yourself, rather you're representing somebody's idea, their vision. I'm not getting on stage as Sahibjeet. I'm getting on stage as a representative of the concerned brand and representing their vision through my words.

Secondly, there are two kinds of events, one wherein I'm just a stage person, where I have to say things and get down. The second type is more interactive, wherein I have to get people out of their shells, speak to them and comfort them. I enjoy the latter kind of events. I let the natural flow of things decide the course of the event most of the time.

How do you stay updated with the latest trends and changes in the events industry, and how does this influence your approach to hosting events? 

I am not a social media freak. I'm not really a part of posting everything on social media and just staying abreast with all the developments. I do not post regularly about my events on my social media. YouTube has all my latest updates of the work, but not Facebook or Instagram. I like to keep it personal because I want a line between Sahibjeet Kaur the emcee, and Sahibjeet Kaur the human. I like to maintain that line because I don't want to get lost in my work and neither do I want to lose my personality or just be known as an emcee.

I think I'm just lucky that I get to hang around a lot of people and how I stay abreast of development is hosting events. Being on the field.

What do you enjoy most about being an emcee, and what keeps you motivated in this dynamic and fast-paced industry? 

The part that I enjoy the most is going out and communicating with people and I get to learn a lot of new things, let's say recently I've been hosting a lot of corporate events and there are panel discussions, people from various fields, stalwarts of the industry sharing their insights and talking about all the current affairs and prevailing issues in different kinds of fields and career paths. That really helps me because I don't just sit there, I listen to them talk. I take the full advantage of being an emcee and when I'm off the stage, I take the full advantage of being a part of the audience as well.

How do you balance professionalism with spontaneity during live events, especially when dealing with unforeseen challenges? 

It's all about the magic. To be honest, I've never really thought too much about it. I believe too much planning sometimes hurts the process. That is what I convey to my clients as well, that I understand what you want me to say, I understand what you want out of the event, but then again, we must follow the natural flow of things.

I'm always very careful about how I'm saying what I say. But then again, there comes a point almost in every event wherein I just let it go and let the vibes in the room take charge.

What advice would you give to aspiring emcees who are looking to establish themselves in the events industry? 

It might take a little time for you to establish who you are, but establishing who you are is all about being who you are, not following the trends. I wouldn't say that you are not to follow the developments, the trends.

What sets you aside is your natural and your own self. God has made only one you, so, you have to be yourself. You must tell people that this is how I do things, this is how I believe things are going to work and then you try and show it.