Back to THE ROOTS
Veteran Punjabi singer, Harbhajan Mann, whose latest album Satrangi Peengh 3 is breaking multiple records, talks about going back to clean entertainment.
HE He is 51 but does not look a year more than 40. He attributes it to a simple life, and running.
He has been in the Punjabi film industry for more than 25 years now and is, therefore, qualified to talk about it. He speaks about how it soared, and also its fall in terms of quality. As singer and performer, Harbhajan Mann’s latest album Satrangi Peeng 3 comprising eight tracks from varied genres like folk, contemporary, dance and Sufi hit the market in October, the artist, who has also launched his own recording label HM Records with Satrangi Peeng 3 dreams of a Renaissance in music in this part of the country. “Have we not had enough of gun carrying men in jeeps chasing women? It is sickening to see that we are proud to present this image of Punjabi men to the outside world,” he says. Wanting to promote more singers who promise quality through his new company, Mann feels that he had no other option but to have his own label.
“I was tired of music companies trying to dictate terms about the kind of songs they wanted. An MBA sitting in a posh office in Mumbai cannot tell me what is the pulse of people here, and what is the kind of songs they would like to listen. I needed to make my kind of music without the pressure of the market,” he says.
Intentionally skipping the latest trend in Punjabi music of releasing singles started by UK-based Punjabi vocalists, the veteran singer feels that there can be nothing more challenging than presenting an album that showcases the range of the artiste. “When one works on different genres in the same album, it is a great opportunity to prove one’s mettle.”
Of course, singles have been instrumental in introducing the larger audiences to a wide variety of new talent. With YouTube and other online streaming platforms, a huge number of youngsters have been able to present their talent to the world. “But let us not forget that quality has suffered tremendously. Just because technology has made things easier, everybody has started assuming that he/she has an unmatchable voice.”
Mann feels that there is a need to introspect and go back to the roots in order to improve the lyrics being churned out from the region. Adding that it’s a misconception that most people are receptive only to third-rate songs, the singer says that it unfair to undermine peoples’ sensibilities. “Are we trying to say that everyone is crude and against clean entertainment? Are we doubting people’s intelligence? That would be a tad unfair, no?”
Someone who is known for his stage performances, Mann feels that the magic of live is incomparable. “I make it a point to have as many stage shows across the world as possible. Recording in the studio is about perfection, paying attention to minute details while singing in front of thousands demands grasping the audience’s nerve and improvising —something I have always loved and found challenging.”