‘IMPORTANT TO STICK TO A GENRE, IF YOU’RE ON A ROLL’

Avi J says that artists who juggle with too many genres, fail to build a strong fan base

Punjabi singer-rapper Avi J aKa Avinash Rajpal (right) is riding high on the success of his recently released fourth single, SWAT, and the 27-yearold singer doesn’t want to experiment with different genres, because of the kind of popularity he has received for his previous songs.

“I know it is important to switch genres, if you want to stay in the (music) industry. But when you have started off in the industry, and you are sort of on a roll with a few hits under your belt, it is important that you don’t switch genres. At least that’s what I like to believe in,” he says.

“If you switch genres too soon, and too much, then you won’t be able to build a fan base for yourself. Even those (fans) who liked your song from a particular genre, might not like your song in another genre and might stop following you. That’s why, I don’t [feel] switching sounds too often is a good idea,” he adds.

Avinash, who is also a popular radio jockey at Fever 104 feels switching genres often impacts the financial status of the artist. “You don’t know if your other song, in a different genre, will do well or not. You put a lot of money on it, make a video get the best of everything and then it doesn’t work. All the money is gone then and because there will be no listeners left, it will be again back to scratch for that musician,” he says.

His latest single has already crossed over 55 lakh hits on YouTube, and even though he “never expected” the song to do so well, Avinash doesn’t want to get carried away. “That has always been my mantra — I will never get carried away by success. I am ecstatic that people have loved SWAT, and I hope my next single, Jealousy with (rapper) Bohemia Paji will do well as well,” he says.

That has always been my mantra — I will never get carried away by success. I am ecstatic that people have loved SWAT AVINASH RAJPAL, RAPPER