Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Live
DELHI HAS A LOT OF YOUNG, UNTAPPED TALENT: LESLE
I have decided to give one year of my life to my fans who want to hear me live. If you have a college fest, party or just want to surprise your boyfriend, call me. I’ll be there
LESLE LEWIS, SINGER
I brought Indian folk music to the youth because while growing up, I wanted to listen to folk but there were no options
LESLE LEWIS, SINGER
Lesle Lewis is no alien name to those who grew up in the ’90s. For his music was all the rage, and is still quite popular. The singer-composer says, “Today if I walk into a college and sing Yaaron Dosti... the crowd sings it louder than me. This song is like a youth anthem for the new generation but I composed it years back with a young singer, KK. So, when I started my career, my music came to be known as Indie pop, and then when I went on to do something else, it became Bollywood remix such as the one (Piya tu ab to aaja) [I created] with Asha Bhosle…”
The urge to create something new made him venture into Coke Studio, and currently, he’s working with folk musicians. “I’m recording with folk singers, and more often in Delhi because I’m finding a lot of young talent here, which is not being tapped. And a lot of folk music is [from the states] in the North,” says Lewis.
“I brought Indian folk music to the youth because while growing up, I wanted to listen to folk [music] but there were no options. So, I created songs such as Pari Hun Main... now I’m bringing more folk music. Like right now, as I talk to you, I’m travelling to record with Kutle Khan. So, I’m giving a platform to all folk artists to come and sing with me. I’m inviting them by saying that you sing with me, and I’ll make it funky and cool because folk is the DNA of our music and shouldn’t be lost!”
It does bother Lewis that his celebrity status has distanced him from his fans. “Money rules but I never made money as my key agenda. In fact, I had been getting so many calls from people, asking me where can they see me perform live? This happened all through 2016 and the number of requests [I received] wasn’t funny. And I kept saying ki apko milega nai, agar koi corporate company mujhe na bulaye because only a corporate will be able to afford me… I’m a star because of [my] fans. And now because you have made me a star, I’m unaffordable to you, which is so unfair. So now for fans who have made me a star, I’m performing for free — just the musicians who [would] come along will charge. I have decided to give one year of my life to my fans who want to hear me live. I want to give back to the fans who made me a star!”