'PUNJABI MUSIC DOESN'T NEED FILTHY LYRICS
Jasbir Jassi’s new song has fresh lyrics, and doesn’t glorify violence or drugs — topics most Punjabi songs are based on
Punjabi singer Jasbir Jassi has been a part of the music industry for more than two decades now. The 49-year-old, who rose to fame with the pop hit, Dil Le Gayee (1998), credits his family and friends for supporting him when he decided to quit his job and take the ‘not safe’ plunge to music.
“There’s a stereotype that being a musician isn’t safe, one should rather choose the safe path of being a doctor, or an engineer. This pressure stops upcoming musicians to explore music,” he says. “I was into engineering and also did a job in police. I left those, and consistently pursued music. Almost everyone in my family, friends supported my passion,” adds Jasbir.
His recent single, Meri Channo, as Jasbir puts it, is a ‘dance number’ which is lyrically quite different compared to other Punjabi pop songs, which he believes, are generally laden with impolite lyrics. “This song doesn’t have violence, drug glorification and doesn’t disrespect women. Punjabi music doesn’t need to have filthy lyrics just because it has a lot of energy to make people feel something,” says Jasbir.
For the song, the singer has collaborated with popular music producer Jeff Bhasker, who has produced songs such as Uptown Funk and Future Nostalgia.
“Jeff observed that Punjabi songs had repetitive lyrics on violence and drugs and so he wanted the lyrics to be fresh,” says the singer, who took nearly two years to finish the number. “It took us 1.5 years because Jeff, who produced the song, was busy producing Katy Perry, Harry Styles at the time and I was busy in my own work. I went back and forth to Los Angeles, US, to complete the song with Jeff,” he says.
Jasbir has learnt a lot from Jeff. He says, “When you work with artistes who are deeply involved with music, poetry and themselves, one gets to learn a lot from them and even better themselves.”