HARSHDEEP KAUR

In conversation with Harshdeep Kaur, a playback singer from India better known for her Sufi renditions and Blockbuster film tracks in Punjabi and Hindi. She has lent her voice for leading composers in the country including A R Rahman, Pritam, Vishal-Sekhar, SalimSulaiman, Shankar Ehsaan Loy, Amit Trivedi to name a few. She is one of the very few Indian singers to have sung for a Hollywood movie. Her track R.I.P. composed by AR Rahman was a part of Oscar winner director Danny Boyle’s film 127 Hours. We had the chance to chat with her about her musical learnings, how she came into the industry, challenges faced by her, her experience as a mentor at the reality show “The Voice” and upcoming projects.

When did you first realize that music was your calling and how did you start as a musician?

My father was always inclined towards music and he was the one who spotted my talent. He encouraged me to learn music and so my training in Indian Classical music started at the age of six. I started performing in my school functions and I used to get a lot of appreciation from teachers & fellow students. It was then that I decided that I want to become a singer.

What were the challenges you had faced as a musician when you started?

Shifting base from Delhi to Mumbai was the biggest & toughest step for me and my family. We came to Mumbai with a lot of hope & aspirations. I remember my mom used to call up music directors and ask for their time so that they could hear me out. My dad used to accompany me to studios where I met many music directors. Luckily most of them were very encouraging and geadually I started getting recordings. I also went to college during the same time and completed my graduation. My family has played a very important part in my struggle period.

Tell us about your music learning experiences and your teachers. My first guru is definitely my dad as he taught me the basics of music.

I trained under Shri Tejpal Singh ji. He taught me for many years and he always used to tell me that I must move to Mumbai and sing for films. I also learnt classical music from Shubha Mudgal ji for sometime. Besides singing I also went for piano lessons at the Delhi School of Music. After shifting to Mumbai I felt I should also train in western classical music as it would help me become a versatile singer. That’s when I started learning from Alfred D’Souza.

You have sung a lot of blockbuster hits in Bollywood. How did you score most of your popular songs?

I have been really blessed to have sung some of the biggest hits of Bollywood music. Songs like Heer, Kabira, Kateya Karoon, Dilbaro, Zaalima, Jugni, Nachde ne saare, etc have become a part of people’s lives. I would give the credit to the music composers of these song who felt that I would do complete justice to their compositions.

You are better known for your Sufi renditions. How did that interest you?

When I was a kid my mother taught me many shabads (sikh hymns).That was my first introduction to spiritual music. Later when I was growing up I started listening to Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Saab, Abida Parveen,Jagjit Singh ji, Reshma ji.. and their songs really suited my voice. And then when in 2008 I took part in Junoon (a reality show where I had to sing only sufi songs) , I met Ustaad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Saab and was mentored by him. I won that show and somehow it showed me a path. I feel Sufiyana music has the power to connect you to the Almighty.

How would you describe your tone and voice to someone who has never heard you?

I would say my voice is not the regular high pitched female voice, it’s very unique & more deep & mellow. A lot of people describe my voice as rustic & honey dipped. The best compliment I got for my voice was from Sanjay Leela Bhansali ji when he said that “I can listen to her voice the entire day!”

You are a coach on "The Voice". Tell us about the experience

Being on “The Voice” has been a really enriching experience for me. I have been a contestant many times in the initial years of my career but sitting on the big chair as a Coach/Judge was very humbling. It’s a role full of responsibilities. What you do & what you say to the contestants really matters a lot. I got to meet so many new talented people and sharing my knowledge & life experiences with them was what I really enjoyed the most.

What is your view on the current and upcoming musicians and their talent?

Music is a huge canvas and there’s so much that can be done with it. The new generation is very smart and uses their talent & technology to create newer sounds. But somewhere I feel that a lot of upcoming artists don’t give much importance to ‘Training’ especially in classical music as that requires a lot of time and dedication.

What were your biggest learnings through being a coach on this show?

It is very important to connect with the contestant and empathise with what he or she is feeling. Singing in front of judges and lakhs of people watching you on TV is not easy. As a coach I have realised that Encouragement is the key. Young artists look upto us and we should do our every bit to inspire them.

You have sung for some leading music composers in the country. Which song has been most special to you and why?

For me every song of mine is like a baby to me. Every song has it’s own story and journey. But the track that has connected me to a million hearts is ‘Ik Onkar’ from Rang De Basanti. It is a prayer that’s beyond language, religion, culture, or genre. I still get a lot of messages for this prayer from people telling me about how much peace it has brought to them.

You are also into live performances. How do you differentiate between live and playback singing and what do you enjoy more?

I love performing for a live audience. It’s a very satisfying emotion. Singing on stage gives you a lot of confidence. You get to know where you actually stand as there are no retakes in live singing. You have to give your best. Live performances also give you an opportunity to connect and interact with your audience. On the other hand I love Playback singing & recording in the studio. You become a character and have to act while you’re singing. You can experiment with your voice, expressions, style, throw, etc. to suit the requirement of the song. Its a very enriching experience.

In the digital era, how are you leveraging platforms to reach out to your fans/ audiences?

I love doing independent music and I feel YouTube is a great platform to showcase that. Social media has also become

very important as it helps the artist connect with his/her fans. I keep posting my new music, behind the scenes videos of my concerts, shoots & recordings, etc and fans really like that. It makes them feel that they are also a part of my musical journey.

In a country with a lot of talent, how do you keep abreast with the competition and ensure you always have something new to give?

It’s necessary for an artist to keep updating himself according to the changing trends in the music scene. Being versatile is the key. I feel my training in both Indian and western classical music has helped me a lot. I love singing new styles and I happily try new genres of music.

Tell us about your upcoming projects to look forward to

A lot of Bollywood releases are on the way and apart from that I’m concentrating on releasing a lot of original music on my YouTube channel.

Your message to budding Sufi artists

Music is a way to connect to God.. Treat it like worship. Learn music and always sing from your heart 