‘Punjabi music expresses so many flavours of life’
In the late ’90s, singer Jasbir Jassi became popular for mainstreaming folk Punjabi melodies and lyrics through his pop-infused songs. He speaks to Bulbul Sharma about his career.
Punjabi singer Jasbir Jassi shot to fame with his very popular song “Dil Le Gayi Kudi Gujarat Di” in 1998. After this song, he became known for his signature style of music Punjabi folk tunes with pop melodies. “‘Dil Le Gayi Kudi’ proved to be a turning point in my career,” he tells Guardian 20. Earlier, I was singing in Punjab only. I received adulation and recognition immediately after that song. It got me fame, and work proposals from across the world, for which I feel grateful.”
The 48-year-old singer, however, is saddened by the present state of Punjabi music. He says that contemporary musicians in Punjab are averse to using Punjabi poetry and lyrics in their songs, causing great harm to local culture. “It’s more about musical tunes now, which are becoming more popular with every passing day. People from the industry, especially Bollywood, find Punjabi an interesting language but unfortunately they don’t take it too seriously. They don’t feel much responsibility towards it as they have their own audiences to cater to. Also, there is a dearth of good Punjabi singers…”
But the future is certainly bright for the Punjabi music industry. According to Jassi, the reason Punjabi songs have become so popular is that the themes explored in these are highly relatable for the listeners. He says, “Punjabi music has always been very popular among music lovers. These songs are full of life and encompass all kinds of emotions and feelings, including innocence, sadness, comedy, laughter and much more. According to me, Punjabi music has very deep tones that not only entertain people but also touch their soul as most of the songs are inspired from people’s dayto-day lives.”
Despite expressing disappointment with the way Bollywood has treated Punjabi music, Jassi feels that Punjabi songs have made a significant impact on the Hindi film audience. He says, “It [Punjabi music] has done very well since songs like ‘Main Jatt Yamla Pagla Dewaana’ from the movie Pratigya [1975]. Unlike music from other states, Punjabi music has been there from a very long time in the Hindi film industry, as Bollywood is very much inspired by the Punjabi culture. There are so many flavours of life which are expressed in Punjabi music and that is something the audience loves to see and hear.”
Born in Punjab’s Gurdaspur, Jassi released his first music album, Channa Ve Teri Channani, in 1993. This was followed by a string of bestselling albums, such as Dil Le Gayi (1998), Kudi Kudi (1999), Nishani Pyar Di (2001) and others. In November 2018, three years after his last song, “Ranjha”, Jassi came out with his new song “Tere Thumke”.
So why has the singer taken this long a break from creating albums? He answers, “I didn’t stop making albums. I just slowed down the process because I want to bring a change in my style. I have recently released a song, ‘Tere Thumke’, which has been very well received by my fans.”
Jassi has been part of the music industry for over 25 years now and has given numerous stage performances internationally. A true performer at heart, he prefers doing live shows over recording in the studio. “There is nothing better than live singing. On stage, I get an instant reaction from my fans and I get to know what they like and dislike,” he says.
Is there any one ritual that he abides by right before his live performances? He says, “One thing that I follow without fail is that I recite the Gurbani before every performance. I like to believe that it affects me both in a spiritual and scientific way. I also do Ardas with the intention to gain energy for my performances.”
He is known for his versatility as a musician who is open to taking up varied genres. For instance, his 2011 song “Laung da Lashkara”, for the movie Patiala House, can be categorised under Bollywood party music; and he has also sung “Alif Allah Chambe Di Booti”, a Sufi classic. In fact, Sufi music and qawwali are among his favourite genres. Besides these, he likes listening to Indian classical and folk music, shades of which can be perceived in his own compositions.
Earlier this month, Jassi judged a radio singing talent hunt, Benadryl Big Golden voice (BBGV) in
Delhi. He feels that such platforms are excellent for aspiring singers, and from the judge’s standpoint, they allow for a pure assessment based on the participant’s voice alone. Jassi says, “Platforms like BBGV provide an amazing opportunity to these singers to showcase their talent. When radio stations organise such talent hunts, they have an edge over other mediums, as in this case the voice is the only parameter on which these contestants get judged. Vocal skills and notes are key aspects here. This is not seen on other platforms where the looks, personality, and performance, apart from the voice, are also taken into account.”
Apart from being a successful musician, Jassi is an actor as well, who features in a few Punjabi movies. About his upcoming acting and singing projects, he says, “I will be playing a small role in a film based on the Sikh revolutionary Kataar Singh Sarabha. Also, there are many songs in the pipeline, a few of which are in collaboration with other artistes.”
“Punjabi music has always been very popular among music lovers. These songs are full of life and encompass all kinds of emotions and feelings, including innocence, sadness, comedy, laughter and much more.”