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Mumbai, Maharashtra: In an exclusive interview with IANS, legendary playback singer Hariharan talks about his latest album and reflects on his journey in the Indian music industry. He shares his perspective on the recent controversy surrounding A. R. Rahman and speaks about the evolving landscape of playback singing. Hariharan also discusses the new generation of artists, including Arijit Singh and how the industry has transformed over the years. He addresses performing at weddings and private events, the growing concert culture in India and changing audience expectations. Additionally he highlights concerns about fewer opportunities for female singers and reflects on his experience working with R. D. Burman.


#Hariharan #ARRahman #ArijitSingh #RDBurman #IndianMusic #PlaybackSinging #BollywoodMusic #MusicIndustry #NewAlbum #MusicControversy #ConcertCulture #LiveConcerts #WeddingGigs #PrivateEvents #FemaleVoices #MusicLegends #NextGenArtists #IndianPlayback #MusicInterview #IndustryInsights #AudienceTrends #IndianEntertainment #IANS

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00:03First, how did the entire album come and how was this implemented and the entire album took place?
00:11Jaan Meri, it's a collaboration within me and the poet Faraj Shahzad.
00:21We have done work together, a lot of singles and things like that.
00:26So, me and Faraj Shahzad, we have been doing a lot of singles, but it's the first time we wanted
00:35to do an album for a long time.
00:37So, just pre-COVID, we started working on the album and through the COVID we worked and it took about
00:47three years, three and a half years to conceive and do the album.
00:51I take a lot of time and some of the ghazals, ghazals were, it asked time from me, it demanded
01:01the time from me to give that kind of a composition like Chalageya and Lahu.
01:07And we have different styles of music basically.
01:16Sir, so these days people talk a lot about independent music, but you are the OG.
01:23So, I mean, in the 90s when there were very few bands and, you know, you created Korean culture.
01:30So, these days independent music, they get good traction due to Chalageya.
01:36How was it in the 90s? Was it very difficult to make it very well?
01:40You know, actually, you know, during the 90s, there was a huge wave of independent music.
01:48Even in the Hindi pop scene and the fusion scene and a lot of artists were, got into the scene.
01:57Especially Magna Sound produced at least about five, six to seven artists and they were all, we are all very
02:03popular.
02:05So, and independent music is music per se.
02:09We are not dependent on a screenplay or a movie or a star.
02:17You are a star yourself.
02:20It's like the Western world, you have independent music.
02:24And independent music is going to grow very big in India.
02:31So, basically, in the West, this was always a friend, independent music and albums.
02:37But here in India, singers, mostly, you know, they used to get pain due to the films and all of
02:44us.
02:44No, no, absolutely.
02:46I mean, I got my fame through films.
02:49So, all of us, we have got our films.
02:51But the kind of films and the music in films has become less.
02:56Because the type of, the way they say the movie, they tell the story is different.
03:06It's very practical, it's very dialogue oriented, it's very scene oriented.
03:12And hence, music, songs as such, not background score.
03:17Songs as such, it has taken a back seat.
03:23It's a change.
03:25It's a change in making the movies being made.
03:28Of course, you will have some, what you call, item numbers becoming popular or some very sad numbers becoming popular.
03:38That's fine.
03:38I mean, and it's good.
03:40I mean, any music is good, which serves its purpose.
03:43But here is, there is a chance of independent music growing.
03:50So, do you think this is one of the reasons why, in the last few years, movie cinema is not
03:57a gauge of a public as it used to be in that way?
04:01Like, only the public is that people don't go to theatres as much as they used to go there.
04:07But the second thing also, which you spoke about at a very valid point, that the music is not as
04:14a part of cinema as it used to be earlier.
04:18What do you support a lot of people?
04:21See, basically, again coming to it, if the situation is there, then you can write a lyrical song.
04:35If you're dreamy, then you can write a dreamy song.
04:39If you're, if you're, if you're in a dream, then you can say something like a song.
04:43But if it is only practicality, and the dialogues are different, and the storytelling is different, then you can say
04:51something like a song.
04:54So, something else decides what kind of music comes.
05:01Film music is not per se.
05:03So, the change of films, type of films, the music will change.
05:11Aaj bhi, aap, kisih tarha ke gaana, aap gaah sakte hain.
05:17Kisih tarha ke lyrics, aap gaah sakte hain, in independent music.
05:21You don't have to say ki, yaar, ye hit hoona hai.
05:26We are spending so much money.
05:28Let it be a better hit.
05:29Because, film, films have survived, mostly because of hit music.
05:37It has, it has covered, their balance sheets, basically.
05:44Songs, and they can sing, whatever they want.
05:48Aaisa nahi bolengke, yaar, heroine, aisa nahi kaa sakte hain.
05:51Ya, hero nahi kaa sakte hain, sida kao.
05:53Koi nahi hain, aap kuch bhi kaa sakte hain.
05:55So, the art form, you have, you can take it to its limit, basically.
06:03So, it's good.
06:04Do you think this can be one of the reasons, the shift in the industry is, or can be one
06:09of the reasons why Arjun Singh announced it at the place?
06:13Maybe, I don't know, because I can't comment about it, but if he has stepped down, there must be a
06:21very strong reason.
06:22You know, like, because he is the top person who has been singing all the songs, and if he wants
06:28to step down, he has a good, he must be having a good reason for it.
06:32And all the best to it.
06:34But, like, as a senior singer, like a much more senior singer, how do you see him stepping down, because
06:42you said he was at the top of his career series?
06:44He's not stepping down, he's stepping away.
06:47There's nothing down about it.
06:49He's stepping away because he wants, maybe he wants to do creative music, or he wants to have more time
06:54for himself.
06:55Who knows?
06:57Have you ever felt, can you take small breaks, just to have more time, because you have it?
07:03No, no, I do take my breaks.
07:06If you see my career, there have been periods where I've been just sitting at, you know, doing my thing,
07:13basically.
07:15And, because, you know, you can't keep, especially when you produce music, when you compose,
07:20and you have to take your, you've got to go back to the drawing board, you've got to, you've got
07:28to have a break,
07:31and you need, it's creative, you need space for creative input, you know.
07:38So, we, I keep taking it.
07:46See, concert culture, post-Covid, concerts are the in-thing for artists.
07:55Absolutely.
07:57There, the concerts, scene has,
08:04it's ignited.
08:06All, all artists are busy,
08:08and there are thousands of people who come for concerts,
08:11and, uh, they really support it.
08:14And, uh, that has changed.
08:15That scene is growing.
08:17It's a fantastic.
08:19Do you think now that artists, like a lot of artists,
08:21I'm not talking about the top ones,
08:24but the ones who come in,
08:27the second or third gallery,
08:30so they complain a lot about their page and pages that they get from,
08:35for the producers,
08:37for the music producers,
08:38for the film producers,
08:39so do you think this concert culture is going to,
08:42you know,
08:43bring a, you know,
08:45economic move for them?
08:46Obviously,
08:47if you're,
08:48see,
08:48if you're a good artist,
08:50if you're a good live artist,
08:53you will get work.
08:55And you will be successful.
08:57You will have enough money to run your house.
09:01That's a big thing.
09:02The economic viability in music is much more now,
09:07if you're a live artist.
09:10Be it classical music,
09:11be it semi-classical music,
09:13be it pop music,
09:15be it film music.
09:16There is an audience for everything.
09:18Because anywhere there is a function,
09:21the only thing they have is music program.
09:27That's amazing.
09:38See,
09:38I'll tell you one thing.
09:41I do all concerts,
09:42kind of concerts.
09:43I'm very open.
09:44but I need a decorum
09:46when I sing
09:47and I make sure I have it
09:49and I'm peaceful with it.
09:54What is,
09:57why do you sing?
10:00To bring happiness.
10:04And if you can get happiness,
10:06that happiness,
10:07in any situation,
10:09with proper ambience,
10:12it's fine.
10:12Why do you rely on the machine?
10:16And also,
10:17now,
10:17you know,
10:18since we are talking,
10:19I want to know about,
10:21I was a difficult question,
10:23I want to know about
10:25your favorite
10:25number
10:28that you sang
10:29during that.
10:30What's the lack of your favorite?
10:58It's one of them,
10:59which comes,
10:59Bahon Ki Dharmiya is there.
11:01Haira Maa,
11:03then,
11:03Tuhirei of course.
11:05So many songs,
11:07yeah.
11:11It started with Panchamta.
11:13I used to love him.
11:17He was amazing.
11:29He was,
11:31he had a child in him
11:36and that was his special quality.
11:39He was so simple
11:41and
11:44he had a brilliance about him,
11:46the way he
11:47did his phrases
11:49and his compositions.
11:52and you think about,
11:54he is a person
11:55whose composition
11:56has been
11:57the maximum
11:58it has been
12:01what do you call it,
12:03done fusion with
12:04because it could lend to it.
12:07The composition
12:08was so open
12:09and so modern,
12:11so ahead of its time,
12:12you could do something with it.
12:15And he is relevant
12:16and he is relevant
12:17and police
12:18That's what I'm saying.
12:20So he is,
12:20he is,
12:21he is amazing.
12:23I would say.
12:23He is amazing.
12:24Right.
12:25He is a big shock.
12:30I used to sing with Asha ji
12:38as a co-singer
12:39and
12:41Panchamta
12:42used to be there
12:43and I have travelled with him
12:45and
12:45I have learnt a lot of things
12:48from him
12:48and
12:49he is like a mentor to me.
12:51Yes, yes, yes.
12:57Yeah, yeah, yeah.
12:58Yeah, Raman,
12:59Ile Raja.
13:00I have worked with all the
13:01South Indian.
13:02I have worked with Naushat Sahib.
13:04I have not,
13:05yes.
13:05I have worked with
13:07Jai Dev Ji.
13:08He gave me my first break.
13:10I have worked with Salilda.
13:14I have worked
13:16Huh?
13:18Salih Chaudhary.
13:19Salih Chaudhary, yes.
13:22I did two films for him.
13:24Of course,
13:24it was a Malayalam film
13:25which I dubbed into Hindi
13:27but I was,
13:28I worked with him
13:29and
13:29it was an amazing experience.
13:32Naushat Sahib ke saad
13:35Taj Mahal karke
13:36a movie produced by
13:41Akbar Khan.
13:42Yeah, yeah.
13:45Mumtaz tujhe dekha
13:49Jabtaj mahal dekha
13:54Is tariqe ke kaane hain
13:56So actually five generations
13:59of music directors
14:02I also have sung with.
14:04And how was your
14:05history of Raman?
14:06Raman has been beautiful.
14:08Yes, yes.
14:09We did a lot of songs
14:11for the first
14:1210-12 years
14:14of his career.
14:15I used to be a regular
14:16singer for him
14:17and
14:17we did a lot of
14:19good stuff.
14:20Since you have a long
14:21association with him
14:22and you know
14:22he spoke closely
14:23so I
14:24am sure
14:25you reacted also
14:26on the recent
14:27statement
14:28that
14:28was given by him
14:31so
14:32what are you
14:33not for?
14:33Actually,
14:34I wouldn't comment on it
14:35because I don't know
14:36in what context
14:37he spoke.
14:38So
14:40I have
14:41been very close to him.
14:42I know him as a person
14:43and he is a
14:45beautiful human being.
14:48As
14:48what he is a
14:49beautiful composer.
14:51You know,
14:51the same thing.
14:52So
14:54best wishes with him
14:56basically.
14:57So
14:57we are not
14:59asking you to comment
15:00in that context
15:01but generally
15:01this is a question
15:02to me
15:03that
15:04in the industry
15:06you have
15:06sung
15:07almost all the
15:08Yeah.
15:09We are a
15:11Mumbai guy
15:13and then
15:14we have
15:14been very close
15:17right.
15:28I don't
15:29somehow I feel
15:30you know
15:31in the commercial world
15:33if you
15:34if you
15:36give
15:37what is
15:38needed
15:39the result
15:40the
15:42commerciality
15:43if you give
15:43that
15:43they accept
15:44it.
15:46To break in
15:47you might
15:48have some
15:48problems
15:48problems.
15:50When I started
15:50singing
15:51Ghazals
15:51I thought
15:51this is
15:52Madras
15:52how will
15:54How will it be?
15:55That is
15:56obviously
15:56so
15:59that gave
15:59me a
16:00positivity
16:00to work
16:01harder on
16:02my
16:02pronunciation
16:03and things
16:03like that.
16:05Luckily
16:06I was
16:06from
16:07Bombay
16:07so
16:08I could
16:09kind of
16:10manage it
16:11you know
16:11it took me
16:11time
16:12but I
16:13think
16:13basically
16:13if
16:13something
16:14is
16:14like
16:14that
16:14also
16:15work
16:15hard
16:15and
16:16break
16:16it
16:16you know
16:16there are
16:17hurdles
16:18sometimes
16:19just break
16:20it
16:35because
16:35it's a
16:36male oriented
16:37film
16:39the scripts
16:40are for
16:40male
16:40so
16:41where does
16:42a female
16:42come in
16:43see
16:43please
16:44try to
16:44understand
16:45again and
16:46again
16:46I say
16:46that
16:46film
16:47music
16:48is not
16:48music
16:49per se
16:53there used
16:54to be
16:54only
16:54female
16:55songs
16:56because
16:56it is
16:57female
16:57oriented
16:58films
16:59so
17:00why
17:00we
17:01keep
17:01forgetting
17:01it
17:02there is
17:03nothing
17:03against
17:03females
17:04or
17:05males
17:07you
17:07understand
17:08what I'm
17:08saying
17:08there is
17:09nothing
17:09against
17:10anybody
17:10it is
17:11what
17:12is
17:13happening
17:13with the
17:14industry
17:14that's
17:14it
17:15and in
17:15the
17:16concert
17:16also
17:17it's
17:18often
17:18heard
17:19that
17:19male
17:20voice
17:20is
17:20preferred
17:21more
17:21over
17:21the
17:21female
17:22voice
17:22as
17:23after
17:23all other
17:23words
17:26I don't
17:27know
17:27I mean
17:28now
17:28you
17:28go to
17:29Shreya's
17:29concert
17:30or
17:30Suniti
17:31Chawan's
17:31concert
17:31or
17:33Ashaji's
17:34concert
17:34when
17:34they used
17:35to keep
17:35performing
17:36you had a
17:36full house
17:38like today
17:39in the
17:40in the
17:40Ghazal
17:40world
17:40Pratibha
17:41is singing
17:41she's singing
17:42around the
17:43world
17:43and she
17:44gets
17:44audience
17:45I don't
17:46know
17:46it's very
17:47difficult
17:47to
17:48comment
17:49something
17:49like
17:57that
18:04no
18:04I've
18:05not
18:05I've
18:06been
18:06traveling
18:06a lot
18:06so
18:07he's
18:07not
18:08been
18:08well
18:08yeah
18:08yeah
18:09no
18:11I don't
18:12know
18:12about
18:12it
18:12yeah
18:12yeah
18:13yeah
18:13yeah
18:13yeah
18:14yeah
18:14yeah
18:14yeah
18:14yeah
18:17yeah
18:19yeah
18:20the USP
18:24is that
18:25this album
18:26has got
18:26five songs
18:27five Ghazals
18:28written by
18:29Faraj Shahzad
18:30Jaan Meri
18:32Jaan Meri
18:33Ik nahi
18:34Sao baar
18:37karke
18:38dekh lo
18:39Kuch nahi
18:42ho paega
18:44Tum
18:45pyaar
18:46karke
18:47dekh lo
18:49Jaan Meri
18:51it's a light
18:52hearted song
18:52then you have
18:53Baat Se Baat
18:54a very
18:55kind of a
18:57Boznoa
18:57kind of a
18:58song
18:58then you have
19:00some
19:01traditional
19:02kind of
19:02Chala Gaya
19:04Lahu
19:04so there's
19:06it's
19:06it's like a
19:07bouquet of
19:07flowers
19:08so
19:09aap
19:09suniyega
19:10maza
19:10lijeega
19:11Jaan Meri
19:12just one
19:15question
19:15came to
19:15my mind
19:16that
19:16music
19:17people
19:19or
19:19you know
19:20lot of music
19:20is composed
19:21keeping the
19:22real culture
19:22in mind
19:23keeping the
19:24real culture
19:25in mind
19:25the real culture
19:27of Instagram
19:31no I've never
19:32thought of the
19:32real
19:32I mean
19:34whenever I
19:34make a
19:35real I'll
19:35make a
19:35comedy out
19:36of it
19:37kuch
19:38aise
19:39maza
19:39karta
19:39hon
19:40you can't
19:41make music
19:42in reels
19:42here
19:44it's
19:45it's just
19:45a fascination
19:46you
19:47that's
19:48I don't
19:49anyway
19:50thank you
19:51thank you
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