Remember ‘Chandigarh Kare Ashiqui…’, the track that still sensationalises all Punjabi weddings? The good news is that its singer, UK-based bhangra-pop artiste Jassi Sidhu is back!
As he launches his new single, Hipshaker (featuring Superwoman), at Chandigarh Press Club, Sector 27, on Saturday, he decides to break the ice with his 2005-hit single itself, and justifies the same by saying: "My fans still relate to this track, which is a big achievement for me. Though I have been born and brought-up in Britain, my constant endeavour, through out my 17 years in the music industry, has been to promote my mother tongue, Punjabi."
Jassi Sidhu. HT Photo
And what about his formal ‘good bye’ during the release of Nai Reesan in 2011? “An artiste should always change according to the times. Seeing the Punjabi music scene globally, I feel there is a demand for singles. No one is really coming out with an album anymore. Even Hipshaker is a single-track release in the form of an album. There are three tracks from my previous album, Nai Reesan, as well in this album,” says Jassi Sidhu and adds, “What Punjabi music lacks is experimentation, which would eventually help the industry evolve globally. For instance, Honey Singh spearheaded a new era of Punjabi music, which everyone else followed. In this track, like always, I have kept the traditional element alive. The lyrics of the song are Lakk Hile Majajan Jandi Da, which have been written by Jagga Dhaliwal and me. This fusion of traditional and modern is the need of the hour.”
His take on all Punjabi singers turning to acting? “I do not want to be a part of the rat race. What everyone does not understand is that they cannot stand out the way Harbhajan Mann, Diljit and Gippy did. Every week I hear of some random Punjabi film being released in India, but in the UK, we get to know of only the big ones, like Jatt & Juliet and Carry On Jatta. Don’t get me wrong though; not that I don’t get offers. I recently had two scripts in hand, but I want to maintain my image as a singer, even if I just do one song a year. I don’t feel the need to change.”
{{/usCountry}}His take on all Punjabi singers turning to acting? “I do not want to be a part of the rat race. What everyone does not understand is that they cannot stand out the way Harbhajan Mann, Diljit and Gippy did. Every week I hear of some random Punjabi film being released in India, but in the UK, we get to know of only the big ones, like Jatt & Juliet and Carry On Jatta. Don’t get me wrong though; not that I don’t get offers. I recently had two scripts in hand, but I want to maintain my image as a singer, even if I just do one song a year. I don’t feel the need to change.”
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