The phenomenon that is Daler Mehdi doesn’t only belong to India but to the entire world. The pioneer of Independent music in India with his choicest of tracks like Tunak Tunak, Dardi Rab Rab, Bolo Ta Ra Ra, Ho Jayegi Balle Balle, Daler Mehndi paved ways for other independent artists to break free from their cages of conventionalism and venture into the space of experimentation and innovation. Even with so many chartbusters under his belt, Daler Mehndi continues to exude humility, which in turn reflects in the gems that he churns out from time to time.
Ahead of his NH7 Weekender performance in Pune, Daler Mehndi got candid about his musical journey during an exclusive interview with News18 Showsha, where he recalled the most pivotal song of his career ‘Tunak Tunak’ to other refreshing sounds.
Here are the excerpts:
How are you feeling about performing at one of the biggest Indian musical festivals NH7? Apart from your set list, what sort of surprises are waiting for your fans at the life performance?
Performing at Festivals is euphoric. I recall performing and representing India in France in 1994 at The Tam Tam Festival and bringing the 2nd Prize for India at the Voice of Asia Festival in Almaty, Kazakhstan the same year. I am yet to see that kind of lighting, sound, fireworks and graphics. Later at the Youfest in Madrid, Spain to Folkfest in Bangladesh, the technical grandeur is par excellence. I am looking forward to perform at NH7. All I can say is, be ready to dance and thoroughly enthralled. Ho Jayegi Balle Balle was shot in Pune in 1997. It feels special to me. Same city and a entirely different generation! Wow!
You are undoubtedly the pioneer of the Indipop music scene in India. And you started at the time where no such platforms like NH7 existed that gave independent artists an opportunity to showcase their work. How do you view this evolution and people’s perception of independent artists?
I am Blessed, for when I started, I got international music festivals as platforms to represent India, and I am talking of a year before the release of my debut album “Bolo Tara Ra Ra”. Two decades back it was Channel V Awards that celebrated MUSIC truly in spirit as a Festival and I am lucky to have had the opportunity to perform with those productions. It’s time that this populous land of huge cultural linguistic landscape hosts such FESTIVALS. Our musicians, singers, songwriters are crazy talented.. More festivals are needed to cover the GREAT INDIAN MUSIC VERSE. Platforms like NH7 are outstanding. Festivals are a great showcase for artists to meet and perform like a community. Any Music Festival has a HUGE POTENTIAL – from having the new and reputed perform together, collaborations birth here, so do fandoms, it’s a phenomenal high, a great time and place to create behaviour change, a place for the brands to collaborate. Here from the creators, set designers, promoters, fans, all are one body for those two to three days.
Tunak Tunak is now a global phenomenon and it continues to bring the world’s attention to our rich country, music, art and culture. To be the person behind the creation of that song and then representing India on a global stage, how overwhelmed does it get for you at times?
Thank you for your appreciation. It does not get overwhelming. Tunak Tunak is a song that I wrote as a challenge. I make all my compositions and write the mukhdas of all my songs but this song I said, I will not take any help with lyrics. Every word, each bit of the arrangement, to its rhythm section is designed by me. From the song to the choreography to the decision that there will be no one other than Daler Mehndi in the video, to what colors to wear and who will make these costumes. Every single bit I took up as a challenge. I had announced before making it that I will create a song which will be a super duper hit. I didn’t know how Bolo Tara Ra would fare. The first verse was given to me by my mother, it was a gift from her. That, it will be this huge, I had not fathomed. Dardi Rab Rab I had written and composed before Bolo Ta Ra Ra Ra. I knew Dardi Rab Rab will be a hit, I can say the same about Ho Jayegi Balle Balle and Sajan Mere Satrangiya. But for Tunak Tunak, I had announced and said out loud before recording, ‘I am making a song for the world to dance to.’ I faced a lot of opposition, even from a label whom I had given three back to back hits. I was written off by my own label. Tunak Tunak’s music contract also created history– it was India’s first ever License Agreement. Today, I am glad, via your publication, I am sharing its journey. Tunak Tunak is living a dream life. It is not overwhelming, it fills every cell of my being with gratitude to the Divine that bestowed upon me the Gift. Yeh gana maine pehla bola ke hit hoga aur phir karke dikhaya. Tunak Tunak, is a testimony to what happens when you honor your gifts. I made this song much against the will of the label. From the Lyrics, composition, its tempo, its video concept to the classical interlude that opens the song – everything faced opposition from those who were to distribute and market it. All I knew then was that I had to do what my inner voice told me. Every track of the album is my soul poured in music. It has its own individuality today, and stands tall gracefully. Tunak Tunak is a shout out to every budding artist out there to never give up, to never dishonor your inner voice. Be so much with yourself that you can listen to that inner voice loud and clear and then Just honor it without ifs and buts.
Take us back to the day when you recorded this song. What can you recall about that final recording? And whether you imagined at that juncture that your song will someday strike a major chord with the world? Not only in terms of the melody but the music video as well?
Not only did I know that it will strike a chord, I also knew the resonance that chord will create beyond time and space. The entire album took 30days in the studio. Every day I would reach the studio by 10 am and leave by 3 am. I felt alone yet very fiercely clear and completely in control. I didn’t want anyone in the music video other than myself, to counter a comment of a leading journalist. I came from a world where Music is Prayer. Born to Guru Nanak’s love drenched kirtan singing family, to a mother who before my birth prayed day in and night and trusted that – she will birth a boy who will be a great singer. I believed then and today that I am Blessed. I wasn’t singing to make a living. The journalist didn’t understand what he was doing when he wrote what he did but I am so grateful that his article resulted in igniting this positive fire, one that birthed Tunak Tunak Tun. The song has a very serious and profound meaning. Every word is my philosophy of life. It’s a Prayer. It’s a subjugation. Its celebration. Its understanding. It’s a song of Trust.
Your clips with IShowspeed went viral in no time. How was it like hosting him and introducing him to more of your gems? And whether you two might professionally collaborate with each other on any project?
IShowspeed has a heart of Gold and live wire energy which is infectious and inspiring. Behind all that madness is a gentle, extremely focussed, kind and loving warm hearted soul. He came wearing a kurta, ate home cooked food and drank Chhaj in good faith. His love and admiration for Tunak Tuank and Daler Mehndi is very heart warming. I would love collaborate with him and may be do a Tunak Speed with him or a brand new track. It was incredible to host him. My daughter Rabab and her friends are still in awe of meeting him. He is funny, abundance of fun with a brilliant heart.
While you started with Bolo Ta Ra Ra, Dardi Rab Rab, Tunak Tunak, your music and melodies itself has gone through a journey of some sorts? How would you describe that journey and how this evolution of sound gave you a new identity?
It’s a journey of Blessings. Born at Takht Sri Patna Sahib Bihar, started as a Kirtan singer, trained in classical music, started performing as a ghazal singer, came back to India to
become a performer after seeing a concert of Sir Paul Mc Cartney and Grateful Dead in California. Created my music group with raw untrained cousins, brothers and friends in 1991, represented Bhangra Pop in global music festivals in 1994, Composed, Wrote and Produced Bolo Ta Ra Ra and invented a style of live performances – Raag Based Medleys which was unheard of, created a look for Daler Mehndi – the long flowing robes and diamonte studded turbans. I was lucky that I had travelled the length and breadth of India with my parents at a very young age, had good fortune of listening to live performances of India’s greatest classical maestros, I was and am conscious of the words that form my songs. My classical music trained parents, My Ustad Rahat Ali Khan ji of Gorakhpur, and my travels gave me immense exposure and facilitated the vast tapestry of my music. Sangat of imminent classical musicians enriched my musical journey and allowed me to explore my potential as a singer.My musical trajectory covers many genres and I guess that has given me an edge. Many a times at home, my wife gets worked up, as to why I do not engage a PR team and market my music more aggressively. My answer to her is this, find me a better PR manager than Guru Nanak.
In your repertoire of musical gems, which one do you consider the most challenging? And why? Can you share an anecdote relate to that song or album?
Tunak Tunak Tun. The aalap in the beginning and the tempo in which the song is composed.
What are your thoughts on the current musical landscape as far as Punjabi music is concerned? Do you feel we are losing the purity of Punjabi folk in the clutter of new, electronic sounds that are coming or is it the other way round, that these tracks are bringing Punjabi music to the wider audience?
The Punjabi Music scene is in a decent space and evidently growing. The audiences are loving the songs. I only see the younger generation lap up to Punjabi music and consume it unabashedly that too whether or not they speak Punjabi. I can speak of my music, there is this whole new craze in 2 year olds whi can barely say my name but know Balle Balle, Tunak Tunak. Look, Folk is a different genre. No its not losing its purity. It is being attempted less frequently and that too by a very few.
At the same time, do you feel the mainstream Bollywood music industry has reached it’s saturation point? And whether that’s the reason why we are getting a less number of good songs compared to earlier times.
No. Firstly I don’t like this demarcation of Bollywood or Independent Music… Music is Music and there is abundance of it out there for each one. I don’t like these boundaries, demarcations. You as an audience have to pause and allow Music to speak to you. Something will always move you,
What are some of your upcoming projects in terms of music?
Lots of new Pop songs, Sufi and Gurbani – (Ik Fakeer has released today, do check it out. Close your eyes and sit, allow yourself to travel with Guru Nanak to Baghdad).
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