Mumbai, Oct 6 (IANS) Singer-songwriter Rabbi Shergill reflected on how the music industry has changed over the years, saying the absence of the filtering system that once existed through music labels may be affecting the longevity of contemporary music.
Giving his two cents on how the scene for Indie music has changed, Rabbi told IANS: “The parameters of the industry have changed a lot. The specifics have changed a lot. Earlier, there used to be a music label.”
“The music label had its own A&R. The chairman, directors and gatekeepers of the music label used to be there. And an artist had to please all of them.”
He went on to share: “At that time, we used to feel that these people were not associated with the audience. We used to feel that. But what we could not see at that time was a basic minimum filtering.”
Rabbi feels that there is no filtering.
“Now you see that there is no basic minimum filtering. Our music of the 90s and 2000s gave you songs that you still listen to today.”
Citing examples, he said: “You may still listen to Lucky Ali and Hariharanji. So, I think in the next 20 years, we will get an answer to this. Is there any longevity in today’s music? You may be able to answer this question”
“Does today’s music tell the back story of your life? What is going on inside you? Does it give you a direction? Does it give you an expression?”
Sheirgill, whose music has been described variously as rock, Punjabi, with a bani style melody, and sufiana, and semi-Sufi semi-folksy kind of music with a lot of Western arrangements, concluded: “I feel that art has disappeared a little.”
His chartbuster hit “Bullah Ki Jaana” was based on the Kafi poem written by the Punjabi Sufi saint Bulleh Shah.
He lent his voice to Yash Chopra’s 2012 romantic film Jab Tak Hai Jaan starring Shah Rukh Khan as she crooned the leading number “Challa” composed by A. R. Rahman and the lyrics penned by Gulzar.
–IANS
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