Singer Bally Sagoo, who reigned over the pop music scene in the ‘90s, rues that Punjabi music has limited its identity to loud bhangra songs.
According to the 49-year-old, Punjabi music has a lot of potential — more than just churning out over-the-top dance numbers.
“Punjabi music does not always need to be bhangra, it can be of different style as well. It needs to change with different styles and genres. I wish that people don’t play only bhangra music when they want to listen to Punjabi music,” Sagoo told IANS.
“They have this thing abroad as well. They don’t listen to a lot of other Punjabi music because they feel the music is the same. I tell them that it’s not like that. Punjabi music can be drums, R&B, or love songs,” he added.
Sagoo, who divides his time and work between India and Britain, observes the changing taste of people who are being exposed to world music and appreciating it as well.
“I think they are opening up to different tunes. Thanks to television, radio and social media, they are listening to songs that are being listened to around the world. We are at par with everything. The global music scene inspires me,” he said.
Having given hit albums like Wham Bam, Magic Touch and hit remix Haye Jamalo, Sagoo says pop music should not compete with Bollywood songs.
“No one can compete with Bollywood — it is big, like a global virus. So why even go there? Many people like me have been doing music for so many years. We should make more music and do it globally,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2013.
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