In an era where artistes like A P Dhillon, Diljit Dosanjh, and Karan Aujla are showcasing Punjabi music in new light, we encourage Sukhbir Singh to toy with an idea. Today’s listeners, we suggest, could be craving traditional music from his stable, considering that his decades-old tracks, like Gal Ban Gayi, Ishq Tere Tadpave, and Oho Ho Ho Ho, are still staples on party playlists. Sukhbir, however, isn’t willing to easily entertain the thought.

“It’s important to note that last year I [worked on] the song Billi Billi for Salman Khan. That was an entirely traditional Punjabi song, but when you look at the streaming results, you can see that the younger generation prefers a [different] sound,” says the singer, adding that evolving music preferences continue to keep him on his toes, three decades into his career.

“We have to find a balance [between old and new sounds]. We’re constantly experimenting with new music, and ultimately the consumer decides what must be accepted.”

With an understanding of evolving music tastes, Sukhbir asserts that even this genre has been influenced by western preferences.

He points to the success of Dhillon when highlighting, “[He introduced] a hardcore American genre, but with a desi melody that everyone liked. Now, you can see the [shift in] trend. I find a lot of this music really interesting too, and am influenced by it. If it’s working, it’s a good indicator that something is being accepted.”

Sukhbir doesn’t disregard the fact that today, an artiste’s popularity depends on both his music as well as the persona he creates on social media. He highlights several instances in which a single viral reel may have changed the trajectory of an artiste’s career, but argues that despite being a marketing tool driven by financial investments, social media can be a great equalizer.

“I worked with Salman Khan, who has the best talent working for him across departments like music, direction, editing, and choreography. Even then, the movie [Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan] didn’t work. On the other hand, we had a song called Manike Mage Hithe, by a Sri Lankan artiste [Yohani], which was a song that nobody understood. Still, it topped all the charts. When I asked her how much she spent on the video, she said she spent nothing. She got a friend to shoot it with one light, and a mic that they both shared. They also edited it themselves. So, I am a strong believer in the fact that everything needs to fall into place at once. You need to have an X-factor, the right song, and an appealing hook step.” 

But behind all the razzmatazz, Sukhbir proves that a singer’s prowess will rarely be unappreciated. His latest work in cinema, the out-and-out Punjabi track, Meher, has an appeal that is reminiscent of his past numbers.

“I had no creative inputs on the melody or composition, but [Bandaa Singh Chaudhary director] Abhishek Saxena really wanted me to sing it. The key was high, and it was out of my comfort zone. Nonetheless, we managed to work on it. I watched the video a couple of days ago; it surely brought a smile to my face,” he says of the song that has actor and former choreographer Arshad Warsi showcasing his Punjabi moves. 

Meanwhile, the ‘Prince of Bhangra’ has his attention trained to his live concerts, which he attempts to make as visually arresting as they are sonically appealing.

“My focus has always been on making the audience part of my performances, rather than perceiving them as [consumers] of my performance. We try to [exchange] our energies. If you see the dhol players who accompany me, you will notice that they dance as well. There are steps we all do together, and these are things I arrived at after receiving a lot of feedback from the audience. They’d often say, ‘The dancers are okay, but when your band members dance along, we feel the energy’. I take that into account to make informed decisions about what goes on, on stage.”