Gurdas Maan: 'I did not want Punjabi music to be stereotyped'
Updated On: 09 September, 2024 07:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Sonia Lulla
Gurdas Maan applauds young artistes for adding “their own style” to Punjabi music, but says he avoids commercial tropes while crafting songs to prevent the genre from being stereotyped
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Gurdas Maan
Marking his first cohesive music piece in seven years, Sound of Soil is veteran Punjabi artiste Gurdas Maan’s 46th album. Maan brings a gamut of sounds together in this nine-track offering, touching upon subjects ranging from the meaning of life, the essence of time, and desire. “The album has nine songs, like the navratna. A favourite on this list is a traditional Qawwali number that I first heard 40 years ago, and continued to play on several stages over the years. I wanted the young generation to have the opportunity to enjoy this song that has been dear to me,” says Maan, who was keen to present an album after having released a spate of singles in the past few years.
Having trained his attention to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of Punjab, the artiste, 67, continues to perform to packed audiences across the globe. But a discussion on the manner in which younger Punjabi artistes have commercialised the genre appears to evoke more joy than criticism. Acknowledging that the genre has broken cultural barriers, Maan credits artistes like Diljit Dosanjh, Karan Aujla, Ammy Virk, and Gippy Grewal for “adding their own flavour to Punjabi music” and appeasing a wider audience. “Several artistes in the UK and USA have also promoted the genre and created music that people can dance to. This is a wonderful thing.”
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