Sukhwinder Singh interview: Music is not business for me, it is my breath

With a powerful voice and a stirring repertoire, from the eighties till now,celebrated singer Sukhwinder Singh in the Capital tomorrow, talks about the evolution of the music industry and his unconquered zeal to render everlasting songs

In the last quarter of 2024, Sukhwinder Singh has four Hindi music albums slated for release, one each month. He has recorded 27 filmi and non-filmi songs during the year, which includes one of his personal favourites, a Bangla song on football.

The voice of ‘Jai Ho’, ‘Chaiyya chaiyya’, ‘Chak de India’, ‘Ghanana ghana’, ‘Dard-e-disco’ and many timeless tracks since the nineties to date, Sukhwinder’s songs reverberate with an inimitable energy. His latest live performance, Jazbaa, is in New Delhi on September 7 

“I live in the present and believe in change. That is why you will find my recent songs are popular and are hits like all my old songs,” says the 53-year-old with chartbusters in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Punjabi, Urdu and Marathi as well.

Sukhwinder started singing at the age of eight, released his first album in Punjabi, Munda South Hall da, when he was 16 and broke into Bollywood in 1987 with a song in ‘Soorma Bhopali’. AR Rahman’s songs propelled him to prominence as he rendered ‘Lucky Lucky’ in the 1997 Tamil film Ratchagan, then ‘Chaiyya chaiyya’in Dil Se that won him the Filmfare Award in 1998 and, of course, ‘Jai Ho’ from Slumdog Millionnaire, which won big at the Grammy and Academy Awards in 2010.

“When Rahman calls me to enquire about my well-being, I know he wants a smile and I share Punjabi jokes with him in broken English,” laughs Sukhwinder, blessed with a captivating voice that stretches from awe-inspiring highs to mesmerising mediums and lows.

“I am a fun-loving person, my songs match my personality as I love to combine melody with dance; I choose to stay away from melancholy and that is why I am fondly called Sukhi by all,” he says.

Private and public shows keep him busy now, but that hasn’t stopped him from enrolling for music classes once again. “I joined the Sangeet Akademi in Mumbai last year to learn Carnatic music, refresh my knowledge about ragas and practice vocal training under gurus,” he says.