Singer Hariharan: ‘The day is not far when machines will sing too’

Veteran singer Hariharan.

In a recent interview, Hariharan expressed how disappointed he was when he saw his song Tamizha Tamizha/Bharat humko jaan se positioned in Roja’s end credits, it played as people walked out of the theatre. It was the song that made him popular, made him a household name, pan-India, though he debuted earlier in the film industry, with a Hindi song in Gaman (1978).

Known for his distinctive soulful voice, Hariharan, 68, who traces his roots to Thiruvananthapuram, grew up in Mumbai, and trained in Hindustani classical music under Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan. The veteran playback singer, who’s has sung it all — from devotional music, ghazals, classical to film music, in Bollywood, the four southern film industries, Bengali and Marathi songs, among others — is set to regale the city of Hyderabad with an evening of ghazals, Maahir, on June 24.

The Tu hi re singer spoke to Moneycontrol about his journey as a singer, how the music industry has changed over the years, and the need to revive ghazals among the new generation. Edited excerpts:

How easy or difficult was it to become a professional singer in the ’70s, when you started your music career?

I started my music career with the legendary composer Late Jaidev ji and sang Ajeeb saaneha mujh par guzar gaya for the film Gaman in 1977. You see, I recorded my first song as a professional singer.

My journey in music began at home, at a very young age. My mother is my first guru who introduced me to Carnatic music. Nursery rhymes used to be sung in ragas. That was the intensity of the osmosis of music in my life. Nothing becomes difficult when you are passionate about it. Music was already in my system, my guru Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan trained me in Hindustani classical and my soul guru Mehdi Hassan ji inspired me with his ghazals.

There were no challenges to overcome in that generation. We did not have any kind of distractions like the TV or mobile. So, we ended up spending a lot of time learning music.

How was the music industry when you started working? Were there enough opportunities to make a living?
The music industry was genuine. Everything was professional then. It existed for the love of music. There was no competition then. We were a handful of musicians specialised in our genres. We had our space and recognition.

There’s a huge change in film music, in people’s taste and what is created. It is nowhere close to what it was in the ’80s and ’90s. What shifted?

In the ’80s and ’90s, music used to be an integral part of the movie and carried equal weightage for the movies. It was a manual process back then. It’s all technology-driven now. A lot of bonding used to happen over the making of a song. The togetherness and efforts would reflect in the song. What brought the change? You know it…technology has played a huge difference.

Now is the age of the autotune. How important is it to have a classical training background for playback singers?

A singer needs to have a trained voice. Like how a tailor needs to have his skills in place, a singer must have his voice trained, toned, tried and tested. Autotune and all that has already come and is slowly taking over. Young musicians are creating music with little knowledge they have about music with such tools. But, remember, they do remixes of old tunes. That is because songs of yesteryears were so memorable that it is the lyrics, melody or the popularity of that old song which hold a young mind on to the remixed version.

We must produce memorable songs. Most of the songs of this generation are one-time listens. We need to make songs that will linger in our heads, make us hum in our subconscious minds and those are songs that will stay on, rest of them will come and go or end up in a pub, bar or restaurant till a better one replaces it.

The remuneration of music directors and singers in the film-music industries has catapulted from 40 years ago. What drives artistes more now?

The music industry was very different back then. Now, it is commercialised. The kind of music being made and the taste of people has also changed. So, today’s music industry cannot be compared to yesteryears. I was happy with my remunerations and it did not bother me as far as I enjoyed singing. I am sure this would be the same case for many. People who sing with passion do not bother about how much they are getting paid.

Why has ghazal fizzled out of public imagination? Would you say a big reason for that is Bollywood, Hindi cinema championed ghazals once but no longer loves it?

(Smiles) Well, you should have more ghazal shows and concerts to make the current generation habituated to ghazals. Bollywood is a different ballgame altogether. A lot of Bollywood musicians and directors still bank on melodies and, sometimes, ghazals. Life now is fast-paced, similarly, music has transformed. The younger generation prefers fast music. Youngsters are getting used to the maddening Western culture of pubs and bars and the kind of music played there. I’m sure that if they spend some quality time, they will appreciate the beauty and expressions of genres like ghazals. The advantage of ghazals is the lyrics steal the show. Ghazals are magnetic, let it draw you in. It depends on movie makers and music directors on how they want to get hold of young minds. Melodies, ghazals still draw big crowds, it’s just a matter of promoting it with some catchy visuals, trust me, it will work wonders.

Safe to assume, then, that ghazal is your favourite genre?

Without any doubt, I love and always enjoy singing ghazals. But as a musician, I enjoy singing any kind of genre that comes to me.

You sang more than 15,000 film songs, which ones, you think, brought you fame?

AR Rahman’s Tamizha Tamizha (Roja, 1992) introduced me to the film industry. Most of the songs I have sung for AR Rahman have been special and very well received by the audience. Tu hi re from Bombay (1995), Chanda re from Sapnay (1997), Baahon ke darmiya from Khamoshi (1996), Jhonka hawa ka from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), songs of Rangeela (1995), Taal (1999), and a few more were loved by the audience.

Between Bollywood and the south, which film industry did you like working in best?

Each industry is different. Bollywood has its style of working. Filmmakers have their own choices and ways towards music. Similarly, southern industries are more passionate. Especially the Telugu industry. They prefer giving what the people love. It’s a bigger industry and they are very passionate about films and music.

You have worked with many music composers. Who is your favourite and why?

I love music and I cannot be biased with the composers as they all have composed songs just for me and my voice. All of them are my favourites. But, yes, out of all these, I have worked the most with AR Rahman, quite extensively.

Speaking of Rahman, a global icon and the first Indian to win the Best Original Song Oscar, followed by MM Keeravaani this year. How important is global recognition?

Global recognition is important. Not because one is looking for fame and limelight but because they want their efforts and talent to be recognised. When that’s recognised globally, it makes us want to work more and harder. I am very much happy for Keeravaani and that India has got one more Oscar, for his compositions.

Your ’90s popular band Colonial Cousins reunited for Kala Ghoda gig in Mumbai earlier this year. What kind of bond do you share with Leslie Lewis, and what made the music that you made together tick?

Leslie and I share a very unique bond. I grew up learning music and even rhymes with ragas. I got a very similar feeling when I met Leslie and his music. That’s how Colonial Cousins happened and it was a bridge between listeners of yesteryears and the current generation, and that worked best. We share very similar thinking patterns and that chemistry works best in our music.

Any tips/life lessons for the singers of today’s generation?

Well, today’s generation is very talented and very quick in learning. That is the best part of singers of this generation. Earlier, singing by itself was a profession and that was our bread and butter. But, for singers of this generation, it’s part-time. If they want to be professional singers, they have to give it time. Practice is the biggest mantra for keeping the tone good and trained. They will have to bring in their passion when they sing. This will help sustain the music industry. Else, technology is waiting to devour our opportunities, that day is not far when machines, which can do most of our work, will sing, too.

Tell us one good thing and one bad thing in the music industry today?

The good thing is that music still exists (laughs). Bad thing is that it’s being encroached upon by technology. A part of technology helps in terms of the quality of the result, but, what’s worse is it is replacing people, that’s not okay.