The Pioneer had the privilege to connect with the legendary singer Kumar Sanu, known as the Melody King of Bollywood, about his latest track, 9 to 5 Grind, his legacy in the music and a lot more around it
Tejal Sinha
Tejal Sinha
Kumar Sanu, who we know as the Melody King of Bollywood, beyond a doubt has a voice that cures your inner pain. His voice brings out the song’s aura so well that it makes the track a classic hit! His discography has romantic songs like Tu Kaun Hai Tera Naam Kya, Paas Woh Aane Lage, Dil Hai Ke Maanta Nahin, or the Aashiqui tracks and groovy songs like O Laal Dupatte Waali, Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein and Main Khiladi Tu Anari; well, the list is endless. That’s the legacy that he has created! From our parents humming his songs, they are to date as out-of-the-ordinary as they were in the past. The mark that he has created in the history of Indian music is something of an honour.
The man who is known for breaking his own record is ‘The Kumar Sanu’ and we had the privilege to connect with the king himself as he was much-keen on interacting with us about his latest track, 9 to 5 Grind, along with his daughters Shannon and Annabelle. The song delves into the daily grind of people with traditional 9-to-5 jobs and how it affects their ability to follow their true passions. This emotional track is intended to connect with audiences worldwide, promoting the appreciation of small moments in life.
The excitement for the singer gradually grew. How? He shares with us, “I initially didn’t want to do the song. After hearing the track and concept of the song, I agreed to sing it. My daughters left no stone unturned to get me on board. At last, they convinced me and I think the song came out to be great.”
What really surprised us when doing our research before the chat was that Kumar Sanu has sung songs in not one or two languages but twenty-eight other languages? English, being one of them and this latest track also being in English, the vocalist tells us, “I have sung English in the past, but my main concern was getting the American accent down. Because I was singing along with my daughter Shannon, I had to make sure that I sounded just as good. I learned the dialect of certain words and sang them accordingly.”
Guess what? The Chaand Sitare singer humorously shares an anecdote: “In this whole process, my daughters were much more relaxed and I was the one on the hot seat. There was laughter along with focus-driven creation as well.”
Well, hahaha, isn’t that how daughters work with their dearest dads? With great excitement, this time being guided by his daughters, he goes on, “It was certainly a very special feeling for me as a father to see my daughters creating and working hands-on with their craft. I loved their teamwork and enthusiasm. As an artist, I had been directed by great music directors and now being directed by two Gen Z little girls was definitely something fresh and new for me.”
The millennials or Gen Zs who certainly enjoy old songs, especially those of Kumar Sanu, wouldn’t be aware, but it was Nadeem Akhtar Saifiand and Shravan Kumar Rathod who played a major part in his journey, from giving him his biggest break with Aashiqui songs to his name being changed and later being named Tiger!
35 years down in the industry, his charm and aura to date remain the same. Honoured with this love he’s to late been receiving, the Dil Jigar Nazar Kya Hai singer says, “I am truly grateful to all my fans who’ve loved me and my voice for the past 35 years. It’s all because of them, and I feel even more surprised to see that the current generation is also enjoying the songs I’ve sung. It shows that pure emotions through songs never fade away and that the connection you build with your listeners through music is a concrete bond.”
Going ahead in this chat, the Do Dil Mil Rahe Hain singer puts in a positive light about why he doesn’t prefer to listen to his own songs. He shares, “I think the current industry is going through another phase where they are experimenting with the western sound. There are still some music directors who are creating 90s music keeping that sound within, but I believe once people start demanding for 90s music to return, I shall be singing a few more songs as well.”
His music has made people go crazy since a time when there was no social media, no PR and just organic fans. Now, he shares, whatever happens on social media stays on social media. “Promotion, marketing, making it to the charts and having millions of followers and streams don’t define whether a song is successful or not. I’m old-school, so in my opinion, it defines it if every single person in the room knows the lyrics and melody to your song and is singing along with you. A successful song is one in which you don’t need to think about the next line of the song. It’s engraved inside of you. The memories you may have created with the song and how it may have touched your soul. That is the definition of a hit song. But I think nowadays this is also a new change that if a song is famous on social media, it’s considered a hit,” gushes the Dheere Dheere Se Meri Zindagi singer. Who would you believe doesn’t listen to his own songs? Well, yes, that’s true! He tells us, “When I listen to my songs today, I feel like I could’ve sung them differently or I could’ve added something in this section, which is why I end up translating them through my live performances. That’s where I change up a bit and sing how I could’ve sung in the recording.”
You know there was also a time when he recorded 28 songs in just one day and this was something unintended. “I had a 40-day US tour and all the music directors had wanted me to sing their songs,” tells us Tukur Tukur Dekhte Ho Kya vocalist as he continues, “I decided to call them all to the studio to get their songs recorded. I was so engrossed in the recording that I didn’t realise it until the next morning when I saw that.” Damnnn! Now we understand why he is called the ‘KING’. Well, there have been many records that he broke, but winning back-to-back Filmfare awards stands out as the ultimate record for him.
There was also an unfortunate day in singer’s journey when he lost his dad and on the same day, he had to perform live. But he believed that ‘the show must go on’ and performed with his charming smile. Well, that’s how dedicated he has been to his craft.
We further hear, “The industry is going through a phase where they are heavily influenced by the west but have forgotten that our culture is deeply rooted within our Indian music. It’s not that certain lyrics and sounds have not been used in the past, they have, keeping the culture in mind. The music directors and lyricists back then would only create such songs if it was required as per the situation or scene in the movie. It’s all about how you convey it. Music is a powerful element that heals your souls.”
Many of his songs, like Tumhe Apna Banane Ki Kasam, among many others, have been remade. “I am happy that the remakes are being made because the songs are being reintroduced to the current generation,” says the Dil Ka Aalam singer. That being said, he shares, “I’d prefer if the remake versions were sung by the original singer. When you go ahead and get another artist to sing the song, the first thing people do is compare the original to the new version. Regardless of how well or poorly you sang, you’d get compared and it won’t work!”
