Harjeet Mehndi is a famous international singer. He has made his identity as an accomplished singer just as his brothers Daler Mehndi and Mika Singh. He started his singing career with the album ‘Nach Punjaban Nach’. He will be performing in Diwali Mela organized by FIA and Fremont Hindu Temple on October 27 at Alameda Fair Grounds. In this interview, Harjeet talked about his upcoming performance in the Mela and his singing career.
Tell us about your childhood
Harjeet: My father was a Zamindar and had huge farms and orchards. We started learning music as hobby to sing bhajans. I got introduced to world of music early on and practiced Tabla with my father and uncle Professor Ranjeet Singh. I was not too much into sports. I loved to dance. I am happy that I could learn music at very early age.
How did you get into singing? Who was your inspiration?
My elder brother Daler Mehndi is my idol. I have learnt singing and stage performance from him. I used to play Tabla with him. After coming here, I could not find company for Tabla performances so I started singing. Jagjit Singh’s ghazals inspired me. I started singing in multiple languages. I sing in Hindi, Farsi, Telugu, Gujarati and Punjabi. I sing for many different events and styles. Some of them are Pop, Bhangra, Sufi style, Quawalis, Jagaran, Bhajans and Ghazals.
Tell us about your stage performances
I started my performance with Bappi Lahiri and Manna Dey when I was 11 years old. I have performed with Jagjit Singh, Anoop Jalota, Mehndi Hasan and Ghulam Ali saheb. I have performed with many great singers and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.
Tell us about your upcoming performance in Diwali Mela
I am looking forward to Diwali Mela. I will sing the best and popular songs. We’ll have dance and lot of fun and Masti. I will make the program very interactive and people will love it. I am very excited about it.
What changes have you seen in the world of music over years?
There have been many changes. I like change. It allows singers and listeners to innovate and perform better. This change produces new styles and creative masterpieces. However, changes should be for good. We should make sure that the roots and foundations of music and culture are left intact.
Do not give up or despair. Keep practicing and trying. Keep yourself open for new experiences.
What difference do you find between live performance and recordings?
While in recording we pay lot of focus on give perfect singing performance. Engaging the audience and making it interactive is key during live performances. I personally prefer live performances to recordings as they are lot more fun.
What are your upcoming projects?
I have many interesting upcoming projects. We have a family movie being produced by Daler Mehndi’s son. This comedy movie ‘Meri bhi Shaadi Karvao’ has a couple of songs by me. I am also working on my latest album to be launched soon. It will have Hindi, Sufi and Punjabi songs. I am also working on couple of more movies.
What advice will you give to young aspirants? What can they do to be successful?
Be happy and give happiness to others. Parents should support young kids to learn our culture. I wish all a very happy Diwali.
How can people reach you?
You can always reach me at www.harjeetmehndi.com.
Ritu Maheshwari
India Post News Service
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