Oye, Sukhbir!

THIRTY YEARS ago, in the land of `balle balle', a baby Sikh was born. Destined to create a blend of bhangra, reggae and rap.

It was fate that took the baby to Kenya where young Sukhbir was brought up. ``I picked up music from my Dad. He used to rehearse the whole day''.

It was keertans and bhajans until a band leader spotted Sukhbir playing keyboard.

It wasn't bhangra music after that either. ``I used to sing commercial pop songs, Hindi film songs, I used to sing in Gujarati, Hindi, Swahili,'' he continues with the flash-back.

That was when Sukhbir met a Kenyan Gujarati businessman who hired him to entertain him on his private jet.

``He started a studio for me in London, he had the finance. I was touched.''

Sukhbir then churned out `Oye, It's hot', a mix of remixes. But when he wanted to go International, the recording companies asked him to follow one direction.

Taking stock of his identity, he decided on bhangra music.

With `New Stylee', his first bhangra album in '94, Sukhbir got himself a new identity minus his turban. ``Blasphemous for a Sardar?''. ``No, I consulted my father who was a priest. He said `You are a Sikh at heart'. In Kenya the turbans that Sikhs wear are starched and hurt the ears. I wasn't comfortable. But I still don't cut my hair,'' he says, displaying his pony.

That's when he worked on his image. ``My dark glasses are my identity. The director of the music video suggested that they give out a `cool' image reflective of the music. Without glasses, now people can't recognise me.''

Then he has his website: www.sukhbir.dircon.co.uk. ``I get a lot of fan-mail,'' he says.

``And I have a lot of time. I need feedback from fans, because it is for them that I make music. People have told me my hairstyle sucks. They tell me what they like and what they don't,'' adds Sukhbir.

``I experiment with music. I like reggae. So I worked on a blend between bhangra and reggae. I loved the blend. You don't even have to try, they blend so naturally. Right now, another feel I'm working on is the Arabic sound,'' he reveals.

``When I'm composing I keep the dance element in mind. I put some energy into the music. It is that energy that makes people dance,'' Sukhbir says. ``But I want to slightly breakaway, sing something like a film song, romantic, slow numbers. I love singing ghazals, I love Jagjit Singh,'' he adds.

Sukhbir hasn't tried his hand at films yet. His albums `Gal Ban Gayi' and `Oi Tiresto' have recorded phenomenal sales and keep him going. ``Singing is just a hobby. I have my own studio in Dubai,'' he clarifies.

Our ``Sardarji'' was in Chennai on Thursday, meeting fans at Weekender and Music World, on a Channel V promotional tour.

At HFO that night, he was in his elements: singing, dancing, interacting with fans and even giving dancing tips. What's more, he even shared his favourite `surd joke'!

By Sudhish Kamath

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Section  : Entertainment