Singing the Way Into People’s Heart: Singer Hariharan on Life, Ghazal Music and Beyond – News18

Few musicians have the extraordinary talents to touch our hearts and stir our souls in the magical realm of music, where every note tells stories of feelings and moments. Hariharan, is illustriously someone who has crossed bounds and enthralled millions with his divine voice and exceptional talent. Hariharan, who is known for his smooth voice, perfect vocal range, and command of several genres, has made a unique place for himself in the music world.

The piece digs deeply into the musical genius we now absolutely adore, starting with his early life, undying love for ghazals, the upcoming projects, Rahman and everything else in between in this exclusive chat he had with News18.com.

Excerpts from the interview:

On singing multi-lingual songs…

Well, I have lived in many cultures – I come from South but I have grown up in Bombay. I met my gurus from North India, he is from Lucknow. I have grown-up in Bombay and my my parents are kinematic musicians. So I had, I had that in my life, Kinematic music. And then I went to a school called Don Bosco High Schoolin Maatunga, which was a missionary school where we had rock bands, pop bands and things like that. So I used to sing there. And then you have the great melting pot of Bollywood and Kollywood. So, I mean I grew up in that with all these multicultural natures. Since childhood we have sung all this kinds so there was no inhibition in trying it in a professional state also.

On the industry he enjoys working in the most…

Music is music. So, basically when you are singing a song you are so much into it. You are in it and you don’t think of anything else. So the involvement of yours that is the enjoyment, totally you get dipped into it and it’s just the wiring that changes.

On his high points in the career…

Of course, we all have our high points. My high point was a lot of gazals actually came back after the COVID. It was gone for a period and now that it has come back, it’s the closest to my heart. And then there was this time when we were together with I was together with Leslie and we formed a band called Colonial Cousins. That was one high point. And then I worked a lot, at least 15 years ago, a lot which went on. That’s another body of work which is also closest to me.

On ghazal being his fave genre…

Closest to yes. Because of my training, I have trained in Khayal singing. I love lyrics and the combination of the musicality and the lyrics is avery creative form of art where you can see it for 10 minutes one day, the same ghazal it is singing for half an hour another day. So that creativity is, is what actually attracts me. There is a lot of improvisations and things like that. Thats why I think ghazal is very personal.

On improvisations in music…

Of course! We have a keyboard and these are quite extended kind of harmonies we use, which is not really traditional but it should sound good to the ears and it should not kind of rub the mood of ghazals in a long way. So, I have created a genre called Urdu Blues when I felt Blues and others had a lot of in a lot in common so I created something like that. So right from Kaash it has changed. Since when I started, I did albums called Kaash, Waqt Par Bolna and many and for all these, sounds are very different.

On being a lyric person or a melody person…

It’s a combination of both. Lyric is very important because that’s what holds the song. It’s about what you’re saying. There’s alot of sargams and adabs and things like that. But basically, that’s what makes the song tick. And of course, there are interesting musical phrases, which is also very catchy. Like the hook line and things like that.

On his favourite album and lyrics of all time…

I think Kaash as an album. It is a very meaningful song that you really relate to. ‘Kaash Aisa Koi Manzar Hota, Mere Kaandhe PE Tera Sar Hota.’

On the current remix culture in movies…

It’s become an old genre. It has been happening for the last 20 years. Leslie and I actually started it in a way. That was the starting of remixes. It depends on how you are doing it. There’s nothing wrong in taking an old song and getting it popularized by a new sound. But it should not defocus from the original soul of the song. It is going to stay here for the years to come now.

On his favorite collaborations of all time…

I have collaborated a lot with Leslie. We have worked together a lot. Rahman is amazing and I did a lot of songs for him. All kinds of languages actually, in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu. Yeah. We are very proud of those songs. There are so many favourites. Tu Hi Re from Bombay has sort of like become a national anthem I would say. It’s a must when I sing. In every concert, people love to hear that.

On an advice for aspiring vocalists…

They have to learn the fundamentals of any form of music. Any one form of music. It’s a must. Because then they know the grammar. And they know the technique.

On upcoming releases…

There’s a ghazal album. There are two ghazal albums. One is where I have sung many different songs. Dedicated to many different songs. And one is a new ghazal album.

On Shyaam-e-Ghazal in Lucknow with HCL…

Oh, I’m looking forward. I’m really looking forward to the Lucknow audience. Because they’ll be an elite audience. And I’ll be singing my heart out.