“Music has been my best investment ”

(PIA TORELLI)   

Ahead of his Dubai performance at Madinat Jumeirah tonight, the celebrated Indian singer speaks about success, money, horses and retirement – and what he thinks of the future of the genre he helped popularise.

A few years ago, you said you will one day write your dream ghazal that people will remember for ever. Are you still waiting for inspiration? 
 

It is still a dream. I have been writing so many songs but I have not experienced that one ghazal and neither have I sung it. So for now it is still a dream.

You have been singing for more than 30 years. Looking back, which period of your career would you consider

your best?

I think 1976 onwards was my golden period, after the release of my first album The Unforgettables with my wife. That was my first milestone. Then it peaked in the 90s. This was also the time my son passed away and Chitra (wife) stopped singing.

But some years after that, I started enjoying singing more, because when I was alone, the approach and style of my performances and singing began to change. I could fly alone. I could go anywhere by myself.

 You have sold millions of albums and sung for hundreds of Bollywood films over the years. Who manages your money for you and what has been the best investment you have ever made?

I do not have money (laughs). I get some tips from friends and acquaintances. Sixty per cent of all my earnings are in mutual funds and the rest are invested in private equity.

I also indulge in a bit of luxury sometimes because I am passionate about horses. I own a few racing horses at my home in Mumbai. I have not invested in Dubai and do not have any plans yet. I think this city needs much bigger fish than me.

But music has been my best investment. It is because of music that I am financially secured today.

A few of your recent music videos feature young, hip models. Have you succumbed to marketing demands?  

I have already put my foot down about those kind of videos. I understand it is a part of publicity and the need to reach more buyers. But I do not like it and I will not do it again.

Some of my best selling albums have been bhajans (Hindu religious songs), which have gone on to sell more than four million units. You can sell anything you want through good publicity  but it will only have a lifespan of about a month. At the end of the day, you should only be worried about quality.

You have made statements in the media about your objection to Pakistani artists being allowed to perform in India, when Indian artists do not have the same privileges. Do you still hold that view? 

Yes, definitely. Pakistani artists are free to live and perform anywhere in India, while they are exempt from income taxes. A lot of Pakistani artists I know are surviving on the Indian market and many of them have made their homes there.

Indian artists are not allowed to perform in Pakistan openly. We have to pay so many licenses and permits. It is difficult to even get the authorities to issue a visa.

Where does the future of ghazals lie? Have you ever worried about its longevity?

The future of ghazal singing is very safe. It is a 700-year-old art and it continues to grow. I am only a bit worried about the continuation of the tradition as it is now because not a lot of people are coming forward.

It is a very difficult art to master and the main hindrance is language. Most ghazals are sung in Urdu, which originated from India, but is no longer widely spoken. Many institutions are working on reviving it and that’s good because the beauty is in the language and its poetry, content and melody.

Ghazal as a tradition is safe however, and I do not worry about it. Different genres of music have come and gone yet ghazal music remains the same only ghazal singers will fade.

You are still going strong at 67.

I’ll know after tonight’s performance if I’m still going strong (laughs). I have given myself three years and have decided not to do anymore public performances after that. I want to concentrate on teaching, composing and recording. 

Jagjit Singh

Singer

Jagjit Singh, 67, is one of India’s most beloved singers. He has been credited with bringing ghazal music – an ancient musical style once enjoyed only by the elite  to the masses.

Ever since he released his first album with singer wife Chitra called The Unforgettables in 1976, the singer has released more than 70 ghazal and religious albums and sang in more than a 100 Bollywood films.
 
At the height of success in the 90s, the singing duo was struck by tragedy when they lost their only son in a car accident. While Chitra never sang again, Jagjit Singh immersed himself into his music, going on to become one of the country’s foremost and most respected names.

In 2003, Jagjit Singh was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one

of India’s highest civilian accolades.