Hariharan has sung songs primarily in Tamil, Hindi, and Telugu. He is also a well-established ghazal singer and one of the pioneers of fusion music in India. He made his debut in the Tamil music industry in 1992, with his first song being composed by one of the greatest music directors, A.R. Rahman, for the movie 'Roja.' He went on to collaborate with several renowned music directors, and many of the songs he sang became massive hits. Let's watch a flashback interview with Hariharan on Lehren, where he discusses his struggles, major break, musician Jaidev, his ghazal journey, and rise in Bollywood. #hariharan #tuhire #hariharansongs #lehrenpodcast
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00:00The concept of sound keeps changing.
00:16You can see the sound of Navshad and Sriram Chandra.
00:22Then Panchamda and LPG came.
00:25They had a different sound.
00:27That's Rehman, Nadeem Shaban and Anu Malik.
00:30I want to work with the same standards and sophistication.
00:40Hariharan Ji, you are the first South Indian.
00:43And as a Ghazal singer, you are very famous.
00:46So, what do you have to say about that?
00:48I am very thankful to Shri Jaidev Ji for this.
00:55I learnt light music from him in 1978-79.
01:04He gave me my first break in the film Gaman.
01:10At that time, I was learning how to compose Ghazals.
01:26I was very inspired by Mehdi Sahab.
01:30I wanted to do something in this field.
01:35Jaidev Ji said, you can sing well in Madrasi.
01:39You will get better while practising.
01:41But learning Urdu is very important.
01:44If you want to become a Ghazal singer.
01:49So, I started learning from Mrs. Chand Bala.
01:56I learnt Urdu from her and a few other teachers.
02:03That is why I am able to sing well now.
02:10Your song was very popular in Gaman.
02:13It took you a long time to establish yourself as a singer.
02:18I was introduced as a playback singer.
02:23I did 4-5 films after that.
02:29Like Ram Nagri, Amar Milan, Theesri Aankh, Dard Ka Rishta, Zamana.
02:38But after 1978-79, my concentration shifted towards Ghazals.
02:45I struggled a lot.
02:48I am still struggling.
02:51It takes a lot of time to establish your own style.
02:58I have been in this field for 15-16 years.
03:03I still think people can identify my style.
03:10I am lucky that they like it also.
03:14Who do you consider to be your first break?
03:17You have received a lot of recognition for it.
03:21My first break?
03:22I was heard by a lot of people in the film Lamhe.
03:29My big break was Roja Bombay.
03:35I have 15-16 albums in Ghazals.
03:42Reflections had a good response.
03:48After that, I did Hazir with Ustad Zakir Hussain.
03:57It had a good response.
03:59Recently, Gulfam and Paigam have crossed a lot of barriers.
04:07You often sing classical bass.
04:11Is it your choice or you have been offered all of these most of the time?
04:16It is the tradition of the film industry.
04:21A person comes and we type his name along with his name.
04:26We tell him that this person can do this job.
04:31I have learnt classical.
04:33I would say that every singer should learn classical.
04:40I would like to sing in all styles and I am a singer as well.
04:52I have a certain image.
04:56People want me to sing melodious songs.
05:09That is a good thing.
05:11I have won screen awards for film Haqiqat.
05:22That song is a typical commercial song.
05:26I am happy that I am being taken seriously for such songs.
05:34What type of songs do you like?
05:38There are two types of songs.
05:40A good song and a bad song.
05:42I like to sing a good song.
05:44Did you always want to become a singer?
05:48I think I thought I would become a singer after 17-18 years.
05:54You have sung so many songs.
05:59Have you ever thought of music direction?
06:02I have composed 200-300 Ghazals.
06:10I don't want to do it commercially.
06:14That is a different subject.
06:16I don't want to dilute myself.
06:22I want to focus on singing.
06:29You have worked with so many music directors.
06:32Which director have you been most comfortable with?
06:36I have worked with Jaidev ji, Usha Khanna, Panchamda, Lakshmi ji.
06:46Recently I have worked with Rehman ji.
06:50I feel comfortable with him.
06:54I have worked with Anand Bilin, Dilip Singh, Sameer Singh.
06:58I feel very comfortable with them.
07:00When I tune with someone, it becomes easy to work with them.
07:08If you get an offer to perform rap or tech songs, would you do that?
07:14I won't take it because I won't be able to do it.
07:20You need a different talent for it.
07:24You need a different temperament.
07:28Maybe I don't have it.
07:30I have done a fusion album with my friend Leslie.
07:36I have sung in English as well.
07:40I am open to a lot of things.
07:42I don't want to do just one thing.
07:46What kind of music do you personally like to listen to?
07:50I listen to Hindustani classical to Carnatic classical.
07:56I listen to western music.
07:58Mariah Carey, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson.
08:04I listen to any good song.
08:06I love western symphony also.
08:10I listen to Indian folk, Rajasthani folk.
08:14I listen to everything.
08:16I really feel I am a student of music.
08:20The more you listen, the better it is.
08:24What is the difference between Ghazal and other songs?
08:28Ghazal means to talk to your beloved.
08:34It's a conversation.
08:36It's a conversation.
08:38The way you talk, the way you sing.
08:42For example,
08:44I feel like God to the beautiful ones.
08:50My friend, you seem to be different from everyone.
08:54I feel like God to the beautiful ones.
08:58It should be like this.
09:00There is a person sitting in front of you.
09:04And we are singing for him.
09:06We don't project the voice as much as we do in films.
09:12Dil ne dil se ikraar kiya.
09:20Jaane man ho jaane jaan.
09:26Aakhal lagi barke kya.
09:30In film music, there is a lot of drama.
09:32You are in a situation.
09:34You are not singing.
09:36A hero is singing.
09:38A hero is larger than life.
09:46That type of projection, that type of drama.
09:50If you are singing outdoors,
09:52you have to project your voice.
09:54But in Ghazal, it's not like that.
09:56You are sitting in a room, in a gathering,
10:00in front of your beloved.
10:02You are having a conversation with him.
10:06This is a different projection.
10:10Hariharan ji, you are so busy.
10:14How do you manage to take out time for your family from this schedule?
10:18That's the problem.
10:20My wife and children are always after me.
10:26Where are you?
10:28I am not able to give them time.
10:30To be busy, we have tried so hard.
10:38We have so much work.
10:40When we have work,
10:42we take it in a positive way.
10:46And do good work.
10:48I try to balance both.
10:50Do you think classical knowledge is necessary to sing any song?
10:56It is necessary.
10:58If you want to work in an office,
11:02you have to be educated.
11:04You can't say that you know everything.
11:06It's a God gift.
11:08I do believe that
11:10it is necessary to have a soul,
11:12a voice,
11:14a feeling
11:16and a mind.
11:18But still, if you learn,
11:22you are polishing it.
11:26I think it is very important.
11:28What do you think about the new remixes and versions of old songs?
11:36It's the old wine in the new bottle.
11:38I think it's okay.
11:40It's a nice laugh.
11:42With time,
11:46every 10 years,
11:48in the music industry,
11:50the concept of sound changes.
11:54For example,
11:56Naushad, Sriram Chandra,
11:58look at the sound of their time.
12:02Leave aside the melody,
12:04the sound of rhythm,
12:06the sound of recording,
12:08this is different.
12:10Then came Panchamda,
12:12LPG,
12:14their sound was different.
12:16Then came Bappi Lehren,
12:18their sound was different.
12:20And now it's Rahman,
12:22Anand Milind,
12:24Dilip Singh.
12:26Their sound is different.
12:28So, I think,
12:30when we are talking of
12:32recording old songs
12:34in a new way,
12:36they are giving a different new sound
12:38to the old song.
12:40It's just adapting to today's needs.
12:44It's a good thing.
12:46What is your favorite song?
12:48It's a difficult question.
12:50Because,
12:52we try to sing every song
12:54with full concentration.
12:58So, will you listen to some songs?
13:00Okay.
13:20Hariharan Ji,
13:22in the future,
13:24what kind of singer
13:26would you like to establish yourself as?
13:28Yes,
13:30right now,
13:32I work in 3-4 industries.
13:34Like,
13:36film industry,
13:38what do you call it?
13:40Ghazal industry,
13:42I would say.
13:44And then,
13:46I am going to do a fusion album.
13:48It's already been recorded.
13:50It's going to be released
13:52in the month of April.
13:54I have mixed English in it.
13:56So, I would like to do
13:58my work of the same standard
14:00and with the same sophistication.
14:02And,
14:04I
14:06pray to God
14:08that whatever I do,
14:10it should be
14:12a blessing to you
14:14and you like it.
14:16Because,
14:18if you are there with me,
14:20then I am here. Otherwise, I am nowhere.
14:22Thank you very much.