Ghazal Will Forever Hold A Special Place For Me: Hariharan
CHENNAI, (IANS) – Renowned singer Hariharan, who has graced the music industry with over 500 Tamil and 200 Hindi songs, along with more than 30 ghazal albums, is now at a point in his life where he strives for excellence in his craft and aims to leave a lasting impact on the music industry.
Known for his versatility across various genres, this esteemed singer, who has been honored with the Padma Shri award, attributes his wide-ranging interests and motivations to his personality. However, he admits that ghazals hold a special place in his heart, stating, “Diverse genres pique my interest and motivate me. However, I must add that the Ghazal holds a special place in my heart.”
Hariharan’s classical training, which began when he was 17 years old, remains of immense significance to him. Describing it as a journey of self-discovery, he emphasizes, “Throughout this lifetime, I have been immersed in this pursuit. The essence of Khayal gayaki forms the very foundation of my musical expression.”
His innovation in the field of music includes the creation of ‘Urdu Blues,’ a new genre within the realm of ghazals. According to Hariharan, this genre allows for a broad range of emotions to be encompassed, enabling the singer to convey the highest highs and deepest sorrows. He explains, “It shares numerous lyrical resemblances with ghazals. Moreover, it embraces the melodic scales commonly employed in ghazals, along with the evocative blue scale. The integration of blue scales into ghazals adds a truly captivating dimension. When I was crafting this genre, I felt compelled to assign it a distinctive name, and thus it became known as Urdu Blues.”
When discussing the contemporary music landscape, where artists often release albums but promote them as singles, Hariharan expresses that focusing on a single song reduces costs and makes promotional efforts more efficient. He acknowledges the increasing popularity of this approach, stating, “This approach has gained popularity due to the sheer volume of music being released in recent times.”
