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The Humma Song from Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor's Ok Jaanu is everywhere and people are going gaga over it. The man who gave his voice to the song is the one who even crooned Zindagi Kuch Toh Bata from Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan and he is Jubin Nautiyal. Three days ahead of the film's release (Ok Jaanu), we got a chance to interact with him and talk to him about his experience of shooting the song. As per him, his journey all this while was an eventful one.
Excerpts from the interview:
You recently sang Humma Humma for Ok Jaanu and now, it has become one of the popular tracks. How does it feel?
Well, you know I have sung a lot of romantic songs, but Humma Humma is special in a way that this is one of the dance numbers I have sung. So, this was a zone where I was very critical of the fact that whether Ishoulddub for it or not. But, Tanishk (Bagchi), who has recreated the song, has been like a brother to me. We almost began our career together with Samundar from Kis Kis Ko Pyaar Karu. So, he was quite confident with my vocals and Badshah was also convincedaboutmy voice for the track. They both got me to dub the song and I did in a different way. My fans could recognize my voice, but simply couldn't believe that I have sung it. I think I have done a good job.
How did you get the song?
I collaborated with Badshah on MTV Unplugged and there's a classic folk song from my region. I belong from inner Garhwal area in Himachal called Jaunsar and I am tribal by caste. So, from there we recreated a Jaunsari folk songand collaborated with Badshah for rap section. We jammed and here's how we got in touch. Parallel to this song was Humma Humma which they wanted to recreate, but they were finicky about the vocals. It's a confusion when you have to recreate the song, you have to be just right about it. They called me and it's not they wanted me for the song. They were like 'Jubin can do a good job with it' and it was late night when we dubbed for it. I just sang it.
The song is a recreation of Humma Humma from the 1998 film Bombay. Do you think recreating a song is a good idea?
I think music is something which is very personal to everybody. So, we are usually not making music for the audience most of us are doing it because that's what we know. When we recreate a song, it's not because that we are proving some point. We do it because we ourselves are huge fans of that song. Humma Humma was a cult song and when you are getting to do a song like that, I feel it's a big opportunity. It's just that how beautiful the song is that we want to make it ours all over again.
Badshah and Tanishk Bagchi reworked the song and were criticized for recreating it by Remo Fernandes as he went on to call it pale and uninspired. What do you think about the whole controversy?
I think this whole world is full of opinions and everyone has a right and freedom to hold opinions. I'm sure that there are people who might not like it, but c'mon it's the Humma song and whenever it'll be played in clubs, you'll groove to it,whether you like it or not. I don't see it as a controversy. Kai baar aisa hota that in a house, one person will go and vote for BJP and other for Congress. It's just about your opinion and it's not about controversies. Every musician has the right to speak his heart out and agar mujhe bhi kuch acha nai lagega, I'll say it.
Can you tell us about your experience of meeting AR Rahman for the first time and now working with him? He is known to be a taskmaster, was it difficult in any sense working with him?
I met Rahman saheb nine years back in 2007 when I just shifted to Mumbai. Amongst the singers, I was way too young and just stepping into the industry. I had just passed from the high school. You know, a lot of singers after giving their voice to m any songs get a chance to meet AR Rahman. I have been a lucky kid that the first director I got to meet was Rahman sir and he gave me the most crucial advice of my life which was not to come to Mumbai back then. You might become someone else's voice because Mumbai is not a place where you can come and learn. This is the place where you come to execute stuff. He was like you have an original voice, go back and work on it. I left Mumbai and then returned in 2012. That was my first meeting with Mr. Rahman and I have a special term for him. I think he's a musical scientist. Honestly saying, I haven't worked with AR Rahman as this is a recreated track. I haven't really interacted with him over this song, but I was told that he heard this song and he really liked it.
You have also sung a song for Hindi dubbed version of a Hollywood film, Passengers. In such a young age, you're flooded with such projects. How do you look at it?
I am young, but I would put it in other words that I started early. In this line of work, I'm not young. I have given a lot of time to it and for like four years, I have been training myself. Not because that I want to be famous! Because this was the only thing which I knew and which made sense to me. Even if I wasn't as big as I'm today, I would have been playing songs with a guitar in a local club in a small town.
You have collaborated with singers like Pritam, AR Rahman, Amit Trivedi, Jeet Ganguly. Do you still have a wishlist of working with anyone else and whom?
I had that wishlist from past three years and I'm hardly left with any names in that list. The names that I have are probably of those I'm in touch with or in talks with for collaborating some song. I would want to sing with all those old school music composers.
Do you regret the fact that the title track of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil which was first offered to you went on to become the song of 2016? Do you feel bad about it?
Honestly, when I am working on a song, I just want my work to be released. I am not working for fame or money. I'm working here because as I earlier said, that, this is the only thing I know and which makes me feel alive. For me, singing a song that's going to become famous is not the concern. For me, it's about singing a good song. And ADHM's title track was one of my favourite Pritam Da's compositions. When I was told that the voice was not going through, I did feel a little bad. Then, I went and sang the ADHM title track for MTV Unplugged, so I'm happy.
You have often been compared to Arijit Singh. Do you find him your competition and or an inspiration?
See, once in a while, a singer like Arijit happens. There are singers who would have different tones, some are well-skilled and some have their unique style. But, Arijit is a blend of many things. He has a good tone and he's very well prepared for his song. I think Arijit is a wonderful singer and what he is doing right now is truly amazing. Talking about comparisons, it is bound to happen. When someone likes something, they would compare. They like Arijit and by getting compared with him, I think I'm definitely blowing horns here.
Jagga Jasoos has like 30 songs. Will we get to hear your voice in one of the tracks?
With Pritam Da and an album like Jagga Jasoos having 30 songs, you can't really say that you'll get to hear me or not. I have dubbed a lot of songs at Pritam Da's place. You don't know and you never know that for which film he's calling you for. He's doing like 10 films together. Only Pritam Da knows what's happening and his place is like a temple for us and it's beautiful how it works. As for Jagga, I might have six songs in my voice or it might not have a single track.
You had also lent your voice to the song Zindagi Kuch Toh Bata in Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Dhal Jaun Main in Akshay Kumar's Rustom. You have now started singing songs for superstars. How does it feel?
There are names when I was little, I used to listen to their songs and jump on my bed. And now getting to be their voice in such big scale films is amazing. The kind of people I'm getting to work with names you just hear on television. For a small town guy like me, I have adapted to the whole thought of living in a dream. It's happening back to back. I'm just living in the moment.
What about Tubelight? Given the fact you have already sung for Salman Khan's film, have you been approached for this film?
No idea! It's again Pritam Da's music. With Bajrangi Bhaijaan also, friends called that you're singing for Salman Khan. I didn't get to know when the song got released and that's the beauty of it.
There are reports that you have also sung a romantic track for Half Girlfriend! Is it true? If yes, tell us about it.
It's a beautiful song, I would say. Mohit Suri is among those directors who doesn't need anything and he's a guy who riding on his own talent. He shoots well and the film is musically really good. He is one of those I have always looked up to and wanted to work with because of his ear to music. Again, Tanishk and I have created a song, Baarish and it's a beautiful track. Mohit and his team really liked the song and you'll get to hear some of my best work through this track.
When did you decide that you really have to take up music as your career?
My dad's love for Rafi saheb (Mohd. Rafi) as he used to play his songs, all the time at our house. So, I have literally grown up listening to Rafi saheb's voice.
You came to Mumbai in 2012. Was your journey to fame an easy one or full of struggles?
I have never seen it like a struggle. I have always seen it as a smooth journey and I must say that I have been lucky too. I would rather say that my journey is eventful and it did have its own ups and downs. When I came to Mumbai, I didn't know that I would make this big. I just didn't want to stop. Getting famous was the secondary thing. I just did my work and a song like Zindagi, I dubbed for nine days. It might look easy but it wasn't.
You sang like 150 to 200 scratches before getting the final call. Was it difficult?
No. Singing scratches, in fact, helped me a lot. I started understanding that singing live on stage and singing it in background are entirely two different things. Singing it on a condenser mic is a different thing altogether because it's very sharp and it catches every noise even your breath. Those 250 scratches helped me to get a hang of it.
YouTube has become a hit platform for the aspiring singers. You see a variety and people are singing cover versions. What's your take on it?
I think YouTube has been 'the' reason that music scene has become that big. In today's date and time, people calculate a hit or flop on YouTube. A lot of people are able to give it a try at least.
Has life changed for you in these past years?
I didn't let it change for me that much. But, yes there are a few changes. People around me are still with me and they have helped me in being grounded.
Any other projects in the pipeline?
Jolly LLB will have a song of mine and it's a beautiful composition.
.@JubinNautiyal croons #TheHummaSong from #OkJaanu! Isn't he amazing? pic.twitter.com/VxDpVhsuo4
— pinkvilla (@pinkvilla) January 10, 2017
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