Interview | Rabbi Shergill on numerous revamped versions of Tere Bin: I find it very intriguing

Today when social media has created explicit divides between generations in terms of content, some things cannot be bound by it. Rabbi Shergill's classic songs are one such example. Especially his song, "Tere Bin" has not only transcended borders but has also lived on in the hearts of Millenials and has now also made a place for itself among the Gen Z.

Shergill created a name for himself in the music world by infusing Punjabi rock with Sufi music, earning him the title of ‘urban balladeer’ among billions of fans. Speaking to WION, Shergill opened up about his masterpiece Tere Bin and its numerous revamped versions. He also recalled how music happened to him and what influenced his style of music. There is also one thing that he would like to bring back from his era, and it has got nothing to do with music (Hint: It's all about Delhi). Here are excerpts from our chat with him.

WION: In recent years, we have seen many new versions of your song ''Tere Bin'' on social media. What do you think of it?

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Shergill: I love it! I find it very intriguing that people have such interest in a song even after almost twenty years of its release.

WION: We have seen many young musicians who have found fame through Instagram and other social media platforms. What do you think of that?

Shergill: It cuts both ways - Where it can give a platform to those who would have had no hope in the pre-digital age, it also makes it very easy for questionable content to creep through. On one hand, it has democratised music publishing, on the other it's taken the guardrails off.

WION: How do you deal with social media, and the one thing that you love and hate the most about the platform?

Shergill: I deal with social media the way I deal with my kids: I take a look when the noise reaches a crescendo. On a serious note, I hate the rampant superficiality and obsession with appearances, but I love the instant reactions. To be fair, there's a lot of alternative news and information out there, which would never make it to a traditional media outlet.

WION: You recently made the audience groove to your superhits in Pune. How was your experience? Is there any sort of vibe difference when you perform in India?

Shergill: I was incredibly excited to perform in the Suhana Swasthyam - The global festival of wellness event in Pune. The city is one of the first places that showered me with love when my first album "Rabbi" was released in 2004. India is a vast place, a continent, with incredible variation in culture and attitudes. So the vibe, even within India, can vary a great deal. My memory of Pune is that of a very vibrant and musically evolved place.

WION: In one of your interviews, you said how ‘pure art’ is fading away and getting replaced by “entertainment”. Would you like to elaborate?

Shergill: If one simply were to count all the remixes/reboots/spin-offs out there, one could estimate the amount of resources allocated to new art vs repackaging of old. It would perhaps cast a telling light on how little we care for contemporaneous artistic urges. Sticking to the past to an unreasonable degree betrays a certain negation of existence. As one of the primary reasons for any art is the revelation of new dimensions of our present existence, its undermining is deeply problematic.

Also as a performer, I have the unmistakable feeling that audiences want the familiar and have little patience for the presentation of new material.

WION: Known as an ‘urban balladeer’, you have been known for mixing rock, and Punjabi, with a bani style melody, with a lot of Western arrangements. From where did this mix and match come when you started?

Shergill: It must have come from my influences, the environment I came from, the music I listened to, the life I lived, the times I lived in. It must be the matrix I was thrown into, I guess.

WION: Do you remember how the music happened? Your inspirations?

Shergill: Jagjit Singh's album "Birha tu Sultan" started it all. Later, my coming of age coincided with the arrival of MTV and Channel V in India. Rock was the music that spoke to me and my friends, so all of those ingredients prodded me to turn into a musician.

WION: If I ask you the one thing that you want to bring back to this era from the time you started, what would it be?

Shergill: I would like to bring back the glorious Delhi winter, which we have choked and killed with smoke.