The legendary Hariharan is credited with singing over 15,000 songs in various languages. Before he became a pioneer in fusion music and a playback icon in Indian cinema, Hariharan was a ghazal singer. Self-admittedly, singing for him never came from a place of building a career or chasing success. “I wanted to feel good,” said Hariharan while appearing on Republic Media Network’s Legends, highlighting how his musical family shaped his passion in the performing arts early on.
Speaking about his first break in Hindi cinema in 1978, Hariharan shared, “Jaidev ji gave me my first break in playback singing. Ajeeb Saneha Mujhpar Guzar Gaya was the first song I sang for the movie Gaman. In ’77 I recorded the song and it released in ’78. I was already singing ghazal before I came into movies.”
When asked why he sang ghazals initially instead of mainstream music, the Tu Hi Re singer shared, “I come from a family of musicians. I never learnt how to sing songs that are success or career oriented. I wanted to feel good. I wanted to get more intricacies in my voice. I wanted to be good at it. That was my only concern. Singing in my voice and have my own identity. For that its very important that you do classical training and riyaz. When you do that, the real feel and spirit comes out in your voice. All your frequencies and soul talk become your voice. If you listen to others and try to be that you only become a fragment of your soul.”
About his life outside his musical profession, Hariharan shared, “In Mumbai I spend a lot of time at home. I eat home cooked foods because when you travel you miss that. I do riyaz when there are gaps in between concerts. We do riyaz in mind. I spend time with my mother, learn about music.”
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