In an era where artistes like AP Dhillon, Diljit Dosanjh, and Karan Aujla are showcasing Punjabi music in new light, we encourage Sukhbir Singh to toy with an idea. Today’s listeners, we suggest, could be craving traditional music from his stable, considering that his decades-old tracks, like Gal ban gayi, Ishq tere tadpave, and Oho ho ho ho, are still staples on party playlists. Sukhbir, however, isn’t willing to easily entertain the thought. “It’s important to note that last year I [worked on] the song Billy billy for Salman Khan. That was an entirely traditional Punjabi song, but when you look at the streaming results, you can see that the younger generation prefers a [different] sound,” says the singer, adding that evolving music preferences continue to keep him on his toes, three decades into his career. “We have to find a balance [between old and new sounds]. We’re constantly experimenting with new music, and ultimately the consumer decides what must be accepted.” 

With an understanding of evolving music tastes, Sukhbir asserts that even this genre has been influenced by western preferences. He points to the success of Dhillon when highlighting, “[He introduced] a hardcore American genre, but with a desi melody that everyone liked. Now, you can see the [shift in] trend. I find a lot of this music really interesting too, and am influenced by it. If it’s working, it’s a good indicator that something is being accepted.”