Glocal and loving it!

Glocal and loving it!

As Dhanush releases his song in IN-glish, BTfinds out how this musical 'glocalisation' (global-local) is going down with the music mavens…

Aparna Phadke

When he launched his first song Kolaveri online, it created viral history. Now, Dhanush has gone ahead and released his second song — Sachin Anthem, which got 4.3 lakh views within the first 24 hours of its release and two million hits in four days. While the song seems like a twin of Kolaveri, Dhanush said on his microblogging site, "The song was not made 4 any other purpose than my love 4 Sachin. And I did whatever I know :) and that's not much. Hehe…And d song is in IN-glish again 4 only 1 reason. I wanted every1 4m all parts of India 2 understand it since its about Sachin." Will this unleashing of a 'glocal' (global-local) form of English - IN-glish be a force to reckon with in the music industry? Or is it a passing online phase that will die a natural death? BT finds out…

ABOUT TIME


Indian Ocean is one of the most popular band on the rock scene today. So, ask its lead singer Rahul Ram about the INglish song that's making waves and he says, "It's about time we sung English songs in the way we speak. In the US too, Bob Marley did it, Harry Belafonte did it and so many singers who sung the blues too had heavy southern Misissipi accents; and they were all mainstream singers whose songs featured regularly on chartbusters. Kolaveri and the Sachin Anthem have proved that Indian English songs indeed can be popular. That said, I know this kind of music will be sneered at by purists and they'll say this viral stuff is planned, but the fact remains that this music has become popular."

SOUND CONNECT

If the popularity of Dhanush's songs are anything to go by, it's only reflecting the globalisation of music. Says Punjabi pop singer Jasbir Jassi, "Music is about sound, and if the sound connects then music sees no geographical or linguistic boundaries. Look at Punjabi music; not many understand the words, but see the kind of remixes that are happening. That's why I think a Kolaveri or a Sachin Anthem connects. Dhanush is treading a different path to make his music heard, which is good."

INTERESTING NOMENCLATURE


For Daler Mehndi, whose Tunak Tunak released in 1998 and became an internet rage, the INglish or "whatever" never mattered in music and never will. He says, "Anyone may come up with interesting nomenclature HInglish/Inglish et al; finally it's music that sells — either through the unique performances, words and rhythm, or melody. Ricky Martin, Baba Sehgal, Ashaji — all of them sing English in their own accents. I sang English the way I chose to, so it's not really a big breaking ground point. Anyone who wishes to stand apart will find a new way to attract audience."

MUSICAL SHAM


If most singers seem open to welcome Dhanush's new venture, there are some like Shaan who say the Dhanush kind of IN-glish song is not music, but a marketing strategy. "We had the Colonial Cousins singing English in their own way and they were popular too. So, creating a linguistic genre based on the Dhanush kind of music is simply not done! Dhanush's attempts are at best amateurish and he's trying to make something out of nothing. I wish we all just start focusing on plain and simple music!"

POPULARITY ON THE RISE: Dhanush

Sachin Tendulkar

Shaan

Daler Mehndi

Jasbir Jassi

Rahul Ram