B Praak: Shershaah brought romantic songs back in vogue

Punjabi music sensation, B Praak, whose songs have created a rage over the last few years in Bollywood, is expecting his second child with his wife. However, the daddy-to-be is out on Zee Live’s 10-city music tour, Supermoon, which kicks off in Mumbai today. The singer will be performing live at a suburban venue in the city today. Talking to Bombay Times, he said, “Meri majboori hai, I made a commitment and I have to keep it. I could not go back on my words. My wife and I would have loved to be together in this delicate time, but she’s just as happy that I’m back on stage, ready to perform for a live audience, something that seemed like a distant reality two years ago. She knows how much I love this part of my work. I am very excited about this tour and about kicking it off in one of my favorite cities in the world - Mumbai. It’s my first show with this extravagant band and probably my first after the lockdowns. It’s turning out to be a different experience. It’s a great sign that we’re pacing up and catching up on lost time. Live shows are back, and people are excited to come and experience the music live, and feel the emotions collectively. It’s an experience we once had. I can’t wait to perform for the audience.”
When asked if he’s nervous about facing a fat crowd after a prolonged period, B Praak, who has also delivered hit singles in the last two years, says, “I am actually very nervous this time. The first time is always special but also something that keeps you on the edge. Right from what I’ve been experiencing at rehearsals, I have a feeling people will like what they experience at the show. Iss show ke liye bahut tayaari ki hai. I am going to present some improvised versions of my own songs and some other songs, too.”

Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh had previously spoken to BT about the importance of live performances and why artists enjoy it way more than doing recordings in a studio. Bring this up and B Praak agrees, adding, “Every live singer feels that performing live is the best form of experiencing music for anyone. We create songs to be able to perform them live in front of an audience. It is fun to see how many people turn up to see you and hear you live. The sound of your voice evokes so many emotions in the listeners. The kind of singing you can do on a live show is also very different. We take our own songs but the kind of spins we can give them…it’s like we all are rediscovering the same song in a completely new avatar. Live gigs are a big deal."
Sad romantic songs have been B Praak’s forte. Ranjha and Mann Bhareya from Shershaah only highlighted that, and the fact that the love for movie songs is far from over. “I feel that Bollywood mein the pace at which we created romantic, and sad songs had reduced for a bit. But with Shershaah, people experienced a flush of emotions again. Shershaah brought romantic songs back in vogue. Love and romance are not leaving our side and neither are those songs. They may pause for some time. Even the films being made for some years did not have much scope for such numbers. But the trend of making entertainers is back. And songs are being made all over again. There’s a lot that I’ve also worked on and you will hear stuff this year. I’m not at liberty to reveal much but there’s a lot in the kitty.”
In the last year or so, language as a barrier seems to have vanished, at least in content consumption. Bring this up and B Praak says, “Music has no language. It’s God’s own words that people across different cultures speak in a way that they can. I, as a patron, listen to everything. South, Gujarati, Punjabi, English - main Kuch nahi chhodta. Sometimes, even when I don’t entirely understand the lyrics, I grasp the emotions. So, music really has no language.”