We have all been there. Sitting by the window, wind blowing in our hair, listening to a song and getting lost in the faux reality; imagining ourselves as a character in the song and singing our hearts out, crying for heartbreak or smiling foolishly to the dreamy love story playing in our ears. Some songs are etched in our minds forever, making us believe that we are the one dancing on top of a running train or taking pheras in gurudwara with Siddharth Malhotra holding our dupatta. Ranjha, Heeriye, Kho Gaye Hum Kaha and Din Shagna Da are some of these songs that have become wedding anthems and the songs of our day-dream love stories as Jasleen Kaur Royal brings those beautiful lyrics to life. In this month of love, we talk to the voice behind these compositions about her new song Dastoor, working on independent albums and more.
Tell us more about your latest song Dastoor.
The beginning of the song reminds me of the time when I left home in Ludhiana to work and never went back. It's also a similar feeling of when you get married or move away from home. Dastoor is a very organic take on how social differences can make you stop from being with your lover.
How was it working with stars like Neena Gupta, Jackie Shroff and Babil Khan?
I'm so happy that all these people — Jackie Shroff, Neena Gupta, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor and Babil Khan — came on board for the love of the song. Jackie is so funny – he just makes everything seem so fun and easy. Neena has got such a great hold on her craft – even that one look she gives in the mirror has so much hold. Akansha is so nice and warm. I see a lot of greatness in Babil and as a person who he is. There's so much enthusiasm – he is full of creativity and just spreading joy everywhere. He's always rooting for you, saying ‘you will do it’ and ‘we all are here for you.’ Even when he was done shooting his part and I had some scenes left, he waited for me at the set to wrap up together.
Did you expect Ranjha from Sheershah to become a wedding anthem at this point? And do you think Dastoor would also get the same love?
I remember Ranjha was supposed to release before COVID-19. And then COVID-19 happened, so it was stuck for four years. But it was worth the wait. The kind of reception it got – the audience loved it. It was great to be on the charts and to be loved for your composition. Even when I perform the song at my concerts, the audience sings it louder than I am. To connect with the audience like that is the best feeling. However, every song has its own journey. Heeriye and Ranjha
How do you handle the critics?
I really work hard and leave no stone unturned – to the point of driving myself crazy. People tell me ‘don't touch the song now, just let it go’ because I try to keep working on it till the last moment. Even with Ranjha, which was lying around with me for four years, I decided to change its interlude one day because it did not sound good. And then one day before the submission, I changed it again. Maybe I just get nervous, anxious. Even with Heeriye, I was going mad – I had crossed 20 mixes, I remember. Sometimes I just lose track of it and get too sucked into trying to make it better and better. So, I have no bandwidth left after I've put out a song to be able to listen to anybody saying ‘you could have done better’.
What do you like more – working on independent albums or Bollywood playbacks?
I started with Indie, then shifted to Bollywood, and now I'm back doing Indie. As of now, I only want to focus on Indie. But you never know. I think I get more creative freedom, more creative liberty working independently and the fact that my songs won't be remixed without my permission is also a huge deal for me. That's why I want to focus on my songs now.
What's the one song you relate to the most till date and why?
I love Agar Tum Saath Ho from Tamaasha. I think it's one of the most timeless songs that I've ever come across. It's beautiful every second.
What does a normal day in Jasleen’s life look like?
I don't have a fixed routine because we are travelling a lot. Whenever I am in Mumbai, I spend the day with my dogs. Sitting by the window with my coffee, playing games on PlayStation. Whenever I get short breaks from travelling and stay at home, I really cherish them. But I also love that I'm performing and so many people are interested in my music.
Three things we’ll always find in your purse…
My phone, earphones and sunglasses.
Five things you like munching on…
I love nuts like almonds and walnuts and fruits like papaya and pineapple. I can’t survive without coffee. I like makhanas to munch on when there are no chips and on that note – I love chips. And a piece of dark chocolate after lunch or dinner.
One artiste you would love to collaborate with…
AR Rahman.
If not a singer, what would you have taken up as a profession?
I was really into cricket – I would have been a spinner.
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