Gurdeep Mehndi Signs to Saregama, Preps New EP ‘Prince of Pop’
The multilingual performer, who is also the son of Punjabi star Daler Mehndi, talks about his latest partnership and new music coming up in May
Singer and performer Gurdeep Mehndi.
Hailing from a family of legendary singers like Daler Mehndi, Mika and more, artist Gurdeep Mehndi has been carving his own path ever since he released the song “Saheli” with hip-hop veteran Bohemia in 2014.
About a decade later, Mehndi is making more inroads, signing to major label Saregama’s Exclusive Artiste Management roster and prepping his upcoming EP Prince of Pop. He says about the deal, “I feel very supported. It’s like a big giant behind you to take care of you, especially in the current scenario. The industry is so big, that independent music and independent artists are doing really good, but still when you have someone like Saregama, you feel very positive.”
Mehndi is tapping into different genres for each of the four tracks on Prince of Pop, from synth-pop that goes over Punjabi lyrics to Indian classical-informed songs with a rock element, among others. He says about his goal with his music output, “The main core is to go with the trends, give what the people want, especially the youth […] I’m hoping and wishing that people will see me in a different way altogether, me in my own color.”
On stage, Mehndi is also known to weave between languages, not just Punjabi and Hindi but also Marathi, Telugu and Gujarati songs. “People who are watching a Sardar guy singing a Marathi, that’s a shock for them. It’s a stereotype but I bring that twist to it, in my shows. That’s interesting for people,” he says with a laugh.
All along the way, Mehndi has tried to prove that he’d rather not lean on family support from his dad, his chacha Mika Singh and others. He says that his father always wanted him to take his own path, which is why releasing “Saheli” with Bohemia was important for Mehndi junior. “I wanted to be [associated] with an artist [like Bohemia] who wants to work with me for my work, not because I come from a legendary family of singers. I still very proud of that project,” he says.
In the decade since the release of “Saheli,” there have been more singles from Mehndi as well, but he says his ideas about the music industry and processes have changed now. “With ‘Saheli’ I felt that this was the right way [to become a known artist] – to have a rapper, to have fast, club sort of music and have a big company on board and then release the song. Now, I think there are a lot more genres that are thriving so you don’t just associate India with Bollywood music,” he says. The singer adds, “Seeing the rap industry and the R&B artists in the industry grow, it has given me the power to think different if I have to create something out of the box.”
The songs off Prince of Pop will start arriving in May. “Hopefully in a month, you’ll see magic,” Mehndi says.
