I don’t believe in labels or the numbers game, says singer, songwriter, composer Jasleen Royal

Jasleen Kaur Royal, popularly known as Jasleen Royal, is a versatile Indian musician whose compositions have consistently been at the top of the charts. She is a singer, songwriter, and composer who sings in Punjabi, Hindi, Gujarati, as well as English.

Her composition based on Panchi Hojavan, a poem by Shiv Kumar Batlavi, won her the Best Indie Song at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2013. Since then, she has composed songs for a number of films like Khubsoorat, Hichki, Veere Di Wedding, and Gully Boy.

Her latest single Nit Nit narrates the story of a heartbroken girl but ends up feeling better because of her pet, enacted by Jasleen’s own dog Kobe. The song has recorded more than 10 million views on YouTube.

In an interview with HerStory, Jasleen speaks about being a self-taught musician, her “connect” with music and her favourites.

HerStory (HS): What is your earliest memory of music?

Jasleen Royal (JR): My earliest memory of music would be my older brother teaching me to single Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star when I was four years old. I had to keep figuring it out until I got it.

Later, I remember listening to the music of Taal, and playing Border’s Sandeshe Aate Hain on my keyboard.

HS: Tell us a little about your growing up years.

JS: I was born and raised in Ludhiana and visited my aunt in Dehradun often. I studied B.Com (Honours) at Hindu College, Delhi University.

I remember playing the mouth organ and guitar for the ECA trials and getting through. I am a self-taught musician with no history of music in the family.

HS: You started with Indie music scene and also won an MTV award. You later made your foray into Bollywood. How has the transition been?

JS: The transition has been smooth. As a child, I loved poetry and also wanted to be a composer. I composed music for a poem Panchi Hojavan by Shiv Kumar Batalvi and posted it on YouTube and got some eyeballs, and won me the Best Indie Song award at the MTV Music Awards.

I met Sneha Kanwalkar, who gave me my first Bollywood break with Preet in the Sonam Kapoor-Fawad Khan starrer Khubsoorat. I remember cold-calling Amit Trivedi asking to work with him.

I have always followed the music that connects with and reached out to people whose music I like. I am also working on a film right now.

HS: You recently said you don’t fit under any label. What kind of a musician are you?

JR: I don’t think I fit any label. I would like to believe I can do anything as long as it connects to me and that I can express through my music. What moves me is the right music and I continue to do that.

HS: Tell us how composing for Bollywood was like.

JR: Hichki was a project close to me, and so was Veere Di Wedding as Rhea and Sonam Kapoor gave me my first break with Khubsoorat. I felt that the music of Hichki was a little underwhelming, but I keep seeing people posting the song and also hearing it on TV often.

Teri Dastan, the theme of Hichki plays as a background depicting the lives of contestants in reality TV shows, and so it’s reaching the right kind of emotions, for sure.

But sometimes, I feel, we get so lost in the numbers game, we forget what heartfelt music feels like. I feel there is a lot of noise around us, and I am not a fan of that.

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HS: You are a self-taught artiste. Has the journey been different because of this?

JR: I am a self-taught artiste and I have learned by listening to people or observing them, so it’s been different because I don’t have any rules in my mind.

I see a possibility in everything I do. Sometimes, it takes me more time to understand something about music because I am not taught and sometimes, I end up doing things because I am not bound by any rules.

So, there are pros and cons. I believe in learning on the go and I don’t think you can ever get enough of knowledge in music, there is so much out there.

HS: What are the compositions close to your heart and why?

JR: All my songs are close to my heart, but if had to pick I would say Jahan Tu Chala from Gully Boy, Teri Dastan from Hichki, and Kho Gaye Hum Kahaan and Nit Nit my latest single.

Jahan Tu Chala was composed for my friends. We were on a trip to Goa for my birthday, spent a lot of time with each other, talking our hearts out with conversations that brought us closer and people opening up without fear of judgement and that’s the most beautiful thing – the people connect.

Nit Nit is close to me as it stars the star of my house, my dog Kobe and our life together.

I like Kho Gaye Hum Kahan because it’s one of the first albums I worked on and it got such a great response from the audience. Even after two years, people are going mad over it, and I see a lot of covers being made on it.

I realise good music is going to reach whenever it has to. I love Teri Dastaan from Hichki because I related to the character of Rani Mukherjee in the film.

It describes my journey to Mumbai, and I remember humming the tune at the Yash Raj office and being signed on immediately for the film. the producer of the film just loved it and offered me the film.

HS: Who are your inspirations when it comes to music? And what kind of music do you listen to?

JR: My inspiration includes AR Rahman, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Coldplay, the Bee Gees — I listen to music that is lyrically and melodically strong. I like my music to flow, if you look at my compositions, and that’s how I approach most of my compositions.