Hop along, folks!

Desi tunes

Folk hopartiste Jaz Dhami is known for his single ‘High Heels’ (from Ki & Ka) featuring Yo Yo Honey Singh.

The singer, music composer, lyricist and music producer has also given other hits such as ‘Zulfa’, ‘Sitarey’, ‘Teri Ah’, ‘Beparwaiyan, ‘Tere Naal’ and ‘Munda Like Me’ to name a few.

Jaz recently released his peppy new single ‘Oye Hoye Oye Hoye’.

In a chat with Anushree Agarwal, Jaz talks about his musical journey, future projects and more.
Your journey as a musician...
I have been learning music since the age of nine and I still am today. That’s the great thing about music — the learning never stops and so does the growth. It’s been a beautiful journey so far.

What do you feel made ‘High Heels’ click?
It has a very catchy horn and beat, with a really addictive energy. The music video also gave it a real edge; it changed the way people saw and made Punjabi music videos.

Tell us about your new single ‘Oye Hoye Oye Hoye’.
It’s a real fun song. I wanted to give my fans something energetic yet cool, particularly after my last single ‘Teri Ah’ which has more of a Western R ‘n’ B influenced romantic vibe. I enjoyed making this song with Jaani and B Praak and shooting the video in Los Angeles.

A funny incident that took place while working on a song/recording.
In February, I went to Ahmedabad for a promotional tour with rapper Raool for our single ‘Desi Girls’. Everywhere we went, the radio interviewers were trying to get me to sing in Gujarati. The only Gujarati words I knew were ‘Kem Cho’, so they gave me a series of words, which I tried to memorise and sing, but I’m sure I made a hash of them! I hope no one finds that interview!

Your favourite rapper...
J Cole as his word play is phenomenal. In the Asian scene, I’d like to mention Bohemia because he was at the forefront of the whole rap scene and culture here.

Three foods you can’t resist.
Chocolate, pizza and chips.

Three things you don’t leave home without...
My phone, headphones and some money in my pocket.

We hear you enjoy football...
Football is one of those sports which you can get lost in for 90 minutes like your life depends on it, especially being a Liverpool fan! We’ve had a great season this year and am hoping we’ll bring some silverware home very soon.

What’s in the pipeline?
I’m working on this album called ‘Pieces of Me’ which will release next year. I also have a couple of exciting collaborations with Indian rappers including Raftaar and Sikandar Kahlon. Then there’s a song in the pipeline with my good friend Manj Musik.

When not making music...
I love watching American TV shows and movies. My favourite is ‘Breaking Bad’ and I also enjoyed watching ‘Prison Break’ recently.