Daler Mehndi: I don’t believe in buying fake followers

After spending close to three decades in the music industry, singer Daler Mehndi isn’t interested to be part of the rat race of getting more followers, likes or views. Instead, he wants to explore different rhythms, and let his work do all the talking.

“I don’t believe in buying fake million views or followers. I don’t have many followers on Instagram, but I feel proud to say that they all are genuine. They’re not bought, something which is happening a lot these days,” shares Mehndi, who turns 54 today.

The singer feels that a musician’s work speaks more than any promotion. “It has to be genuine. Koi story, zyada promotion ya gimmick ki baat nahi hai. Maine kabhi bad words use nahi kiye hain to make my songs catchy. I’m very happy that I’m working with my full honesty, and that reflects in the acknowledgement I get. That’s why I don’t want to be in the number 1 or number 2 game,” explains the singer.

Mehendi, who started his career in the music industry in 1995, feels proud that his past work continues to get love along with the current tunes.

“Bollywood stars have a whole team behind them to make them popular, but Daler Mehndi is a name which has reached all across the world without any team working on it. Recently, a BTS member also shared about singing my songs while growing up. I feel very happy and proud reading about it,” he says, adding that he’d love to collaborate with the global sensation one day.

Now, the singer, best remembered for hits such as Bolo Ta Ra Ra, Tunak Tunak Tun, Dardi Rab Rab, Ho Jayegi Balle Balle and Na Na Na Na Na Re, has chalked a rough plan about the sounds he wants to explore in the next 20 years, and has already embarked on the musical journey. He has come out with a Rajasthani song, released a ghazal on his birthday and will soon release a Gujarati track, too.

“I had always thought that I’d explore new areas after establishing myself in the industry, and that’s what I’m doing. I also plan to recreate some ghazals from my compositions which I used to sing in the 1980s,” he tells us.

asked if there’s other song from his hit tracklist which he’s like to recreate sometime soon, and he quips, “Mere gaane koi recreate nahi kar paa raha hai toh mein khudh hi karunga bahut jaldi.”