Five minutes into talking with New-York based singer, Jay Sean and he mentions the in-joke that runs between his friends, Rishi Rich and Juggy D. He has collaborated with the duo after a gap of 12 years on a single called ‘Freak’. Jay says, “We did so many interviews together that we eventually started challenging the other person. We’d give them a word or a phrase and they’d have to use it somehow in the interview. It would get more and more outrageous. For example, it could be ‘Silverback Gorilla’. Somehow, Juggy has to bring ‘Silverback Gorilla’ into an interview, just so that we can laugh.” That kind of thing would make any writer go back to their notes for a double-take,” he laughs.
That light-heartedness is what keeps the trio close. They worked together on the 2003 hit ‘Dance With You (Nachna Tere Naal)’ and Sean says they’ve continued to be friends despite fame taking them in different directions. While Sean went on to break through in American mainstream pop, Rishi had a stint composing tracks for Bollywood and Juggy’s career as a singer took off in the U.K.
Jay says, “You know the funny thing is, we’ve met up many times in the last few years, even though we live in different countries. We’ve met as friends, as brothers going out and having fun. Frankly, we never decided to do anything in the studio together again, because of different work. I was with a different label and they all had their own opinions and perceptions on who I should work with and who I can’t work with.”
He confirms that when they all came together in the studio to work on new material as part of the Rishi Rich Project, there were no ego clashes or personality changes that affected them, because they constantly stayed in touch. Even after coming back in the studio with more than a decade’s worth of experience as musicians, Jay says they were all on the same wavelength. “I think the three of us have had the privilege of working with some of the biggest producers and songwriters. I learned much. I think whatever I bring to the table has some value and they don’t even question it. I can’t question Rishi’s ability to make a groove, I wouldn’t ever question that. Whatever Juggy brings with the energy and the lyrics, I can’t do that in Punjabi. I’m not a Punjabi singer so I can’t question what Juggy does either,” says Jay.
Their new song ‘Freak’, released on Universal Music India, was recorded with two other songs, which will be released soon as well. Sean describes new material as more mid-tempo ballads that dabble in Bollywood-style production as well as a Hindi-Punjabi mix. Unlike ‘Dance With You’, Sean confirms that ‘Freak’ is definitely more daring when it comes to lyrics.
He adds, “It is more grown-up, a lot more risqué.” He says there’s as much as appeal in this collaboration to the British Asians like himself as well as fans of his newer mainstream English-language pop music. He says, “Even my friends who are non-Punjabi and my music industry friends – producers and songwriters and whatever. It might be black guy in America, but they hear it and go ‘Oh my god, this is crazy.’”
In addition to releasing material with Juggy and Rishi, Jay is also working on his next solo release, his first after breaking away from the record label Cash Money. “I’m in the process of getting a whole new release out. I have written and recorded a few songs. The music I’m making now is 98 or 99 per cent my choice. That is something that is really important.”
