Sur and bol are not the only things converging in Mame Khan’s songs. In his music, the past has a way of converging with the present and future. The Rajasthani folk singer says his art form is rooted in heritage yet attuned to the present, while introducing talents of tomorrow. A perfect example of this is his newest release — a reprised version of Tu boond boond, co-composed with Pintu Mallick and penned by Ankit Charan. “I had already released Tu boond boond before; the song is about the monsoons and romance. In the reprised version, I got a new young talent to sing along with me,” he shares.
With an eye on the future of folk music, the singer has joined hands with Global Music Junction, an agency that spotlights Indian artists, particularly folk musicians, and increases their engagement with the audience. Khan says, “They believe in the art form, and have been promoting folk music from Haryana, Odisha, and Punjab across India, and in the world.” The agency’s CEO and founder, Rajkumar Singh, says, “The fastest billion was given by regional artistes, not mainstream ones.”
The collaboration is an emotional one for the singer, who has taken years to reach a global platform and has played a key role in the survival of Rajasthani folk music. He has taken the music across countries, performing at Lincoln Centre in New York, and Sydney Opera House in Australia. “Before my song Chaudhary was released, people often commented that folk music is dying. So, I had sworn to myself that I would not let people say that anymore. Maine ek tarike se zidd pakad li thi.” His determination has paid off. “When I perform at any of these places, the audience is not cheering for Bollywood songs; they cheer [the hardest when I sing] Laal peeli ankhiyan, Chaudhary, or Kesariya balam.”
This rootedness has come with a deep respect for the process. Khan’s approach to music is instinctive and inherited. “Sometimes you get the lyrics first, and it becomes easier to compose. If you don’t have the words, I remember my father used to say, ‘Throw a stone in the air and by the time it comes down, one has to find a tune.’ It is called kankar uchhaal diya,” he smiles.
While the industry chases instant fame, taking folk music around the world and finding new listeners is Khan’s idea of success. Virality doesn’t enchant him. “A song becomes a hit, runs for a month, but people forget after that. How is that success? To me, success is to make music while being rooted in your culture. A song should have roohdari [soul] so that generations remember it.”