Rashmeet Kaur on finding her calling: Sufi is where I come from and folk is my originality

Rashmeet Kaur, who is currently riding high on the success of hit single Thumkeshwari from Bhediya, and her new EP Kya Kariye, is planning to introduce a sonic sound with her soulful poetry while also balancing the act of delivering bangers. With a promise to stick to her folk roots, the 28-year-old crooner cites examples of current popular artistes such as AP Dhillon and Shubh, saying that founding your own sound is extremely crucial.

Kaur says, “They worked on their sound which is unique. They didn’t think about the numbers but were constantly creating different sounds that clicked with the audience. The point is to stay connected with my roots and keep digging poetry and keep exploring new sounds.”

Her recent single titled Mor, with rapper Ikka has hit the right chord and the singer says she puts her blood, sweat and tears in her art. “It is very important to spend time with yourself but at the same time one should also collaborate with new artistes in order to learn new things. Mera sab karne ka mann karta hai, lekin mai sab nahi kar sakti,” she says.

Shedding light on the trend of Instagram reels, Rashmeet notes how people are quitting jobs to turn influencers. “But what happens to artistes if everyone is creating content on social media? They have the skills to edit, create videos and to collaborate but they don’t have the skills to perform in front of 10,000 people. They are not (rapper) Divine or (singer) Arijit who come on stage with an extensive catalogue.”

With her three songs trending on Instagram, Kaur reveals the trick behind it and says, “I focus on the idea of how to make it so different and make it more connecting with me. Sufi is where I come from and folk is my originality.”

Currently, touring the country with her new EP, the singer is also gearing up for her upcoming single that hits the streaming platforms on December 9.

On whether she wishes to pursue a full-time career in Bollywood, Kaur points that there no such thing called full time in the film industry now.

“Artistes are bigger than what is happening in Bollywood,” she continues, “Yes, the industry does have big promotions with a huge market and I don’t mind being a part of it. Why would I leave it?”

Recalling the time when she first came to Mumbai seven years ago, Kaur says she wanted to be a playback singer. “At that time social media was not big, Instagram did not exist and YouTube was not that big. I wasn’t aiming to go viral. I just wanted my material to be real and very different from what people are doing. Bollywood has become a bonus now. Thumkeshwari and Nadiyon Paar performed exceptionally well. I’d love to sing with people who have ruled the industry for years, so why not? Having said that, it is more about your voice now.”

Mention a dream collaboration and the singer expresses her love for John Mayer and adding that she’d love to join hands with Divine and Russ. “I want to perform at Coachella and all the big music festivals. Five years down the lines, I want to see myself doing great things. Who knows I might be scooping a Grammy award,” she ends on a hopeful note.