‘We don’t want to force collaborations on us’ – Josh

Montreal-based band Josh, who made headlines when they collaborated on Powerless with Nelly Furtado, have finally come out of hibernation after a five-year break. Their last album Mausam was released in 2006.

Source: Hindustan Times

“For a few years, we were on the road performing all over the world. It was difficult to get into the studio. We made music continuously and worked on different projects giving background scores. We have come to India with some solid energy. In the past five years, we’ve recorded about 25 songs, eight of which have been selected for our current album,” says band member Rup or Rupinder Magon, who is of Indian origin.

“The new album has a very modern vibe. We have shown our true feelings for the world to watch and judge. It has some new unique, sounds, which have been combined with simple Punjabi lyrics,” says Rup, about their new project. Though the band has released three albums, their most famous song still remains Powerless.

So how was an unknown band picked up by Nelly to work on her song? Says Rup, “At that point, Nelly Furtado’s management was looking for an Indian band. They basically wanted a remix, but the version that we sent to them was completely remade. We put in more melodies and lyrics, which Nelly really liked. She became a fan of Josh.”

So why haven’t more collaborations come from the duo. “This time around, we have taken a backseat. We were the pioneers of collaborations, as far as Indian pop was concerned. These days, everybody collaborates. We don’t want to force collaborations,” they state.

The duo is currently in India to record the track Pyar ho gaya for their upcoming untitled album, in which they have remade RD Burman’s Yeh zameen…, thereby giving it a Bollywood twist. “Bollywood has changed a lot. It once had so many melodies, notes, directions and angles in a song. Now they have simplified melodies. Songs like Munni badnam hui… have a very North American structure,” says Rup.

Q or Qurram Hussain, the other member of the band, is of Pakistani descent. “Though Pakistan has a very strong pop scene, there are Bollywood influences too. New songs keep getting released. Pop artistes are huge. In India, you have to be associated with Bollywood,” he says. “We are doing a song for a English movie called Break Away, which is being made by Akshay Kumar’s production house. It’s the title song and will be released in September.”