Param On Being Called the female Sidhu Moosewala: ‘I feel the pressure in a big way’

With “That Girl”’s almost instant virality last year, Param (Paramjeet Kaur) has literally lived the song’s title. The Punjabi rapper/singer from Dune Ke, Moga got plucked from obscurity by UK producer Manni Sandhu of Collab Creations thanks to her participation in a rap cipher that went viral. Her latest single "IDC" sees that journey come full circle.
Four songs on, she sits down with Variety India and shares her journey so far.   

If you had 30 seconds or a minute to tell your story, how would you tell it? 
I was like any other person: I wanted to study, get a job. But then I got into music. I used to sing in college. My teachers advised me to try my hand at it.  One day, I met my friends at a cipher. They asked me to join in. The moment went viral. Because of that, I connected to Manni Sandhu from Collab Creation. So, we did “That Girl.” It just blew up from there on. 

Also, a lot of Punjabi singers credit their ‘pind’ (village/hometown) for playing a role in shaping their careers or in their music creation or in their personality. Do you agree?
Compared to people who live in cities, people from the pind are more rough and tough. They take their problems seriously. They’re not too sensitive about it. That's what I see in my music. That rootedness is seen in “That Girl” which was shot in a village.

Some have termed you the female Sidhu Moosewala. Do you feel the pressure of the tag? 
I feel this pressure in a big way. That name is very big (sic). People have emotions connected to the name. Everyone loves Sidhu. Whenever I do something, I have to think about how I do it. It's tough to handle that. But because I am also inspired by him, I feel very lucky and just so grateful that people say that to me. 

Related Stories

Sidhu Moose Wala’s Signed to God World Tour To Take Place Across 8 Countries With Cutting-edge Technology

Any rappers or singers you consider inspiration in India or internationally? 
So many, actually. There are a lot. Nusrat (Fateh Ali Khan) Saab, Lata (Mangeshkar) Ma'am, Sunidhi (Chauhan) Ma'am. I also like Arif Lohar, Noor Jahan and Reshma a lot. Also, Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Tupac Shakur, Biggie, E-Z. 

What’s the new song ‘IDC’ about?
The new song is about basically being a carefree 19-year-old with her whole life ahead of her and embracing the devil-may-care and reckless attitude that comes with being this age and not caring what the world thinks. I’m excited about it because it represents my current stage in life. I’m very excited if people; especially, the youth, can have this song to relate with and listen to when they are having fun.

If ‘That Girl’ hadn’t happened, what would Plan B be? 
Before it all, I wanted to have a government job. Music was Plan B. If “That Girl” hadn’t happened, I probably would’ve been a teacher. Luckily, I got to do what I liked.

You’ve released four songs so far. At some point, do you feel like you’d want to work on an album, or maybe start touring? What timeline do you have in mind?
First, we are working on the album. I am thinking about touring but I don't know. I get nervous very soon. We’re trying to fix something by year-end.

Rank your song releases from most to least favorite.  
There are no least favourites but if i rate them, then for now “IDC” ranks first in my releases because it’s more carefree and the shooting and recording process was very fun. Next would be “That Girl.” It was my first time facing the camera. I was very nervous about it. Now that I see it, I feel good. The third is “Diary.” Because I was asked to act in it. That was something new. Finally, “Mera Maahi.”  It was fun but I didn't know how it came out.

Punjabi musicians are talking about the same thing: guns, girls, fast cars etc. In that sense, you’re a refreshing change. Do you think the sameness in Punjabi music will last long?
Obviously, I think the same. You can’t repeat things for too long. Versatility is very important. So, like you said about guns, that is happening, we all know that. Sometimes, I also use those kind of lyrics but... (laughs)

...but it mustn’t overshadow the context.
I think for now I don't think if we repeat the same things. Things should be balanced; that's all I can say right now. 

What’s up next?
We are planning some songs, some albums. I just go with the flow. I never thought that I would be here this soon. I never felt the need to think about it. I always believe in doing one’s best, in doing as much as one can and in doing good work. That's it.