Birmingham born Indian Rapper from Handsworth Hard Kaur spends most her time soaking up the sun and stardom in Bollywood, where she has a permanent home now.
It seems the mass Indian crowd agreed with Hard Kaurs rapping and welcomed her with open arms.
Which has in turn led to Hard Kaurs long and successful love affair with India and the bright lights of Bollywood.
It seems Hard Kaurs secret to success is sheer determination and stamina as she had to endure the long road to success however her plight was not without to odd hick up, this is something that she has said made her stronger and want to success even more. Like some of the Bolly flicks she has started in she has been one of the biggest successes of any solo British artist in the city of Bombay dreams.
Singer and rapper Hard Kaur was in Birmingham to receive the honorary award from Birmingham City Council in recognition of her special contribution to Bollywood. She was born in Uttar Pradesh and raised in Birmingham. The event was hosted by Sampad and the BBC Asian Network presenter Anushka Arora was the anchor for the Bollywood celebration.
She has been hailed as the saviour of the music scene by Indian media being the biggest new musical concept since Bappi Lahiri’s introduction to disco.
Hard Kaurs Indian success story began when she co-wrote a hit single for the Indian gangster underworld film ‘Jonny Gadar’ alongside the Indian equivalent of triple Grammy award winners Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy. This record was the most downloaded musical single that year and propelled her into the limelight.
How much time have you spent in Birmingham since you concurred Bollywood?
Birmingham is definitely my growing up place it’s where I spent most of my childhood both places play an important part in my life.
I always come and visit my mum but it’s never more than three days as I always have a show.
How does it make you feel to receive such a prestigious award in the city you were born in?
I am honoured to be here it’s a huge thing for me to receive this honour.
My mums here with me and she is really happy for me to, I feel very happy to be given this award in a place I grew up in.
What are you doing now?
I am working on some new music for a show called ‘any one can dance’, and I do think anyone can dance, it’s the Indian version of ‘step up’, and I am working on a lot of film music too.
I am a music director/producer so I can help write and produce music for others rather than just being an artist.
Is it easier for someone like you to become successful in Bollywood?
In the UK it is hard as it is so male dominated its hard in India too but I found it more accepting and believe I have been accepted for what I do and who I am more so than I was here.
Where are you loved the most?
I’m loved everyone really. When I went to Vancouver for the times of India awards the fans went crazy for me it was unreal, but Bollywood is loved everyone all over the world and so is its music.
Is Bollywood home for you now?
I never say never I am working with so many people and am so busy and have so much on you never know where you’re going to be in your life, but I take one step at a time.
Are you in a position where you can pick and choose the projects you work on?
It’s always quality over quantity with me I pick the projects I want to work on.
Who would you like to work with that you have not as yet?
I have worked with pretty much everyone looking forward to working with Abhishek Bachchanas he knows a lot about rap music.
Would you consider an acting role?
Music is my life so I am concentrating on but for the right role I would consider acting.
The films are changing there not like the old ones where woman where dancing around tress and looked a certain way, today if there’s a character that I can do justice to then yeah why not.
Can you sing in Hindi?
I can sing in Hindu but I don’t like to, prefer to rap in English.
What genre of music do you concentrate on?
I just concentrate on American Hip Hop, I would maybe consider fusion music, but I would not describe myself as a rapping Ashia Bosla.
How do female fans react to you?
The female following in India is huge because they see a girl who’s totally different to the typical Bollywood actress and they loved the way I was not your typical Bollywood actress type.
I am something out of the box and do something very unique and different for the Indian market so they seem to like this.
By Emb Hashmi
