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Junaid catches up with Foji!

Foji Gill

Foji Gill is set to release his new single "Hoi Hoi" and our blogger Junaid catches up with him talking about the new single. 
 
As you already know Foji is known for coming up for wonderful and unique video ideas some of which usually set standards for many others. Foji also talks about the unique video idea for Hoi Hoi and his future plans.

This November it's been 4 years you have been in the industry, how do you feel?

Wow 4 years already!!! It’s been great many ups and downs. When you're not in it, it’s easy to assume things about this industry but when you get in you learn so much in a short space of time especially if you are your own label. The support from the public has been amazing and it’s all thanks to them for where I am now. I am blessed to be where I am in such a short amount of time.

People were mind blown by Pumbeeri and Whatever was a great success which you released last year and now you are almost ready to release the next single, tell us a bit about it.

New release is called HOI HOI written by myself and produced by Jas Panesar. It’s a Bhangra dance floor solo song but I've added hints of music from different eras to make it a little different. The great thing about Punjabi/bhangra music is that you can play with ideas and styles which make it very versatile. Some desi heads don't like this but this is our music evolving and I'm glad to be a part of the journey.

When it comes to music videos you always do something fabulous that is unique and trend setting. Is this new video going to be something different too?

Yes definitely, like I mentioned the music has hints of different eras so I thought how to picturise them and how to link them into 1 song/video. After some thinking I thought I would go back in time and what better way to do it than using a time machine. If you've seen the back to the future films you must have come across Doleorean which is in the video as there is no better time machine than the Delorean and that was the theme of my new video.

Don't you sometimes want to join the band wagon and produce a typical Asian music video out of fear that people might not like your new idea?

My first video Bondhlgai was that type, not because I wanted to but because I had never even been on a video shoot and didn't know what to do. We paid a company to make it and got a typical Bhangra video and that was the last time I relied on someone else for a video concept. I would not do that type of video again as I have got so many weird and crazy video ideas in my head and think the industry should wake up and smell the coffee as they say and think of better concepts.

Is this new single likely to be part of an album?

Yes, the new album is being worked on as we speak in which pumbeeri & whatever will be bonus tracks on it as well as HOI HOI. There are a couple of duets one with Gurlej Akhter the other one with an unknown female from Chandigarh but it’s not a typical duet, you'll have to wait for that. I am speaking to Bups Sagoo at the moment if we can pull it off that track will be on the album.

You seem to have given respect to Chamkila in your video "whatever." Are you a great fan of him?

I am a fan of Punjabi music full stop, from Chamkila to many other artists before and after. In all my songs I have been influenced by many singers, I may show that in a video, my lyrics or in the way I sing a certain song. Whatever was a tribute to many duet acts and wanted to reflect that via my video and who better to base it upon than Chamkila.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

Very hard question, I just want to be writing my songs and making weird and wonderful videos. I have 4 film ideas and am putting pen to paper so I'll just have to see if that pulls off.

Who in the music industry would you love to work with one day?

I'm a crazy fan of the living legend Gurdas Mann and that would be my ultimate collaboration.

How can your fans best support you with your next single?

All I can say is you like what I do please support the cause by buying legit, like and share, tweet & re-tweet and request radio stations to play them, that is the only way I truly know if a song is appreciated and that's the only way I know what to give you the next time around.

Finally, any message to your fans reading this on Simply Bhangra?

I can only put my hands together and say thanks for their love and support, without them I wouldn’t be where I am and I wouldn't be doing what I do and what I love. Thank you xx