Hello Dolly

After a hiatus of five years,Dolly Singh returns to music with a new album

Her debut album in 2001 touted her as the next best thing in Punjabi music. Dolly Singh had made quite an entry with Udeekan. After singing in school and college and earning a degree in music from Amritsar and Panjab University,Singh collaborated with Surinder Bachan on five subsequent albums — Charkha Channda,Punjaban,Mata Diyan Batain,Nachungi Tere Naal and Dachi Valeya. “I shared the stage with almost all the contemporary legends of Punjabi music including Daler Mehndi and Mika and experimented with film playback too,” smiles the singer who returns to the music scene after a hiatus of five years with a brand new album titled Dream. “I got married and had two daughters,so I took a break. Now I am back with this album,which has a versatile mix,” says the singer,who has won several awards,including the Mohammad Rafi award (2003) and the Best Female Singer of the Year (2002) award. Her comeback album has music by Honey Singh,and is being produced by her husband Amandeep Hundal. It will also feature music videos by Ajeem. I. Parker,Vikas Dutt and G. Gama.

Surviving in a predominantly male-dominated industry has been tough,but the singer says it’s been worth the effort. “It’s the survival of the fittest,” she shrugs,talking of her initiative to help upcoming singers,particularly women. “It’s for this reason I run the Apna Virsa Culture Welfare Society which aims at helping young female singers and work towards the betterment of the girl child,” she says.