Jaasmaan Singh’s album Scratch Singer sheds light on the challenges in the music industry

Jaasmaan Singh's album "Scratch Singer" sheds light on the struggles of underdog artistes in the music industry.

Scratch singers often find themselves the underdogs of the music industry. Their vocals are often used as a reference for the melody, lyrics, and overall feel of the song before the main singer records the final vocals.  

Film composer and singer-songwriter Jaasmaan Singh portrays the struggles of an artiste in his latest album, Scratch Singer. Stating that the creative field should be free from all sorts of hierarchies, he says “Most artistes want to be able to at least express themselves freely through their art and have a decent living. But sadly, the current system jeopardises those necessities... The starting line isn’t the same for everyone.”

The Canada-based Indian-born artiste says, “In 2022, when things turned dark for me — be it with rejections from composers or the financial downfall — to a point where I didn’t even have money to put food on my table, it seemed like an end. I would think about how I wanted to create at least one song before I died.” He adds that the constant struggle of an artiste to fight for relevance, no matter how much their fraternity belittles them, is what Scratch Singer is about. “They reduce our voice to some scratch; the term ‘Scratch’ itself is derogatory,” says Jaasmaan.

Jaasmaan says newcomers are often asked to sing scratch versions of the track without any remuneration or credit, only to eventually hear that a celebrity singer has replaced them in the final song.

Initially, Jaasmaan says he resisted the idea of following in his father’s footsteps who was a classical singer in the devotional genre. Having grown up in a middle-class family with financial pressures, pursuing a stable career seemed logical. “Although I wasn’t actively learning music as a child, my father enrolled me in tabla classes, which benefitted my future as a composer. Despite earning a degree in engineering from NIT Jalandhar, I remained steadfast in my resolve to pursue music. It wasn’t until my teenage years that I fully embraced my passion for music, defying societal expectations and following my heart,” says Jaasmaan.

Despite the family’s reservations, he pursued engineering in Canada, knowing it could eventually lead him to music. “I worked odd jobs for five years, from delivering food to singing on freezing streets to fund my education while navigating bureaucracy. Every challenge has shaped me, fueling my determination to switch to music.”

Jaasmaan finds inspiration in celebrated composers Alokananda Dasgupta and AR Rahman. He’s overwhelmed at the care and security that Alokananda extended towards him, something he believes every newcomer in the industry deserves. ‘Some moments in the video of Scratch Singer are inspired by how she treated me with kindness and care. She is also an alum of York University, where I’m currently pursuing my Music degree, and I consider it such an honour to be able to walk the same corridors as she did. It’s very special. I remember her telling me, ‘Art is great, but it’s not even half as impressive as kindness’..”