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Harris Jeyaraj: the most overhyped artist in the history of TFM?

Topic started by Vijay (@ 212.219.189.4) on Sat Dec 1 14:39:37 EST 2001.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I have to say that, in my opinion, this guy - Harris Jeyaraj - is probably the most overhyped music director in the history of TFM. It's irritating at times when people call him "the next A R Rahman", a "phenomenon", a "talented" young music director, etc., etc., as if the music directors before him weren't any of these things. The media is making it sound as if he is the most exciting thing to happen to music ever! His website, which was presumably designed at least partly by him, says he is "redefining" music. He says he wants to do something "different" as if all music directors before him were idiots. I'm tired of this!
"Behind the calm and serene face lies the spirit to venture into the unearthed mystery of music." - www.galatta.com. Are they going over the top or what?! This guy is nothing compared to the greats before him! His "Vaseegaraa" number has to be THE MOST OVERHYPED song ever in the history of TFM. I think it was the eroticism of the visuals of that song that made it so popular, not the music.

In reality, this guy is just a sophisticated version of Deva.

Someone in this forum asked the following question: "who are we to criticise music directors like Harris Jeyaraj, etc., etc.? Can we compose music like them?" I agree that is a good point. But definitely we do not claim to be "redefining musik" when we don't have the talent. Harris Jeyaraj is definitely more talented than I am, but he is not a phenomenon. I think he is too overhyped.

If anyone needed proof that, good marketing is more important than real talent nowadays, Harris Jeyaraj's phenomenal commercial success - I have to agree that, considering his mediocre (compared to the true greats, not to everyday simple music fans like myself) abilities, he is phenomenally successful - is your proof.

Another thing that is annoying is the way he uses A R Rahman's name to give himself a "trendy, sophisticated" image. He not only keeps saying that his most unforgettable moments were the days he spent with A R Rahman (in order to remind everyone that he used to work with the real Isai Puyal), he also copies his hairstyle, his music (his themes, his orchestration, etc., etc.) and does everything he can to give himself an image of a young, sophisticated guy. Okay, many of A R Rahman's albums were also quite heavily publicised, but A R Rahman himself was never given an image as a sophisticated musician (although he really is). Rahman, even if he was publicised so heavily, deserved all the publicity he gets as he always delivers, in fact he almost always exceeds expectations. Rahman is a true genius. Another thing to be mentioned is that he used to work with M S Vishwanathan, but when he first came to work in the industry on his own, he didn't make a fuss about it. And Rahman is a modest guy. He doesn't call himself Isai Puyal (that was a nickname given to him by his fans), and he doesn't claim to be redefining music. He didn't copy anyone's hairstyle or style of music or anything.

Even Karthik Raja and Yuvan Shankar Raja, sons of another true genius (Ilayaraja) didn't use his name to give themselves an image. They have said that they will try to be as different as possible from their father in their music, and they really are working differently. They may not be as talented as their father, but they don't call themselves the "lightings of musik" or the "princes", etc.

Harris Jeyaraj - "the lightning of musik"? Well, actually he is little more than a firework compared to the sun - a little bit of light, but only visible in the absence of the sun and it goes out very soon. I accept that he more talented than fellows like me. But we don't make a fuss about ourselves.

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: Raj (@ 172.189.176.23) on: Sun Dec 2 16:20:21 EST 2001
  
  In response to you Vijay, I completely agree with you.HJ has done hardly anything to be congratulated.He is a product of good marketing.I think he needs to be eradicated from the TFM industry.Even the one song Poove Vai Pesum podhu is a lift.Not even a single song is his own. I think that Vidyasagar and YSR are undercharging when compared to the amount HJ demands.
  I too heard that Venkat Prabhu has described HJ as the best MD to hit TFM and also that he is only singing in other MD's music in order to get a song for HJ.
  
  
• From: Vijay (@ 212.219.189.4) on: Sun Dec 2 17:10:25 EST 2001
  
  Now listen here, "Raj", you are obviously furious with me for my criticism of Harris Jayaraj. But you (and "Vasanth") don't seem to get my point: I'm not saying he is zero talent, I am saying that the hype surrounding him in the media and among his fans is going over the top (more than what he deserves, i.e., we need to hear more music from him). He is hardly five films old and is already talking as if he is the single greatest musician in India!!!
  Vasanth seems to say that Harris Jayaraj is the only guy whose music sells just because of the presence of his name in the credits apart from Ilayaraja. Has he forgotten A R Rahman? And he says that Vidyasagar and Yuvan Shankar Raja are yet to prove that they are better than Harris Jayaraj because Harris Jayaraj's cassettes sell more than theirs. But when "fans" buy music because of its image, do you think talented musicians who have no hype will be commercially successful? How many times do I have to repeat that I am not saying Harris Jayaraj is totally taletless? What I am saying is that the fuss made about his talents is TOO MUCH.
  
  
• From: kk (@ 198.4.92.5) on: Mon Dec 3 11:25:06 EST 2001
  
  Vijay?
  
  Can you name Top 5 people repsonsible for this hype?
  
  Listen, such things happen quite naturaly. Few factors are Present scene in TFM, Timing of the first movie, confidence and hope the person shows,
  Publicity by the producers and other promoters, interviews, Media Interests etc.
  
  There is no single person responsible for this.
  
  There will be some gaga over any new kid on the block. Some may not have that much. Eventualy it will all come down. (like there was for say arvind swamy, madhavan etc). All we can do is just stand back and watch.
  
  I joined the chat with HJ in chennaionline, he was very normal. But confident. All I can see is what he is saying what he does, or what he tries.
  Iam not a fan of him or his kind of music, but there is no reson to hate him. Considering, he is just 26 his personality is decent.
  
  
  
  
• From: Vijay (@ 212.219.189.4) on: Mon Dec 3 13:28:10 EST 2001
  
  No I certainly don't hate him, I don't hate anyone for being overconfident. Or as you say, he is confident, and maybe that confidence is projected as an almost arrogant attitude.
  
  Let me explain my problem to you. Well, it's not a problem, because it does not affect me in a serious way. But this is what it is: I feel that I have a good taste for music and I enjoy listening to good music by anyone (Harris Jayaraj included, or for that matter even Deva and S A Rajkumar). But most people in my age group (19-25) seem to think it is more important to listen to "trendy" music - and that according to some, includes music from films like "Chocolat" - the Prashanth starrer. None of them appears to really appreciate true quality. And I'm getting tired of hearing "Ayo... bore daa" when I say that Carnatic style songs or any other classical style songs are melodious to listen to. This is because of pseudo-sophisticated individuals who will listen to anything that the media hypes up or simply anything that sounds different. I am not criticising just Harris - there are "artists" in the West who do "rap" which some people seem to enjoy. What is enjoyable about most of the "rap" music is beyond me, but that is the craze among youngsters today (or so my friend tells me). And they think it's not acceptable to listen to slow, melodious songs like some of the "pop" musicians. This kind of an attitude is spreading quite rapidly to us also. Or you may say that such an attitude has been around with us for quite a long time anyway. I am criticising everyone who has such an attitude, not just Harris Jayaraj. I was only using Harris Jayaraj as an example. I am pretty sure that if Harris Jayaraj composes a classical-style song without putting his name on it, noone will listen to it. But if he puts his name on it, it will sell even if it was some silly piece of work. Can you really say that Vaseegara" was so extraordinarily melodious as it became a hit? It was a good song, but so was "Sollaamal..." from "Dhina", which didn't become as big a hit. Why? Because there was no marketing surrounding it. I think I am criticising everyone who falls for overhyped or overmarketed material - and that includes people like Eminem fans as well - do you know what I'm saying?
  
  
• From: sats (@ 139.177.224.101) on: Mon Dec 3 14:34:58 EST 2001
  
  Vijay
  
  Neenga othukittalum illenalum "vaseegara" was
  extraordinarily melodious song with high standards
  
  
• From: Mediator (@ 172.191.54.81) on: Mon Dec 3 17:47:34 EST 2001
  
  I feel that this is a forum to talk about mD's.
  HJ does not fall under this catergory, so lets stop the threads about this master of theft and plagiarism.
  
  
• From: Common Friend (@ 203.197.141.187) on: Tue Dec 4 07:26:12 EST 2001
  
  >>>HJ does not fall under this catergory, so lets stop the threads about this master of theft and plagiarism
  
  Again a good sense of humour.
  
  
• From: rasigaaaaaaaa (@ 203.199.248.143) on: Tue Dec 4 11:05:35 EST 2001
  
  u bet.. i completely agree...
  He is OVERhyped.....
  enna anaalum ARR pola varaathu...
  
  
• From: no jalra (@ 61.11.74.10) on: Fri Dec 7 02:38:00 EST 2001
  
  Who is the most over hyped artist in the history tfm page?
  
  1.Illaiyaraaja
  2.Yuvan shankar raaja
  3.Karthik raaja
  4.All three above
  
  Can anyone tell the answer?
  
  
• From: Nandha (@ 172.188.166.142) on: Fri Dec 7 03:12:42 EST 2001
  
  No Jalra,If you think that The three above are overhyped and HJ is not, your mind needs to be checked.The only overhyped fool in TFM is HARRIS JAYARAJ
  
  
• From: Pras (@ 193.56.241.19) on: Fri Dec 7 03:49:08 EST 2001
  
  no jalra, please stop your nonsense posts about ilayaraaja !
  we know that you are a fan of rahman, but why do you need to post useless comments on ilayaraaja ?
  
  
• From: mahabs (@ 203.197.138.163) on: Fri Dec 7 08:30:15 EST 2001
  
  pras
  
  it is because of inferiority complex.
  
  mahabs
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.137) on: Fri Dec 7 09:26:52 EST 2001
  
  Maybe u guys don't realise this. But there are many people in tfm who also condemn ARR simply bcos they r IR fans.
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.137) on: Fri Dec 7 09:43:07 EST 2001
  
  error: many in tfmpages forum
  
  

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