Bipolar

Navaan Sandhu has been busy. Bipolar maintains the Punjabi singer-songwriter and rapper’s record of releasing a full-length album every year for the past five—preceded by months of anticipation among his fans. It immediately hit number one on Apple Music’s Top Albums chart for India. “I made this album with summer vibes in mind—something bright, something you’d play with the windows down,” says Sandhu, who smoothly switches the musical vibe from one cut to the next. Bipolar, he says, caters to “every mood” of his loyal listeners with “inspiring anthems for when you need a push, romantic melodies for when you’re in love, raw emotion for when you’re hurting and bhangra beats for when nothing else will do.” What remains consistent is the star’s signature lyrical finesse on tunes that talk of success and fame as well as love and heartbreak. “There’s something in here for every version of you,” declares Sandhu. Here, he takes Apple Music through the making of the album’s tracks. “Kath Lagda” “‘Kath Lagda’ is deeply personal. I wanted to devote a song to my village, Chawinda Devi, which has made me who I am today. The lyrics are all about the good and bad of my childhood. [Haryanvi rapper] Dhanda [Nyoliwala] was the ideal collaborator for this song because of the love he has for Punjab and the Punjabi audience. Sanya Dandona’s English-language portion is one of the most moving on the entire album.” “Hood Ambience” “A man is known by the company he keeps. ‘Hood Ambience’ is about the amazing people in my life. It’s extremely important for an artist to be surrounded by the right people, who keep the vibe positive and move you towards your goal. This song is all about that. [Producer] JayB did an amazing job of bringing that to life.” “City Dreams” “It’s a song about lovers who come from different realities. While the girl has all the material possessions that one needs to make life comfortable, the guy is in the struggling phase of life. ‘City Dreams’ is written from the perspective of an immigrant guy who falls in love, and how he feels about his constant monetary struggles and his mental battle to bring it in line with the reality of his love life.” “Moodshift” “The song is about love at first sight and the shift it brings to one’s mood at that moment. Love at first sight is not about deep love or connection but the attraction to the other person’s aura. I don’t think I could make a better song for such a situation.” “Naveezy Era” “Listening to ‘Naveezy Era’ after ‘Moodshift’ can be a sad and funny experience. While ‘Moodshift’ is about love at first sight and the flattening charm of a girl, ‘Naveezy Era’ is about the crisis such love brings—the constant doubts one feels of ‘Would someone like her ever choose someone like me?’, ‘Am I creating a fantasy instead of seeing reality?’, ‘Am I falling for her or for the idea of her?’” “Yaara ve yaara” “‘Yaara ve yaara’ is a conversation [between] a boy and a girl [from] different worlds [with] different priorities. The song was created purely out of vibes. [Producer] Daaku, [singer] Shai and I were jamming in the studio without any intention of creating it. Shai’s voice was exactly what the track needed. She has a young energy that fills a room with positivity.” “Star Girl” “An ode to the girl one loves. I couldn’t think of anyone better than [singer] Mickey Singh for ‘Star Girl’. Mickey has been an important part of the development of this album and helped me onboard several great individuals to make Bipolar. Mickey has influenced an entire generation of Punjabi artists. Bringing him on to this record felt natural because his melodic style fit the concept perfectly.” “Yaad” “‘This track was the result of Daaku’s creative prowess. While I was recording vocals for another song, he was sitting in the studio experimenting with some beats that he combined with a sample. That resulted in us creating ‘Yaad’. It seems like Daaku is my constant companion in all my romantic songs.” “Kaare” “When [producer] Haakam and I were working on ‘Headliner’, he shared this beat with me, [from which we made] ‘Kaare’. Its placement after several romantic songs was an important creative decision as it lifts the listener up from the nostalgic sadness that they may have fallen into and prepares them for what’s about to hit them.” “Headliner” “‘Headliner’ is dedicated to my audience for all the popularity and love that I’ve received from them [that’s led to me] overtaking my competitors one by one. The hook line ‘Mitran da naam’ was made popular by one of my favourite artists, Harjit Harman [on his 2004 track of the same name]. This is my neo-age version inspired by it and is best heard when hitting those personal bests in the gym.” “Bodyguard” & “Boozed Up” “There are several Punjabi songs that are played ritually at each and every Punjabi wedding. [With] ‘Bodyguard’ and ‘Boozed Up’, my aim was to bring in bhangra tracks in an attempt to make timeless classics. For ‘Bodyguard’, I needed a strong female vocalist. I had been closely following Param’s development as a singer and found her a perfect fit. She has an amazing command over Punjabi, which is what we required.”