Peter Knoope with Marisa Gerards, Ambassador of Netherlands
It is about the ties that bring our two countries together,” the ambassador said as he welcomed the Guest of Honour on stage. Navtej took to the stage and said, “It is a privilege and honour for me to be here, and I am looking forward to entertaining you with my music. Dancing to dhol beats and focusing on stronger people-to-people ties, the Embassy of Denmark celebrated its National Day in the capital recently. Navtej Singh Rehal (Nav), the Danish-Indian musician and lead singer of Bombay Rockers, was the guest of honour. He also performed for the guests, getting diplomats to dance to the dhol beats. Welcoming the guests, Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen, Ambassador of Denmark, emphasised the importance of people-to-people connections. “It is a pleasure to celebrate Denmark Day here in India with all of you. Diplomacy teaches you many things, and one of them is that whenever two countries share common ground, you should mention it immediately. Fortunately, Denmark and India have so much in common. The two countries share a strong commitment to innovation, sustainability, and green growth, and perhaps more importantly, we share a genuine appreciation for good food and good company. So, tonight, let’s celebrate Denmark and India and the friendship that brings us together. Tonight is not about the statistics. It is about people. I hope you like it. I have started making music again this year’
Navtej also revealed that he is making a comeback to the music scene.
Speaking to us after the performance, Navtej said, “I know the previous generation has enjoyed Aari Aari a lot, and to see the youth watching Dhurandhar and connecting with Aari Aari is a special moment for me. By the end of this year, new tracks are coming,” he said. Music has a power that no language has, and I can just see that the youth is connecting to it, and it makes me very happy. Aari Aari is from Punjabi boliyan, and I come from Punjab. But the thing about Punjabi music is that it is very catchy. Bombay Rockers is all about pop music and Punjabi bhangra music, and both rely on being catchy. We like to repeat things, so when you repeat a pattern, it becomes catchy. I think Bombay Rockers has always aimed to make songs that are catchy. “I thought we had retired, and I felt that too. I am a dad now; I have two kids. But this comeback… Dhurandhar has given me a stepping stone, and I have started making music again this year.