Manjot Singh: Trends Change With Time, But Your Truth Stays (Poet, Lyricist, Sydney, 150K Followers)

"My family never pushed me to become a lyricist, but they gave me the atmosphere where words were respected and felt."

Q. Could you walk us through your journey from Sydney to becoming a multilingual lyricist — what sparked your passion for writing songs in Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu?

My journey began while growing up in Sydney. That was home. But the roots were always from my family. My parents were very fond of Punjabi. It is our mother tongue, and it was the language of our conversations and our everyday life. We always had Punjabi poetry and literature around, so I grew up in an atmosphere where words carried emotion and meaning.

Punjabi came naturally. Hindi and Urdu entered my life later through music, through film and through the poetry I discovered as I got older. I started writing privately just to understand my own feelings, and with time, those small thoughts turned into poems and songs.

When I began working with artists across India and Pakistan, I realised that every emotion chooses its own language. Some thoughts come alive in Punjabi, some soften beautifully in Hindi, and some find their depth only in Urdu.

Somewhere along that journey, the three languages stopped feeling separate. They became different ways of opening the same soul.

Q. Your songwriting credits include working with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan (“Mere Ho Jao”) and other big names. What is your creative process when writing for such iconic voices?

When I write for an iconic voice, my first step is to forget about the pressure and focus on the emotion. I try to understand what the song needs to say and what kind of world the singer can bring to life. With artists like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, the responsibility feels bigger because the voice already carries so much history and depth.

But my process is not always tied to the singer. A lot of my songs are actually written before I even know who will sing them. Some emotions come first, and the voice finds its way to them later. When a song is honest and complete in its feeling, the right voice naturally arrives for it.

So I usually start by sitting with the core idea, letting it breathe, and shaping the lines in a way that feels true. I do not try to impress the singer. I try to serve the song. If the emotion is real, the artist will elevate it on their own.

Q. Your father played a big role in your literary education, especially in Punjabi. How influential has your family background been in shaping your voice as a lyricist?

My family has shaped more of my writing than anything else. My father played a huge role in introducing me to Punjabi in a deeper way. He would share poetry, couplets and stories, and without realising it, that became my first form of literary education. Punjabi was not just our language; it was the way emotions were expressed in the house.

Growing up in that environment created a foundation in me. It taught me to value simplicity, honesty and emotional clarity. Even today, when I write, I can hear a little bit of that upbringing in the way my lines form.

My family never pushed me to become a lyricist, but they gave me the atmosphere where words were respected and felt. That atmosphere has shaped my voice more than any formal training ever could.

Q. For aspiring songwriters, especially in the diaspora, what advice would you give about staying authentic while also appealing to a global audience?

My advice is simple. Trends change every few months, but your truth stays with you for life. If you chase trends, you will always be behind. If you write from who you are, you will always be ahead of your time.

A global audience connects to honesty more than formulas. People can feel when a line is real. They can also feel when it is written to fit a trend. So your authenticity is not something to hide. It is what sets you apart in a global market where everything can start sounding similar.

If you stay rooted in your own experience, the world will find something fresh in it. Authenticity does not limit your reach. It actually expands it, because no one else can write from your life. That uniqueness is what makes global listeners stop and listen.

Q. If Mani Manjot, the songwriter, had a theme song written by Mani Manjot the lyricist, what would its title be — and who would you cast to sing it?

I think the title would be ‘Still Learning.’ That sums up how I see myself… always growing, always evolving. If I had to choose a singer, I would choose Hassrat. He has seen my journey from the start, and he understands the emotion behind my writing better than anyone else.

Bio

Manjot Singh aka ManiManjot is a Sydney based Chartered Accountant and poet/songwriter who writes lyrics in Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. He grew up in Sydney in a Punjabi household where language and poetry were always present, and his father introduced him to Punjabi literature at a young age. Songwriting began quietly for him. He never sang, but wrote to understand emotions. Balancing that creative world with his work as a Chartered Accountant has never been easy. 

Accounting demands structure and long hours, while writing needs silence and space. A major turning point in his journey was meeting the singer and composer Hassrat. They have worked together for years .Their collaborations helped him grow as a lyricist and opened doors to working with artists across India and Pakistan.

His work includes “Mere Ho Jao” sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, as well as songs with Javed Ali, Noor Chahal and Adnan Dhool.

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Interviewed By Tarunanshi Sharma