Hyper-masculinity through the feminine voice: Vocal masquerade in contemporary Punjabi music

In contemporary Punjabi music, many male singers render songs in a feminine voice, a form of vocal masquerade rooted in the Bhakti and Sufi traditions of Punjab. However, this masquerade has subdued and reclaimed the feminine voice, which largely reinforces the notion of Punjabi women's devotion to an affluent, hyper-masculine male figure, whose control and dominance are central to the relationship. This paper explores the appropriation of hyper-masculinity and the erosion of the feminine voice in popular Punjabi music. It contrasts this trend with the more critical, independent feminine voices in the earlier duet-singing genre of Punjabi music.