"Lovely and Monty declare themselves as patriots."

"Lovely and Monty declare themselves as patriots."

*With their Football anthem "This EURO 2024", the Indian origin Hamburgans Lovely and Monty Bhangu, popularly known as Lovely & Monty online, have become viral sensations. In an interview with ntv.de, the cabbie musicians reveal why they're not shocked by the song's popularity, decipher the "Dollywood" lyrics, and offer a clear EURO tip.

ntv.de: So, you've recently blown up with your EURO 2024 track "This". How do you account for the song's success?

Lovely and Monty Bhangu: Easy-peasy, football is a faith in Germany. But we didn't start out as chart-toppers – our 2012 banger "If you..." made it to the top 50 of iTunes. Media caught wind of us, and fans were hounding for more. Until today, we've let out 20 German-language songs, with five of them being football-themed.

So you didn't kick off singing in German?

Nope. Our initial 200 tracks were in Punjabi. We'd belt them out together and play them for our cab passengers. However, several passengers remarked that they'd rather listen to the radio instead, since they couldn't grasp our lyrics and couldn't follow the song. Eventually, we swapped the Punjabi verses for German ones, but kept the music intact – Dollywood was born!

What exactly lies behind the genre Dollywood?

Think Hollywood and Bollywood, and then imagine a German version of Bollywood – that's Dollywood! The music still echoes Tumbi drum rhythms, an instrument native to Punjab. Our tracks have Punjab-influenced drum beats.

What year did you take off for Germany?

We hopped onto the Hamburg highway in 1984, exactly 40 years back. Fresh out of college!

Did you dive into taxi service right away then?

Lovely: Nah, we experimented with other stuff initially. Spreading flyers, kitchen work, import-export ventures, kitchen aid, and even ran a snack stand. The calendar was brimming with events. Then we both served as financial advisors for a long period, in our respective sectors. However, in 2020, my wife had a nasty illness and required dialysis regularly. I couldn't manage my work under the pressure. I swapped my job for driving a cab instead.

Monty: I saw the transformation in Lovely. The taxi gig seemed like a natural fit for me. I figured I'd been chasing Lovely's footsteps all along and had no second thoughts about it.*

Would you consider a full-time switch to music and dropping taxi driving?

Lovely & Monty: That'll evolve over time. For now, we're committed to keeping our cab service afloat. We don't aim to be dependent on music or sing songs for a living. We're not pop stars who drive cabs – we're singing cabbies. Our cabs take precedence.

Who's your pick for the EURO?

Obviously Germany. But let's not get carried away. Keep the ball rolling and play like England's game. And our EURO dream will come true.

And if Germany meets India in a World Cup, which side are you on?

We're rooting for both teams. Regardless of who triumphs between them: We score!

Interview by Aljoscha Prange with Lovely & Monty

Read also:

1. Lovely and Monty express their support for Germany's national soccer team, highlighting their anticipation for the European Football Championship 2024 organized by the DFB.
2. Their enthusiasm for soccer is evident as they suggest that England should emulate their gameplay style to succeed in the European Championships.
3. As the interview concludes, Lovely and Monty reveal their hopes for a potential match between Germany and India in the future International soccer events, expressing their joy and team spirit regardless of the outcome.

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