‘Patriotism Pop’ has become the latest trending thing in India, as YouTube videos and TikTok clips have become overwhelmingly popular playgrounds for these new songs to come about. But what exactly is Patriotism Pop and how did it all begin?
An absolutely vast array of music videos began appearing on social media within hours of the announcement by India’s Hindu-led nationalist government that it was stripping statehood from the Pakistani-Indian disputed region of Kashmir that had been in place for decades.
All of these songs in question make up the Patriotism Pop that has been swirling around for a few days now, and their intent is to deliver a message to the Indian people, usually with lyrical content about moving to the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir, buying land there and marrying the Kashmiri women, who are often fetishised in the songs.
Political anthropologist Ather Zia has up and called these songs straight-up “fetishisation in the Indian imagination”.
Such songs are a “culmination of a toxic misogynistic nationalist thinking that draws validation from humiliating Kashmiri women,” Zia said.
“The Indian media – from news to entertainment – has left no stone unturned in portraying Kashmiri women in the racist trope of ‘coveted fair-skinned ones’ [and] at the same time being helpless and needing saving from their own men – all this while demonizing Kashmiri men,” she said.
Watch this incredibly informative video by Philip DeFranco to learn more
One comment on DeFranco’s video reads:
“I love how almost all the comments so far are about the pop music. That isn’t even the point of this report. The point is that the Indian government is now actively oppressing and imprisoning people for nothing other then wanting their liberty and autonomy. This has been a steadily increasing trend throughout the world in recent years and we as a united humanity need to start putting pressure on the individuals in these governments that are pulling this shit. Not making pop songs about it being a good thing.”
The earliest batch of patriotism pop songs were strictly limited to the rise of Hindus in India defeating regional rival Pakistan and hoisting the Indian flag above every mountainside. Now, the songs have taken a turn to look at settling into Kashmir, a Himalayan region claimed by both Pakistan and India, although both countries only control a portion respectively.
The ever so popular TikTok has also been flooded with videos praising and admiring Kashmiri women, and you can watch a rather interesting TikTok compilation video HERE.
In April, TikTok was removed from Android and iPhone app stores after an Indian court ruled it was “encouraging pornography”.
The rising appeal for songs that promote nationalism and talk about reclaiming Kashmir have paved the way for lesser-known artists to join in.
Listen to one of the patriotic bops on the removal of Article 370 below
