Daler Mehndi’s 1998 music video, in which the singer performs with 4 “clones” of himself. “Mehndi claims his music was often criticized for only being popular due to the abundance of beautiful, dancing women in his videos The singer responded by creating a video that featured nobody but himself.” Apparently he wasn’t wrong and the song went on to become the “biggest indi-pop hit at the time”.
The video caught the attention of the wider internet around 2006. The catchy song, dated visual effects, and absurdity of the “clones” fueled its spread.
On a less fun note: in 2018 the singer and his brother Shamsar were convicted of human trafficking, accused of “cheating people of large sums of money by falsely promising to take them to America” and “illegally sending people abroad as a part of their dance troupes.”
I believe in the death of the author. This helps me separate the art and the artist.
Bad people do good things and not everyone can be judged by their worst acts.
I wouldn’t pay for any of his art anymore, but I still enjoy the songs I have already without guilt.
Death of the author works best when the author is actually dead. It’s easier to accept that H. P. Lovecraft or Phil Spector had some pretty terrible moral failings since you know that you’re in no way supporting ongoing bad acts.
you are also not supporting the author if you pirate their works :)