Tender by Raju Punjabi

Few songs from 2021 have held their ground as well as Tender, a track that keeps finding new audiences. The arrangement here is the work of Raju Punjabi, and it shows genuine craft in how it builds and releases.

The voice of Raju Punjabi carries Tender effortlessly, which is the highest compliment a song can give its singer. Featuring a talented ensemble cast, the song carries the weight of the film's emotional arc and delivers it with conviction.

Released in 2021, it arrived at a time when Haryanvi music needed exactly this kind of sincerity. The emotional register of Tender is wide enough to fit celebration and solitude equally well.

Running to 3:35, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. Tender is a reminder that the best music does not need to announce itself. It only needs to be heard.