Mar 09: Shafqat Amanat Ali, the voice behind the chartbuster song Tere Naina from My Name is Khan presents his rock album Kyun Dooriyan

Music Today presents the brand new album Kyun Dooriyan by Shafqat Amanat Ali, the voice behind blockbusters such as Mitwa, Yeh Hausla and now Tere Naina. The iconic singer-writer-composer who released his chartbuster album Tabeer, once again creates a sensation with his path-breaking compositions and Pop-Rock sound in Kyun Dooriyan.

Shafqat Amanat Ali – the Rockstar Ustad (A term coined by Bollywood music director Salim Merchant) – is the son of legendary Pakistani singer Ustad Amanat Ali Khan of Pakistan, making him a part of the 9-generation-old Patiala Gharana. Based out of Lahore, Pakistan, Shafqat is extremely popular and highly respected among music lovers and critics. He has been a student of the traditional Indian and Pakistani classical music since the age of four and his command over the classical idiom and modern music has made him a name to reckon with in Bollywood.

Shafqat Amanat Ali was the lead vocalist of the popular Pakistani band – Fuzon. Their first album ‘Saagar’ was a big hit, which features a common strain of rock melodies blended with classical and folk vocals. The opening track Aakhon Ke Saagar gave rise to their popularity within Pakistan and India. Tracks such as Akhiyan, Tere Bina and Khamaaj (Mora Saiyan) among others (most of which were composed by Shafqat for the band), became instant favourites with fans as they were played on TV and FM stations across Pakistan and India. The songs - "Mora Saiyan" and "Tere Bina" are also featured in Nagesh Kukunoor's Hyderabad Blues 2. Fuzon was the first band to release their debut album Saagar concurrently in both Pakistan and India

Shafqat’s voice represents a unique blend of classical gayaki and contemporary panache. The soul in his powerful voice has that rare ability which can carry the listener to the peaks of ecstasy and the depths of pain within moments. This very versatility makes him a vocalist par excellence. As the soulful voice traverses a gamut of emotions, the sheer perfection of the gayaki leaves the listener spellbound.

Shafqat’s solo debut was the album Tabeer which earned rave reviews from critics and music lovers. With super-hit tracks such as Dum Ali Ali and Kherheyan De Naal, Tabeer went a long in establishing Shafqat as one of the most celebrated names in contemporary music in the sub-continent today.

ABOUT THE ALBUM – KYUN DOORIYAN

Electrifying power meets heart-rending emotion in Shafqat Amanat Ali’s voice. This very depth and versatility is the essence of Kyun Dooriyan. An unmistakable progressive spirit underlying the rich melodic maze of the songs stirs the soul.

Drawing from the wealth of literary and inherent musical treasure, Shafqat Amanat Ali, son of the legend Ustad Amanat Ali Khan embarks upon yet another awe-inspiring quest.

Featuring an exciting array of high-energy rock tracks and stunning romantic ballads, the lyrics spanning different languages, the haunting compositions and the striking sound canvas, all align and weave together to complete the unique musical fabric of this album.

Shafqat Amanat Ali’s recent and forthcoming tracks in Bollywood

Shafqat has more recently sung for movies such as Hello (Track – Caravan), Nagesh Kukunoor’s forthcoming Aashayein (Track – Shukriya Zindagi), the current hit track Tum Mile for Mukesh Bhatt’s film Tum Mile under music director Pritam, Tere Naina for Karan Johar’s My Name is Khan under Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, a new track for Dharma Productions’ I hate Love Stories under music director duo Vishal- Shekhar and a track for the film Patiala House starring Akshay Kumar under Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy among others.

Track Details – In Shafqat Amanat Ali’s words…

Kyun Dooriyan - Everybody can relate to this track. Each one of us has at some point in life experienced the pain of separation from a loved one. Unfortunately some distances can never be bridged and some relationships just keep drifting apart… Though the thought behind the track is sad as it reflects the loneliness of the soul, we have kept the music upbeat to juxtapose the feel of the lyrics. A sad composition for a sad song is predictable. I wanted to experiment with a different feel and this very contrast excites me as a composer.

Kya Haal Sunawan – I have always been fascinated by the first line of the original song Kya Haal Sunawan by Zahida Parveen, which is the inspiration behind this track. I picked up the first line and as I hummed it to myself, I felt a compelling need to compose a complete song. So I composed the line ‘Tumse Hi Thay Dhage Jude’ and before I knew the song just started flowing out of me and unveiled itself. This track also represents my continued effort to pay tribute to yesteryear singers who were legends but have been forgotten simply because they existed in an era which lacked mass communication.

Jaayein Kahan – This is a love song which has been created in a way that it can almost pass off as a Pop number. Initially I had planned to compose this in raga Malkauns but while composing it, I felt adding a few different notes made it interesting and so I deviated from the raga. The words ‘Jaayein Kahan’ reflect a feeling of desperate helplessness.

Mahiya – This song was originally someone else’s composition. I changed it to create it in its current form. This is one of the most beautiful tracks in the album and speaks for itself.

Nukar Tere – This is a very old folk track introduced to me by my Phupho (Father’s sister). It was a popular pre-partition wedding song. We had originally kept the canvas of the track Rock-ish but the arranger and I realised it lost its essence so we decided to keep it close to its traditional feel. Therefore, the tabla but we added guitars to give it a contemporary feel and an upbeat tempo.

Naal Naal – This track is a pure fun song with a completely upbeat tempo. It started out as something different but during the creative process changed course to become what it is now.

Saada Dil – This song was inspired by the beat of the popular We Will Rock You but after starting out we realised that its mood did not fit into that structure. The arranger experimented with a different feel, which I liked and this track was born.

Paharhi – This is a thumri in raga Pahadi and the raga makes it easier to adapt to western arrangements. It turned out to be a very soulful number, which is sure to touch your heart.

Tu Hi Sanam – This is one of my early compositions and like the work of all struggling artistes, this too did the rounds of various different arrangers who loved it but were too busy with commercial work to pay attention. It’s a pure love song and in this album I have collaborated with guitarist Aamir Zaki to bring out what I wanted. When we jammed on this track, it sounded different and really beautiful and we decided to go ahead with it.

Wo Jaanta Hai - I wrote this track after the massacre of 26/11. I have always believed that a true believer, no matter what faith or religion, needs to be a true human being first as God or any supreme power that exists sees everything. This track is not just against terrorism, it’s against all evil. The track is a call to all those who commit these heinous acts against human beings; an attempt to bring them down to a human level and make them realise that God watches over every injustice against His people. I liked the first line ‘Wo Jaanta Hai Mere Yaar’ but didn’t really know how this track would develop at that time. I kept the composition mellow as I feel that a message loses its spirit if delivered aggressively. Therefore, the soft, mellow feel of the track.

Kartar (Darbari) - A very old Patiala Gharana asthai that my father Ustad Amanat Ali Khan and uncle Ustad Fateh Ali Khan had sung. I have extended the asthai to complete this song. (Originally from my first solo album Tabeer)