MUMBAI: India’s burgeoning and vibrant music industry can help its counterpart Pakistan’s music industry diversify and encourage its artists to express themselves, says Pakistan’s multi-talented pop star Komal Rizvi.
Rizvi, who launched her new self titled album ‘Komal Rizvi’ under Saregama in Mumbai on 4 December, will perform in Delhi and Calcutta to promote her new songs. She will later launch her album in early 2013 in Pakistan. Her album is supported by four videos.
The jazz music trained Rizvi employs the ‘neo qawwali’ sound in her eight tracks, encompassing different genres of music that reflect her varied inspirations and styles with underlying Sufi influence.
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“I am inspired from every little thing. I am not religious but spiritual and my connection with Sufi is very strong. The album is a mix of songs- jazz, dance, light music and hip-hop- that reflect my style and expressions.”
No stranger to India and stardom, Rizvi had scored a huge hit ‘Baujee Baujee’ (1999) and has two albums before the new one is keen to try out playback singing too.
“I have done quite a few playback singing and I like that it gives you the opportunity to be someone else. A live or solo work is a reflection of you. In playback, you get to be a different person or a character.” she said.
The multi-talented singer has also acted in award winning serials and hosted shows.
Rizvi, had to face her own battles before becoming a singer with her family who were ‘scared’ as none of them had a entertainment background. She however convinced them and went ahead to achieve success.
“I want to be known as Pakistan’s own ‘Komal’ and am sure I’ll be accepted in both Pakistan and India. Pakistani artists, whatever we do, we do it with a clear conscience. I feel that while Pakistan’s smaller music industry allows a certain freedom for artists to collaborate and multi-task, India’s professionalism and huge market could pull up Pakistan’s music industry.”
But I find Indian music industry to competitive, too tough and difficult.
“My attitude towards attempts to politicize the exchange of arts and artists between India and Pakistan is: Whenever such things take place, art always ends up as the looser.”
