Zubeen Garg has arrived! With his amazing voice with
‘Ya Ali’, which has almost become an anthem now, he is
making the nation rock to his voice. After topping the
No. 1 
chart slot of India, it is creating waves in the
international music scene as well. Singer composer
Zubeen Garg may be a little known name in the national
music scene, but he is a household name in his
hometown Assam. Now he is getting wide recognition in
the music industry with the song, and has surely found
his place in Bollywood, after not getting his due with
‘Fiza’ and ‘Kaante’. He is also debuting as a composer
with Sanjay Jha’s ‘Strings’. But we will also hear
much of Zubeen in the days ahead!
Excerpts from an interview:
Many people are thinking that you’re a new
singer. Tell us about your journey through music.
Surely I’m not a new singer, I’ve been in this
industry since six years. I’ve been sung for Jaane Kya
Hoga Rama Re (Kaante) and Mere Wattan (Fiza). I was
also offered songs by A.R.Rehman for Taal and Doli
Saje Ke Rakh Na. Somehow it didn’t materialize and the
songs later went to Hariharan. I’m a singer and
musician in Assam and have been working there for 12
years now. I compose music for Assamese films, and my
private albums, which are huge hit in the region. I
have sung in 40 languages, have composed for 26
Assamese films. I’ve also acted in films and have won
a National award for a film called Dinabandhu.
You’re both singer and musician. How did you
establish your foothold?
I have always wanted to be a music director. In 1992 I
entered the music industry in Assam as a singer. After
singing for lots of music albums I took up composing
music for films. I’m the first singer there who has
sung in 40 different languages in northeast. I
experimented a lot with folk music and then became a
music director. Out of the 26 albums that I composed
15 are super sellout albums. My songs are rooted to
Assamese culture but are very modern in their
approach.
How did you enter the Bollywood music scene?
After establishing myself in Assam, I shifted base to
Mumbai. I’ve been around for 5-6 years now. Here I’ve
faced a lot of struggle. The initial days were not
easy. But Anand Raj Anand who is a good friend of mine
came out with a good number for me, the song of Kaante.
I also sang Mere Vatan from Fiza. But still my career
here didn’t establish. For the better Ya Ali in
Gangster changed all for me. I song is good and it
gave me a good scope. I want to thank Pritam and
Vishesh Films for it.
It seems that at last Bollywood has opened its
door for you?
Yes it looks like that. I’m getting lot of offers now,
I am singing for different directors and banners.
You’re also turning a composer with Strings.
Strings is a crossover film in the setting of Kumbh
Mela. I’ve composed the songs and have also featured
in two of its video. It has been shot in Nasik and it
was an incredible experience. This is the first time
I’m composing in Bollywood but I’m already an
established composer in my state.
How was it working for the music of the film?
I’ve really enjoyed working with director Sanjay
Jha for Strings. He is very flexible and has given me
liberty to do my work. The film is different and so
the music is different as well. I’ve done lots of
experimentation and have used my folk elements in this
film merged with modern approach and westernized
orchestration. The songs are from northeast and I’m
using it for the first time. From Assam and Bengal
where the songs are released the response has been
good. I hope the people wil l
appreciate it all over.
What kind of different songs have you put in?
There is as a whole six songs in the movie. I’ve used
a 600-year-old Assami prayer and have converted it in
Hindi, which will be the first song of the film. There
is a poem by Baba Nagarjun who was a Hindi poet. As
its rebel poem he was sent to jail for it. It’s a
satire on the drawbacks of our democracy. I’ve made it
as a song. There is another Om song. Another good old
song Piya Milan Ko Jana by Pankaj Mallik has been
reprised here. The lyric is different here but the
tune is same.
What are the other offers you are working on?
I’m singing for PNC production’s Pyar Ke Side Effects.
The music is by Pritam and there will be a wonderful
song coming out of me again. I am singing for Anurag’s
film Woh Lamhe, another film Dekho Mil Gaya and also
Vishal-Shekhar’s composition.
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