Ammar Baig: Artist on a mission
Being born into the golden age of Pakistani pop and rock music meant most of the late 90s kids remained aloof to the playback scene that pre-dated modern record labels. Before the 80s served a major blow to cinemas, Pakistan’s music scene was firmly tied to its film industry and films could make or break artists. Those were the days of Mehdi Hasan, Nayyara Noor, Ahmed Rushdi and Alamgir.
The influence of these greats paved the way for many more, and one of them, namely Waris Baig, joined at the tail end of this era of playback singing; breathing life into films when all hope seemed lost. His were a rare breed of songs that often popped up on television and radio, evoking a sense of longing with everyone crooning, “Kal Shab Dekha Maine Chand Jharoke Main”.
Now, his son and singer Ammar Baig wishes to carry forward his legacy while carving a new path for himself in a time and place where playback singing ceases to exist. “It is something I’d love to do but it doesn’t happen anymore – at least, not the way it used to,” Ammar lamented in a conversation with The Express Tribune. “When my dad came out with his album for Sangam, I remember him telling me how he’d have meetings with actors who’d be performing on his songs. Shaan would meet with him on set to ask whether he’s giving the same expressions as him while singing. That dedication was different, and the outcome had a different feel altogether.”
Citing his own experience with a renowned director, Ammar added, “Now what happens is, directors and producers pick up famous songs and somehow try to fit them in their films. But film music is different. I wrote a song, Chain Aye Na, which Syed Noor sahab loved. He took it from me and made a whole movie of the same name. My song was the title track for it. But just because songs like Pasoori or Kahani Suno become big, doesn’t mean they’re made for films. And I’m not saying we don’t have some amazing movies coming out now, but there’s no musical sense, no playback voice.”
Growing up, Ammar was drawn to the music his father made. And it was during a family event that he, as a three-year-old, surprised everyone by singing Chand Jharoke Main. “That's when my parents found out that I had it in me," he shared. Ammar’s musical journey thus began with his father as his first guitar teacher. The now 27-year-old further honed his skills through YouTube; exploring various genres and vocal styles. His passion for music only grew stronger during his high school days in the US, where he joined the high school choir to showcase his vocal prowess.
"During my childhood, my dad would take me to different studios where he'd collaborate with maestros like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. I was experiencing everything with him so it was always in me, and it all came out when I started doing music on my own.” Despite having an illustrious background, Ammar understands the pressure that comes with living up to his father’s reputation. But he believes he has a different style and path altogether.
“Yes, my dad has a prestigious legacy so there’s obviously a lot of pressure. But he also has a different style; the playback style. I’m making music independently and collaborating with different producers. I’ve done a song with Naughty Boy, a UK-based composer who’s worked with Sam Smith, Adele and Beyonce. Here, I’m collaborating with Aima Baig and Bilal Saeed. So, I’m coming out with my own singles just to show people what I can do.”
While the fear of being downplayed will always stay with Ammar, he believes the flipside is so much more rewarding. “I don’t think I can ever surpass my father but all the training that I’ve got is through him. Any song I do, I ask for his feedback and he gives me his 30, 35-years-worth of experience.”
Ammar's musical journey has already seen him venture into uncharted territory. He collaborated with his father for a song blending Spanish and Urdu, showcasing distinct tonalities and singing styles between the father-son duo. “I have this gift where I can pick up languages; I’ve sung in Arabic, Punjabi, and Bengali. So, I’m really excited about this Spanish-Urdu song. We’ve shot a video for it in Hollywood too and it’ll release after Muharram.”
With a record label like Empire backing him, Ammar also aims to experiment with different genres, including hip-hop and Afrobeats. However, melody remains his core focus. "Empire has opened so many doors for me. I am looking to grow my following worldwide. And I know I’m doing something different but youngsters here are listening to Wizkid, Afrobeats and K-pop. Even local artists like young Stunners and Faris Shafi are catering to these listeners. They’re using explicit language in songs and nobody cares. Just a few years ago, they’d be frowned upon but today, there’s a market for it. In Pakistan, the music scene has changed, not just because of the artists but also because of the listeners. So, even after spending seven to eight years in the US, I don’t think there will be a disconnect. People here listen to Drake as much as they listen to Bollywood or local music. The world should expect different experiments from me too. But my cup of tea is melody," Ammar emphasised.
On that note, the singer also detailed his upcoming collaborations with Aima. “I’m not related to her,” he clarified, laughing. “She’s a really good friend of mine; we hang out, party together and share the same last name. We’re collaborating on two songs. One is very Afrobeat-y and the other is a little romantic. Aima can sing Western style really well and she hasn’t incorporated that anywhere yet. She covers Siah and Rihanna so well. And I know she’s really inspired by Ariana. So, I want her to use these different styles of vocals in our collaboration,” added the singer.
Ammar further held that “a white man can’t do alaps.” Adding, “If I tell him that I want to hear a sargam, his tongue won’t allow him to. But we are very flexible as vocalists.” Having received training for classical singing himself, Ammar is hopeful about his own future. “My biggest support system after my father here is Rahat Fateh Ali Khan sahab. People are his fans and he calls me over to his place to hear me sing. I opened for him at my university in Virginia too. The desi community in the US is very close-knit. So, Alhamdulillah, a lot of people know me. The Pakistani people began inviting me over to their events after I opened for Rahat. Whenever they’d have parties, I’d go with my sound system. I would set everything up myself. Make my own money and do all this. It wasn’t easy. People think that just because I’m Waris Baig’s son, it was all handed over to me. But no. Even now [my father] tells me that I have to fight my own battles. That he can’t pick me up and put me on a pedestal and I don’t want that either.”