In her shadow: Reshma

Artistes remember late singer Reshma’s voice as one to be cherished.

KARACHI:

Some voices are exceptional. They challenge contemporaries and travel beyond borders. Reshma’s was all that and more.

Much like the sweet morning breeze slowly soothes the desert that is Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s heart in Raat Yun Dil Mae Teri, Reshma was a breath of fresh air to the music of this region. With her demise, she left us with a timeless season full of melodies; a spring on which the fall shall never come, no matter how harsh the winds or how strong the sun. Her voice made miracles that her legacy will protect.

We spoke to stalwarts of music, her contemporaries and youngsters, about her musical legacy and lessons the nightingale of the desert left behind.

Arshad Mahmud, veteran musician-actor



“She was truly impeccable. If you go through the history of recorded music, you will not find a voice like Reshma. Apart from her exceptional voice, something that she had developed over time was the perfection with which she could always hit the right notes with utmost ease — it is definitely the sign of a legend. She would sing and render any piece of poetry with such spirit that you could never experience the same feel while reading it on paper. In 1999, I was composing a song by featuring all the mainstream artistes and also wanted to feature Reshma in it. Despite of the fact  she was weak and hospitalised, she came all the way to my studio and sung the starting alaap of the song. Today, that alaap is by far one of the most brilliant pieces of singing present in my studio.”

Akhtar Chanal Zahri, Folk artiste



“Artistes of her caliber paida na shud, [Persian for ‘are never born’]. She was an entire university in herself and me, or any other folk artiste for that matter, could only be a student for her phenomenal music legacy. There was casualness in her voice. It was simple yet sharp. That mere feeling of this strange casualness could give you goosebumps any time you’d listen to her. Such impact can only be felt in the voices of people who have a genuine spiritual connection with the creator. However, what is most important is that she was the voice of this soil. If you’d listen to her live then you could smell the essence and the sweet fragrance of the desert spreading around. Her legacy should make us more humble and dedicated. After all, despite all the years of startdom, she behaved just like a shy teenage girl from a village. May God bless her soul.”

Tina Sani, Singer



“Reshma meant so many things to me that I can’t explain it. Her beautiful, incredible and ever soothing voice undoubtedly made her the absolute epitome of folk singing in this region. After looking at the flair of artistes like Reshma jee, I am grateful to God that we had PTV and, more importantly, a much more smaller country like Pakistan because had it been somewhere else, for that matter India, then a talent of her caliber would have been lost in the mist. I grew up with her music and because I did not have that intricate classical singing voice — my voice was rather deep — it was always Reshma’s voice that I could pick up, emulate and feel comfortable with.”

Atif Aslam, Singer



“Despite her stature in the music industry, in her presence she always made you feel like you were the star. After sharing the stage with me, she said ‘Beta, tu nae aaj Reshma ko jawaan kar diya”, and that’s how I have learnt to appreciate everyone no matter how big a star they are.”

Mohammad Ali Shyaki, Singer



“Whenever I think of Reshma jee or listen to her voice, I’m reminded of a lioness; someone with class, caliber, composure and the fierceness and the spirit to make her presence felt in the biggest of crowds. The most important thing about her was that she had individuality, both as a singer and as a person and it was this quality coupled with her ability to stick to her folk roots that made us [artistes] and the audience realise the importance of our own soil. She was not only the pride of Pakistan but also the grace of this soil.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2013.

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