‘Our art is our blessing and our curse’

Abbas Ali Khan talks about the score of ‘Dekh magar Pyar Say’ and being inspired by the works of Hazrat Gulzar Sabri

ISLAMABAD:

Looking at his career trajectory, Abbas Ali Khan is one musician who defies the conventional belief that musicians have it very tough in Pakistan. Be it his debut single Sun Re or single Par Mae Hun Ruka Sa and then the terrific album, Tamam Alam Mast, Khan has always given us reasons to rejoice.  Apart from making music, Abbas also handles a graphic designing and photography business. Few people know that Khan was behind the visual effects incorporated in the season 7 of Coke Studio.

“Coke Studio was an amazing experience I got an opportunity to work with Strings – a band I have always admired and respected,” Abbas tells The Express Tribune. “Even in terms of music, they took my song to the next level with their soul and virtuosity.”

His track Mujhay Baar Baar became very popular amongst fans of Coke Studio season 7 and he was happy that people could relate to the poetry of the song, which was written by his spiritual guide Hazrat Gulzar Sabri.

Over a period of eight years, Khan drifted gradually but wholly towards Sufi music and became a disciple of Hzarat Baba Gulzar Sabri. Khan says that ever since he delved into spirituality and became a disciple of Hazrat Gulzar Sabri, he has experienced coincidences in his life. “I feel that whoever I meet now is for a purpose.”

Read: Adnan Sami Khan refused to produce Coke Studio Pakistan



Currently, Abbas is handling the background score for director Asadul Haq’s film Dekh Magar Pyar Say. “The music for this film is poles apart from what I did in Jalaibee. This has a very European feel to go with the highly stylised visuals that Asad shot with the film.” He further adds that the best thing about the score of this film is that each piece has a much defined signature, which can be heard separately as an instrumental.

It is no secret that artists can be very impulsive at times. This is something that enables them to process and present the world around them, in a peculiar and intense manner and Khan has his fair share of mood swings.

Read: Khalid Khan steps out of ‘Coke Studio 8’

“I think almost every artist has traits of bi-polarity,” Khan smirks. “My mood changes by the minute and as I am growing up, it is becoming more evident and intense. I think it has a lot to do with how we feel about what’s going on around us. Stuff that we fall in love with we want at any cost and if we don’t get it, we become sad”.

As a result of which the “what if “and “why not” factor plays a very important role in Khan’s life. He tries to channel out these thoughts positively through music and uses them to create something emotionally challenging. “Trust me it’s very hard being an artist and it’s even harder living with one. Our art is our blessing and our curse.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th,  2015.

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