More attention needs to be paid to writing lyrics of new Bollywood songs, says music producer and DJ Akbar Sami
JAY JOSHI
Indian music is a treasure-trove which our musicians could use to deliver scintillating and thought-provoking songs, but the Indian music industry today will need a lot of introspection for that to happen, says music producer and DJ Akbar Sami. Considered one of the pioneers of DJ music in India, Sami was recently in Goa on account of work, and spoke to TG Life about his views on the Indian music industry.
“The quality of writing in Indian songs today needs to improve tremendously,” says Sami. “We must not lose touch with our roots when incorporating Western trends. Electronic music is not originally our culture. Indian music is our signature, and musicians today need to give a deeper thought to their compositions rather than writing lyrics that sound rather dumb, and are set to electronic music,” he states, adding that the advent of electronic equipment in music has deeply affected the Indian music industry, often depriving many talented traditional musicians of the right opportunities.
Akbar Sami began his own musical career in the 1980s and is today known for songs and remixes such as Quismat, Jalwa, Dhagala Lagli Kala, and cover of the old hit Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein Khayal Ata Hai.
“The raga music and thoughtful lyrics are our true base, and my intention behind coming out with the cover of the old song ‘;Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein Khayal Ata Hai’ was to underline exactly this idea,” says the music producer and DJ, stating that Bollywood today needs more musicians and lyricists such as Gulzaar, Majrooh Sultanpuri. “Music companies need to pay as much attention to quality as they do to revenue, but money does play an important role in Indian music industry today. Even new entrants need to pump in lots of money if they have to succeed, and in this race, talent often gets a back seat,” he notes. In that respect, talent hunt shows do help highlight new musical talent, but winners of such shows often fade away after some time, says the musician.
“It is very good that talent shows are happening. They bring recognition and popularity to new talent, but the winners of the show need to last in the industry after the show is over. That does not happen because again, talent needs to be aided by money and connections,” Sami asserts. “This is happening for a very long time. I have performed on Indian Idol and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. I have seen these people very closely, spoken to them, but as you can see, very few names are remembered,” he informs. It is also difficult for new music directors to come up in the industry as most of the work goes to the few celebrated names. Here, the industry needs to trust and give opportunities to new talent, Sami underlines.
When talking about music produced by DJs, it is often said that such music mainly is limited to special events while Bollywood music remains loved by the masses. However, that is not the case, says DJ Sami. “Music is for everyone. It’s not meant for a particular section of people. DJ music is reaching the common man through platforms such as Youtube which one can easily browse on one’s mobile phone. I myself have done many shows in colleges, and charity events where all types of people come. Bollywood music appears to be more popular in India, perhaps because DJs do not spoon-feed the music to people,” says Sami.
The veteran DJ has been performing in Goa since a long time, and says that the State keeps calling him back. “I love the feeling of being here. There’s a lot of excitement in Goa. it has changed for the better, but has still retained the essence of its culture,” concludes Sami.
