Radio
Deepali S Dhingra, TNN Dec 19, 2011
The aam janta might not be so familiar with Rashid Ali's name but when it comes to his songs, who can forget the naughty Kabhi Kabhi Aditi from Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na or the extremely hummable Cry Cry Itna Cry from Jhootha Hi Sahi? The singer, who lives in London, is out with a new album and has even managed to rope in Tabu for one of the videos.
Tell us something about the album Call Me Rashid. The album includes a collection of very special songs written over the course of a few years. I always feel that it is easy for a singer/songwriter to create an album that has a few good songs and the rest listenable. It is so hard to create an album where every song is good, which is what I have tried to do with this project. This is why an immense amount of effort has gone into it.
Is this a romantic album? There a few romantic songs, but more than a quarter of the album contains songs about other topics such as the duet featuring a singer from Bangladesh, who sang a traditional folk and I rendered my part in Hindi. I have also rearranged a version of a ghazal that my mother originally sang, called Jin Ke Dum, and which was composed by renowned Indian classical singer Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan Sahib.
How was it working with Tabu in the video for Parda Parda? Tabu did a fine job of portraying what the song was all about, which is describing the beauty of a woman with a veil.
AR Rahman has produced your album. How was it having him for a mentor? l When I initially played my songs to AR Rahman, he was impressed with my unique style and in my ability to sing, play the guitar, compose and arrange. He had heard a couple of my songs that moved him to start the idea of creating an album. He wanted them to be an extra special collection of songs with a different and fresh style. To that end he pushed the bar high and suggested some valuable feedback, which made me work even more conscientiously to come up with this project.
Do you think a private album is a good idea at this time? Absolutely, a private album is so important at this time, where people are beginning to realise and appreciate the need for independent music where they can connect with an artiste or band's personal music. I am fortunate that I can adapt and be versatile so as to excel at both independent and Bollywood music.
How are you managing to do film music while in London? One of the skills I am happy to have acquired during the course of my career is to build my knowledge in connection with music technology. In fact, some parts of my album were recorded in UK at my own studio. I have also managed to use this facility to send recorded vocals/guitars and other parts through the internet. This means I can work on various recording projects from London even if they originate from other countries.
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Music forms a part of me again It gives Shape to my faceless Expressions...To my Thoughts. {Alochana}
fellow musicians like Naveen and Shivamani, Rahman gives an opportunity to his lead guitarist Rashid Ali to sing the foot tapping track of Jaane Tu ya Jaane na and the solo duets of Ada.
We in behalf of all the Rahmaniacs, wish Rashid best of Luck.