It’s been a joyride with thrills: Adnan Sami
by ASJAD NAZIR
GARAVI Gujarat caught up with music maestro Adnan Sami to speak about his amazing music journey. He also discussed his unfulfilled ambitions, art of performing live, big motivating factor, advice he would give young artists and why he doesn’t deliver more songs.
How do you reflect on your amazing musical journey?
It’s a bit difficult. I do whatever I have to and move on, so haven’t really had the opportunity to do that retrospective. I’ve tried my best to enjoy every mo-ment as I’ve moved along because one of the first things my father instilled into my system, which was to nurture and enjoy every moment. It’s been a rollercoaster ride in many aspects, with ups and downs. But ultimately, it’s been a joyride with thrills. How much does it mean to you that your songs have that timeless quality about them?
That’s a huge compliment and thank you for that. Of course, this is not something you ever anticipate when creating any-thing, but it is a huge blessing when your music is able to stand the test of time and hold its own. One can never anticipate or plan to do it like that. I’m just grateful it’s still relevant and people still vibe with it. It’s wonderful and lovely that when I do concerts, I have this incredible vast age group that comes – from kids to grandparents – who all sort of relate to the music in their own way. That’s a huge blessing.
What keeps you so motivated?
That’s an interesting question. (Laughs) The secret is to not ever think you’ve achieved anything. Like I said, I don’t like to retrospect or reflect. I’m not the kind of person who likes to rest on any kind of laurels, the past or anything. But don’t misunderstand me, I really value what God has blessed me with and it’s a great feeling. But every time I step into a new piece of work, or project, I approach it as if it’s the first time and genuinely with the same enthusiasm. It can almost become mechanical and an exact formula after some time, but I don’t do that. I approach everything like it’s the first time for me, with the same enthusiasm and excitement. The only complaint any fan would have with you is that you don’t do more songs, why is that?
(Laughs) First of all, your complaint is absolutely valid and I’m guilty as charged. There are a few reasons behind that. First, I am very choosy and not be-cause of being snooty or anything. I genuinely need to fall in love with whatever it is I’m doing. Sometimes, a song I haven’t composed comes to me and many times I say, ‘it’s a great song that I would love to listen to, but don’t see my-self singing it because I just don’t feel I could do justice to it’. (Laughs) Some-times, I’m just being diplomatic, but there have been opportunities where I didn’t connect with the song.
When can we see you do a big international track?
Yes, that’s definitely on my to-do list. Having grown up in England means western music played an integral part in my musical DNA. That is a whole other side of mine, which I’ve been holding on to for as long as I can remember. I became a composer for western music before composing Indian songs, so can you imagine how long that particular side of mine has been sitting patiently waiting for the right time. What is the secret of a great live performance?
For me it comes back to passion. I tell my band and everybody, I know we have performed some of these songs an infinite number of times, but there are going to be people out there who will be listening to it live for the first time. So don’t ever become complacent, and perform that song like it’s the first time, with the same enthusiasm, even if you have done it many times before. I also feel it’s very important to connect with the audience. What advice would you give to young artists?
Don’t do it for the autographs! Do it for the passion. If you are true to the passion, all these other things will just follow. Whatever you do in life, whether it is music or anything, do it for the right reasons.