In conversation with the maestro | Instep

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Interview

Abida Parveen has been Coke Studio’s saving grace this season. He mesmerized the audience with ‘Agha’, a duet with Ali Sethi, and then again with ‘Moola Kal’, a 10-minute solo that has captured the hearts and minds of whoever heard it. So for Coke Studio, Abida ji proved to be a very essential pillar that allowed it to stand on a lighter ground. And speaking of Mutzaal, we were curious to know what Abida ji thinks about Coke Studio.

“Making music is a very tough business,” said Abida ji when we caught up after the release of ‘Moola Kal’. I was surprised to hear that because what she does seems so easy. It’s hard to imagine a world where Abida Parveen can’t sing. He explained how Coke Studio specially trains and rehearses all the singers multiple times. “We start rehearsals about three months in advance and then meet again and again during that period. Some changes happen, as producers or composers revise the work. So we meet those changes until the day of the shoot. And rehearsing,” he added, adding that there are a lot of people involved so it’s a time-consuming process.

She seemed tired of the process, and we don’t blame her. Accustomed to large audiences and gigs where she is in control of her singing, what does a controlled environment like Coke Studio do to such a free spirit? “A gig is very different from a Coke Studio recording. Although both scenarios involve a live performance, in a gig I’ll sing 8 to 12 words in one performance, where as with a Coke Studio song, I’ll have 2 or 3 songs. There will be songs, and they will also have to be very well rehearsed.” But Abida ji said that she enjoyed the results of all these exercises. He particularly relished the opportunity to work with other singers after performing with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in the previous season of Coke Studio.

This season, he collaborated with Ali Sethi to produce ‘Agha’, a hauntingly beautiful raga that depicts man’s complete submission to God. What did he think of working with such new artists? Interestingly, she was eager to know what Ali Sethi thought of working with her. Hearing that she was very nervous, Abida ji laughed and said “I still get nervous before a performance till today, it feels like my first performance and I pray to Allah that I can do it justice! ” He also sang Sethi’s praises, adding that feeling nervous before performing is a good thing as it ensures quality work. “Sethi really enjoys what he does and it shows in the way he sings. He was great; there’s no doubt about that.”

There is another name he talked about with great fondness: the late Amjad Sabri. “He’s also sung for Coke Studios and what an amazing job he’s done. He’s been the hardest working of us all. His voice has magic.” He gave Sabri a very high place saying that people like him are so lost in the devotion of God and his music that they need not worry about the world.

“His whole family is on another level. He takes his music very seriously as he sings and rehearses for hours. Sometimes his riyadh starts at 7pm and goes on till 4, 5am.”

However, after the tragic death of Sabri, the security of our artists is a concern, many artists have protested the lack of security. Abida ji is always mystical when she says, “Just pray to Allah, God willing He will make it better.” When asked how she manages her security, Abida ji quizzically replied, “What security? I have the security of Allah.”

Another threat to our music is the appreciation and learning of classical forms of music, where the contemporary sound is becoming more and more electronic. But when I asked her to comment on it, Abida Ji did not agree. “Sufi music is very much appreciated and in demand worldwide. Just last year I was invited to perform at the Manchester Festival and now I have been invited back to London to perform. Westerners are really into our music! ”

However, Abida ji felt that Pakistani youth needed to learn western music properly if they wanted to create this kind of music. “Right now, it’s copying. If we’re not learning their art and then applying it, we’re copying it.” He emphasized the importance of learning any art. “Before you can master any kind of music, you have to invest time and energy, whether it’s contemporary or classical. You have to learn it first.”

Overall, Abida ji is quite satisfied with the way things are going in terms of her life as well as music globally. Or maybe it’s just the Sufi in her who has complete trust in God and doesn’t worry about anything. “Just pray, and all will be well,” is his answer to every stress or worry, and we are delighted to see the real-life manifestation of Sufi music in his everyday life as well.