Zubeen Garg

Interview : Everything happening now for Zubeen Garg!

Zubeen Garg has arrived! With his amazing voice with 'Ya Ali', which has almost become an anthem now, he is making the nation rock to his voice. After topping the No. 1 chart slot of India, it is creating waves in the international music scene as well.  Singer composer Zubeen Garg may be a little known name in the national music scene, but he is a household name in his hometown Assam. Now he is getting wide recognition in the music industry with the song, and has surely found his place in Bollywood, after not getting his due with 'Fiza' and 'Kaante'. He is also debuting as a composer with Sanjay Jha's 'Strings'.  But we will also hear much of Zubeen in the days ahead! Excerpts from an interview: Many people are thinking that you're a new singer. Tell us about your journey through music. Surely I'm not a new singer, I've been in this industry since six years. I've been sung for Jaane Kya Hoga Rama Re (Kaante) and Mere Wattan (Fiza). I was also offered songs by A.R.Rehman for Taal and Doli Saje Ke Rakh Na. Somehow it didn't materialize and the songs later went to Hariharan. I'm a singer and musician in Assam and have been working there for 12 years now. I compose music for Assamese films, and my private albums, which are huge hit in the region. I have sung in 40 languages, have composed for 26 Assamese films. I've also acted in films and have won a National award for a film called Dinabandhu. You're both singer and musician. How did you establish your foothold? I have always wanted to be a music director. In 1992 I entered the music industry in Assam as a singer. After singing for lots of music albums I took up composing music for films. I'm the first singer there who has sung in 40 different languages in northeast. I experimented a lot with folk music and then became a music director. Out of the 26 albums that I composed 15 are super sellout albums. My songs are rooted to Assamese culture but are very modern in their approach. How did you enter the Bollywood music scene? After establishing myself in Assam, I shifted base to Mumbai. I've been around for 5-6 years now. Here I've faced a lot of struggle. The initial days were not easy. But Anand Raj Anand who is a good friend of mine came out with a good number for me, the song of Kaante. I also sang Mere Vatan from Fiza. But still my career here didn't establish. For the better Ya Ali in Gangster changed all for me. I song is good and it gave me a good scope. I want to thank Pritam and Vishesh Films for it. It seems that at last Bollywood has opened its door for you? Yes it looks like that. I'm getting lot of offers now, I am singing for different directors and banners. You're also turning a composer with Strings. Strings is a crossover film in the setting of Kumbh Mela. I've composed the songs and have also featured in two of its video. It has been shot in Nasik and it was an incredible experience. This is the first time I'm composing in Bollywood but I'm already an established composer in my state.   How was it working for the music of the film? I've really enjoyed working with director Sanjay Jha for Strings. He is very flexible and has given me liberty to do my work. The film is different and so the music is different as well. I've done lots of experimentation and have used my folk elements in this film merged with modern approach and westernized orchestration. The songs are from northeast and I'm using it for the first time. From Assam and Bengal where the songs are released the response has been good. I hope the people will appreciate it all over. What kind of different songs have you put in? There is as a whole six songs in the movie. I've used a 600-year-old Assami prayer and have converted it in Hindi, which will be the first song of the film. There is a poem by Baba Nagarjun who was a Hindi poet. As its rebel poem he was sent to jail for it. It's a satire on the drawbacks of our democracy. I've made it as a song. There is another Om song. Another good old song Piya Milan Ko Jana by Pankaj Mallik has been reprised here. The lyric is different here but the tune is same. What are the other offers you are working on?   I'm singing for PNC production's Pyar Ke Side Effects. The music is by Pritam and there will be a wonderful song coming out of me again. I am singing for Anurag's film Woh Lamhe, another film Dekho Mil Gaya and also Vishal-Shekhar's composition.

Originally posted by: aiks

😆 😆 😆

aiks ji, Thanks for taking time to visiting the thread.

Thursday June 8, 03:07 PM

An interview with Zubeen Garg

By IndiaFM News Bureau

Zubeen Garg - the name might not sound unfamiliar post Ya Ali. But this singer isn't a new entrant in Bollywood. He has been singing since the past six years and even has songs like Jaane Kya Hoga Rama Re (Kaante) to his credit. The talented singer also has a penchant for composing music.

After singing in 40 languages, composing for 26 Assamese films and winning a National award, Zubeen is all set to mark his debut as a music director in Bollywood with Sanjay Jha's offbeat film Strings.

In an exclusive conversation with IndiaFM, Zubeen speaks about his journey from a singer to music director and life after Ya Ali.

You began as a singer and now turned music director. How did the transition happen?

Actually I always wanted to be a music director. I started as a singer in 1992. I did a lot of music albums and then I started composing music for films. Later I sang for different languages. In north east there are around 40 different tribal languages and I am the first singer who sang in all these different languages out there. I kept experimenting on all those folk elements and then I came to music direction. I gave music for 26 films. I have experience and now I want to do Hindi films too.

You have been singing in Hindi films since around 5-6 years now. But you got recognition only off late. Why was it late in coming?

I don't know. I sang Mere Vatan from Fiza and then Jaane Kya Hoga Rama Re from the Kaante. But I didn't get the focus. With Ya Ali in Gangster, I got good scope. It's a very good song by Pritam. I want to thanks Vishesh Films. After Ya Ali everything is happening now.

Has life changed after Ya Ali?

Yes it seems so, because I am singing for different directors and banners. Its quite fun and I am enjoying it now.

Tell us something about your latest work, Strings.

Strings is a crossover film. It's half English and half Hindi movie on the backdrop of Kumbh Mela. It has been shot in Nasik and it was a fantastic experience. I have acted in two songs as a model. The film is about a British guy and a Purohit's daughter. It's about how they accept our philosophy and our culture. It's a bonding of western and Indian culture.

This is your first Hindi movie as a music director. Weren't you apprehensive?

This maybe my first Hindi film as a music director but I have done more than 25 films in Assam as a music director and also acted in films. I got a national award last year for a film called Dinabandhu. I was the executive producer, music director and actor of that film.

Sanjay Jha (director of Strings) is a very open minded person and he gave me a lot of freedom to work. I got an opportunity to experiment with my work. I worked for around 12 years in north east and Assam. I have used my folk elements here in this film so I think people will like it.

Tell us something about the music of Strings.

It has a folk base music with modern implementation and westernized orchestration. The songs are from north east. It's a virgin land and nobody knows about it. This is the first time I am using it. This has been released in Assam and Bengal and I am getting good feedback from them.

How different is the music of Strings? How will you define your style?

It's different because it's not a typical Hindi movie. This movie has a different attitude and a different goal, basically. I have not tried the common element. There's a 600 year old Assami prarthana (prayer) that I converted in Hindi. It is a first song of the film. I think people will like it. There is one more song, a poem from Baba Nagarjun. He is a Hindi poet. He was sent to prison for that poem in 1969, so there is a rebel in that poem. It's a satire that depicts all the drawbacks of our democracy. The poem was published that time and then it was banned. We managed to make it as a song. I think people will like it.

Which is your favorite song in Strings?

There are six songs in the movie and I like the prarthana and the Om song. There is one more song called Piya Milan Ko Jana by Pankaj Mallik. It's a very famous song. People don't even remember that song. I reworked on the same and used only Piya Milan Ko Jana while the lyric is different. But the tune was same.

What are the forthcoming films that you are working on?

I am singing for the movie Pyar Ke Side Effects. It's a PNC production. I think it's a wonderful song by Pritam again. I am singing for Anurag's forthcoming film Woh Lamhe. The next project will be Dekho Mil Gaya. I am also singing a song for Vishal-Shekhar which is Arjun Rampal's production.

More bollywood masala at IndiaFM

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago

Shouldn't this article be in the Music Corner?

Originally posted by: ranig

Shouldn't this article be in the Music Corner?

Why it cannot be here.

Biography Edited by Zteam

Zubeen Garg
Born 18th November, Friday, 1972.

Zubeen was born to Mr. Mohini. M. Borthakur and Late Mrs. Ily Borthakur. The Borthakur Family had its roots in Janji, Sivasagar. Mr. Borthakur was a magistrate and was moving very often during his early years and so was little Zubeen. Zubeen's mother Late Mrs. Ily Borthakur was a good dancer, an actress and singer, and she never turned these talent into a professional career. Instead, she decide to teach little Zubeen, all her skills, right at home. Zubeen considers his mother to be his first guru or mentor. His father Mr. M.M. Borthakur also writes poems and stories under a pseudo name of Kapil Thakur. Zubeen's younger sister, Jonkie Borthakur was a known singer and actress who unfortunately died in a car accident in 2002. Zubeen's other sister Palme, is a good bharat natyam dancer, presently lives in Guwahati.

Zubeen started learning tabla from Guru Robin Banarjee, and then continued learning assamese folk music form Guru Romoni Rai. Zubeen went to J.B. College in Jorhat, and then moved to B. Barooah College, where he was pursuing Bachelor of Science after his family moved permanently to Guwahati. But he did not completed his baccalaureate studies as he jumped in to the music scene. Zubeen's life had a turning point when he received the gold medal for his western solo performance in the youth festival held in 1992. This is where he got his first taste of success and confidence as vocalist. Apart form playing dhols, dotara, mandolin, percussions, Zubeen is an accomplished keyboard player. He broke into professional music scene in 1992, releasing his first album - Anamika. This unusual album, became an instant hit in entire North-East India and re-defined assamese musical landscape for the coming 21st century. After that, there was no looking back for Zubeen. With about 40 album to his name, Zubeen continues his musical career directing music to over 24 assamese movies including a few hindi and bangla movies as well. He received the best Music Award in 2005, for his latest Bangla movie Shudhu Tumi. Although Zubeen considers himself to be a Musician, so far he sang more than 7000 songs in various languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Oriya, Marathi, Nepali etc. Some of his musical and vocal work on hindi language are found on movies such as Fizaa, Kante, Mudda, Brides Wanted, Gangster, Pyaar ka side effect etc. In 2000, Zubeen wrote, directed and acted in his own assamese film Tumi Mur Mathu Mur. Zubeen acted, co-produced and scored music in another assamese film Dinabandhu, which got national award in 2005. Zubeen had done music for Strings, a hindi film, directed by Sanjay Jha is due to be released soon.

Zubeen is currently working on his new hindi album to be released after July 2006. He is also working on a script for one of his upcoming hindi movie, to be announced in August of 2006. Zubeen has opened a chain of Beauty Parlor across North-East called Zubeen's Veda.

Zubeen lives with his wife Garima in his Flat, which is a part of his Music Studio called Sound & Silence, located at 165/1, Sher-E-Punjab. Andheri East. Mumbai, India.

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago

http://www.zubeen.com/

Zubeen Garg has arrived! With his amazing "Ya Ali" - GangsterEdited by Qwest - 17 years ago

I love Zubeen Garg. But to be fair, other music topics were closed just because they weren't EMAET related.

Originally posted by: ranig

I love Zubeen Garg. But to be fair, other music topics were closed just because they weren't EMAET related.

I do not think you are right because there is 1001 music related article are here and I belive I have posted my self lot of those also so I am sure I am not doing anything out of norm.

Assamese singer captures nation's imagination

Photo: Zubeen Garg

By Peter Alex Todd, Guwahati : Northeast has a tremendous talent pool. What they are looking for is a platform to showcase these talents. Zubeen Garg from Assam has proved this. He has captured the imagination of the nation through his melodious voice.

Zubeen Garg is a popular name in Assam. This popular Assamese singer is now a rage all over the country with his latest song "Ya Ali" in the film "Gangster". Lately the Assamese young icon was in Guwahati to promote the music of his upcoming film "Strings."

The young and dashing and the singing sensation of Assam, Zubeen Garg, released the songs of his latest movie "String". For the young icon launching the song from his home state had a special meaning. It's now more than a decade since this lad from Janji in the Sivsagar district of Assam has been at the musical horizon of the Bollywood. With his hard work twenty eight year old Zubeen has now come to represent a new stream in the Indian music. The film "String" has special meaning for him.

"String is a film about love affection and bonding between the Indian culture and the western culture the philosophies of Indian and western cultures. So this music is different from other stuffs. I have used lot of Assamese and North East folk in my film. There are six songs and one song is special from Baba Nagarjunhe, who is a big poet from Hindi literature," said Zubeen Garg, musician and singer from Assam.

"String" is a movie directed by a young director Sanjay Jha. The movie is about younger generation. This is not for the first time Zubeen has scored music and sung for a movie. Way back in 1992 he released an album "Anamika". He has sung in the films like, Fiza, Kante, Mudda among others.

The Assamese lad wants to promote the rich cultural heritage of India's northeast.

"Its time to go for Hollywood also because submission people are also making there in Holland. There is very much a potential and we are very rich in our culture. The virgin culture nobody knows about it," said Zubeen.

Zubeen's recent success has been his song in the latest film 'Gangster'. The song "Ya Ali" has captured the popular imagination of the country and made Zubeen an all India name.

Like Zubeen, Debojit from Assam has also made a name in the musical world of the country. Recently he released an album in Hindi.

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago