Falak Shabir – Sky Is The Limit

  • 18 Nov - 24 Nov, 2017
  • Shahzeb Shaikh
  • Interview

While majority of the artistes see Pakistani music scene stagnant in the recent times, Falak denies it altogether. And why not, with throngs of concerts in Pakistan and all over the world, singles released at regular intervals and collaboration with international artistes. Talking of international collaborations, Falak recently collaborated with PBN (Punjabi By Nature), a renowned UK Bhangra artiste on a track. With so much going on in his music, MAG considered it pertinent to speak with this extremely talented artiste. Excerpts:

What's up with Falak lately?

Falak: I’ve been working on new projects, which will be releasing in the upcoming months. Lots of composing, planning, recording and of course, singing. Other than that, I’ve been touring all over Pakistan and internationally. Everyday is valuable because it presents something different. There’s nothing that satisfies me more than a productive day in the studio or out working on new stuff.

What is the story your music?

My music is simple. Straight from my heart! Whatever lyrics come to me, I jot them down and then play along. Nothing complicated or overworked.

Tell us about your growth from the Rog days? How do you see yourself as an artiste today?

I have grown as an artiste; I believe that the learning curve should always be increasing. And, I thrive on making myself a better artiste... I struggled a lot but kept working hard. I stayed true to my roots and here I am with such loyal fans who enjoy my music. I’m all because of the love from my fans.

Tell us about your song with PBN. How did it happen? Tell us about the idea, cast and direction.

It was a joint idea and collaboration. It was also out of my comfort zone. My genre is soulful music. I tried experimenting and people are liking it, so I think I did it right. As far as video direction is concerned, it was totally the directors’ call and idea.

How important are collaborations?

Very important! You get to experience and learn through the other person. Some of the most groundbreaking artistic works have resulted when artistes from distant genres collide and spark new ideas. The end result is always appreciated. The creativity that results from the formation of talented duos and groups is always magical.

How does a video add value to the track?

If it is done right, it adds immense value but sadly it’s the budget that takes the video down and does not sync in with the song.

What is the importance of videos in today's times?

Since the digital and virtual media has evolved so much, videos have become equally important but then in the end a music video will be recognised only if the music is also done well. Otherwise, it loses the charm. A video has a deeper meaning and it portrays the song in visual, and I guess it’s needed to get yourself known to people, so they know the face behind the music.

How do you see the present Pakistani music scene?

It’s growing and evolving and that’s a happy sight for us musicians.

Are your Bollywood tracks your own music or you alter them according to the director‘s wishes?

The track is always original but one or two tweaks here and there if done on a request have always been done by me.

Have you received any acting offers?

Yes, I have. However, at the moment I am focusing solely on my music. I have had movie offers in the past too, but I have opted out because I wanted to grow as a singer, as it’s better to be a master of one trade. I shall reveal more at the right time.

Are we expecting a Falak album anytime soon?

Lately, I have been launching solo songs because the album trend is almost gone now in Pakistan. Releasing an album means that I have to be out of the scene for a few odd months, as it requires a lot of time to get every detail right. Each song has to be something I am satisfied with. The way I’m going now, releasing singles has worked out well for me, as I am interacting with my fans and providing them with current media, and I think they are quite happy with it.

Is the role of corporates in music positive or negative?

I have yet to discover what role corporates actually play in music. Abroad, corporates usually help in launching newbies and making stars out of them. But, this trend is not here in Pakistan or in Asia. Here, corporates only choose and are with people who are already stars/famous. There is work yet to be done on bringing new talent by the corporates. Initiative has started but its still the beginning.

What is the importance of social media for music?

Social media is what the whole world is revolving around. Back in the days you had to make an effort and work hard for labels to sign you. Now you put up a song on YouTube and you are done. I guess it helps build a close relationship with your fans. I treat social media as a denser mean than just promotion. However, social media is an ideal platform for promotion, and has immensely helped me grow as an artiste. Times have changed, when I started, the only way to get noticed was through Radio and TV but nowadays you can simply put your video on Facebook and Dailymotion and promote through social media to get noticed. So, social media is definitely a great source of promotion for music, if done in a right manner.

It has been noticed that your videos have millions of hits on YouTube. Do hits define an artiste’s success?

I won’t say success solely matters on it, but yes, this is the new trend. It’s the race of the ‘likes’ and ‘shares’.

How do you think you can play a role as an artiste for the betterment of society?

Your society needs some skilled resource for its betterment, so try to be one for it. If you are good at something, try to be the best. If you are not good at anything, try to be at least good in something.

How difficult is it for a musician to survive in the present Pakistani music scene?

It’s very difficult because you have new artistes releasing music everyday and there is a lot of competition. You have to be unique and different from the rest, so you are always trying to produce new music, different styles and experimenting to set a bar for the rest. I guess it has become easier for me, as I am a well-established singer but even when I started it was difficult to get out there and reach out to masses. I had to struggle so much to get on TV, radio but because of social media, things have become a lot easier.

Do you have any tours in the pipeline?

Yes, there are many national and international tours in the pipeline. •

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COMMENTS

    Simra khalil commented 6 years ago

    Falak at the end you're best of bestest

    1 0