Nabeel Khan is one talented and internationally celebrated artist who is creating music with a mix of traditional and modern tunes. Check out our interaction with him!
Nabeel Khan is an acclaimed classical sarangi artist, singer & lyricist. He is crowned as the youngest sarangi player in the world. In continuing the legacy of his grandfather, Samrat Padma Bhushan Late Ustad Sabri Khan Saheb, this 21 year old artist has received the Yuva Puraskar in 2019 and was awarded as the Best Young Instrumentalist (Indian classical field) in the Indian embassy, Italy.
Nabeel has released a number of cover songs with his last release being, Jaanejaan. This is a romantic song and has all the emotions that everyone who was separated from those they love felt during the pandemic. Now, he has released a new song, Jazbaat Dil Ke Aise and we spoke to him all about it. From his career in music to his new song, read on to know everything Nabeel Khan had to share.
Here's how the conversation went:
Can you tell us about your song, “Jazbaat Dil Ke Aise” and how it all came together?
"Jazbaat Dil Ke Aise is a song totally inspired by the concept of holding onto each other when separation becomes a reality. The after-effects of the coronavirus pandemic continue to challenge relationships around the world and this is what I tried to keep in mind while framing the lyrics."
Do you have a favourite verse from the song and why?
"I have two favorite lines from the lyrics. ''Rahe mehfoos tu sada Karti Hun main Bas yeh dua "and "Zindagi Hai Ek Safar Kaun jaane kal kidhar" These verses capture how a lover would feel when his or her better half is away from the relationship. Life is not all static, we live in moments and there is no guarantee of tomorrow."
The song is a mixture of classical and modern. Do you think music in India is entering a new arena with such mixes? And is it helping in bringing back classical music to a much younger audience?
"Yes, I definitely agree that fusion songs are taking a huge space in today's music industry and they are very promising in nature. If we talk about Indian classical music I think delivering nuances of classical music through contemporary music is one of the most creative ways to get the young audience's attention. Seldom they have a notion that the West is there all is when it comes to contemporary music. But I think the way instruments like Sarangi which can be beautifully combined with any type of music, the versatility of Indian classical music through such efforts will definitely internationalize very soon."
When did you discover your love for music and especially an interest in Classical Sarangi?
"I think it would be more apt to say that it was Sarangi who chose me because by the age of seven I was initiated into this art even though my interest lay in Acting and Tabla. My grandfather and teacher the legendary Padma Bhushan recipient Ustad Sabri Khan Sahab and my father Ustad Nasir Khan Sahab played an important role in making me understand the importance of taking up Sarangi as a lifelong profession. I was born in a family of musicians and therefore I had ingrained the art of Indian classical music from a very tender age."
How do you feel about being the youngest Sarangi player in the world and having received various accolades for it?
"I feel really overwhelmed to be the youngest internationally performing Sarangi player in the world. But you know, as the saying goes, "it takes a village to raise a child". Being born in the finest Sarangi players' Moradabad Sania Gharana, I received the best training from the Sarangi Samrat Ustad Sabri Khan Sahab and also from my uncle Ustad Kamal Sabri and my father Ustad Nasir Khan. To this day whenever I endeavor on a new musical journey, I always feel grateful towards my elders because it is their blessings that have gotten me to where I am today."
Who inspires you the most and what genres of music do you listen to?
"Undoubtedly it was grandfather, Ustad Sabri Khan Sahab who inspired me the most and made me want to become a Sarangi player wholeheartedly. Also, growing up I was a huge fan of (and continue to be) Ustad Zakir Hussain. I really love to listen to soft rock and folk music, they are timeless genres."
Is there a specific music director or a singer who you’d like to work with, in 2021?
"I would feel really blessed if I got the opportunity to work with AR Rahman sir and the supremely talented singer Ms. Shreya Ghoshal."