Regarded as one of the formidable original voices to emerge from India’s independent music scene, Aabha Hanjura is a singer who aims to bridge the gap between the traditional and moder n - d ay music.
Hanjura has recently released Khoobsurat, a festive song that has its universe essence centered on the theme, ‘World is Beautiful’, a track for the festive season which brings positivity and creates a cheerful environment.
The protagonist looks through life and it’s various phases with dreamy eyes and calls upon the world to partake in the cheer and joy, which is displayed with the use of instruments like banjo, ukulele, santoor and the upbeat tabla. Excerpts from an interview:
What led you to focus on the eclectic folk-pop genre of music?
I always wanted my music to be an extension of my own personality that was the idea of doing independent music as the first so eclectic folk-pop genre is the one I think I have sort of coined for my own music because it doesn’t fall into one space and I take a lot of folk influences in my music and languages are eclectic, the words are eclectic and the sounds are eclectic, so that’s who I am also as a person so it really reflects into my music.
Could you talk about the choice of instruments for this track?
I went for a little bit of different approach this time, I went for a Banjo in the song also used very country folky instruments because it’s a very simple happy melody and we wanted to give a very simple treatment in terms of the instrumentation as well because keeping the whole folk flavour alive with the Kashmiri sound that whole vibe really gels beautifully. I usually use the rabab but this time I have used tabla and also introduced more Indian instruments like banjo, tabla, so I was very excited about how it came together.
Is there a certain message of your music?
The message is simple. I want to extend that happiness and positivity especially in times like these, as due to the pandemic 2020 has been a very challenging year for most of us. My message is to keep focusing on the good in the world and the world.
How do you compose your tracks?
I usually don’t follow a method to composition, music is something that has to come naturally to me very organically and if it does, only then I pursue a track. This is the song I had written when I was in a very happy place in my life so it naturally just came out...I have always felt that we have a lot to give to people and spread positivity but people have chosen to forget that and have really chosen negativity over positivity. Maybe because social media and negativity is too much around us. One fine day I realised that the world is so beautiful and why don’t people think about that and that’s how this composition also came around for me.
What inspires you?
I take inspiration from life, from whatever is happening around me from my roots. A lot of inspiration comes from the land that I come from which is Kashmir. I think it naturally comes into my art because Kashmir is such a big part of my life, and everything that happens around us.
Folk tunes from the troubled land
Hanjura is a pioneer in reviving long lost accents and folk instruments of Kashmir and is the founder and lead singer of the eclectic folk-pop band Sufistication. Born in the troubled land of Kashmir, Hanjura had to flee the place in ‘90s owing to politics and militancy. Now she is on a quest to take the sounds of her homeland and her roots to a larger audience by experimenting classical folk with contemporary sounds, inspired by the resilient spirit of people.