Soulful Blend of Sufi, Rock Hits the City

CHENNAI: Four college students passionate about music decided to form a band in 2010. They named it Parvaaz. Khalid Ahamed (vocals), Kashif Iqbal (guitars), Fidel D’souza (bass), and Sachin Banandur (drums/percussions) are now among pioneers of the rare Sufi-rock genre.

The Bengaluru-based rock band performed at Phoenix Market City on Sunday. Now touring various cities, the band has released their debut LP (full-length album), Baran. They earlier released their debut EP (Extended Play), Behosh.

Talking about their gig in Chennai, they said, “Although the city suffered a major tragedy in the floods, we feel music is a healer. The crowd was supportive and loved the music.”

So how do they jam and come up with their songs? “Sometimes, our compositions sprout out of nowhere. A lyric, sound, melody — anything can be a starting point. We then work till we perfect it,” says Mir Kashif Iqbal. “We assess our positives and negatives, and being self-critical is mandatory for that. That’s something we do a lot,” says Khalid.

Though their families supported their passion, the artists had to face many challenges. “Every musician or artist faces challenges in the industry and it is something that we go through every day. We can’t give up, no matter what,” he shares.

With the Sufi-rock genre gaining popularity in the country, they say that Sufi music is transcending and rock gives a contemporary push to it. “Apart from this genre, we admire and idolise many musicians and artists. It wouldn’t be fair to name one or two. But, in general, honesty in art inspires us,” they share.

With an open mind and willingness to collaborate with other musicians, they are a perfect example of today’s generation. What do they have in stock for their fans? “We released Baran, our debut full-length album last year and have been touring vigorously to ensure our music reaches as many people as possible. Now we are working on a new album which should be out sometime next year,” they reveal.

“We have a lot of work ahead and we advise budding artists to not give up. Work hard and sleep less,” says Khalid.