What according to you is the most underrated album / song done by you guys and why ?
Salim : It is a difficult question . Bhoomi 2020 was the most underrated series according to us . Though it reached a lot of audience , it could have done much better . It is something that will grow over time but it had some amazing songs that would have got more reach and raise up in the charts . As the years go by , and as we continue to make Bhoomi popular , I am sure people will start liking this hybrid genre with folk , contemporary and interesting blends . A lot of experiments happened during the pandemic time and the album could have done much better in this huge stream .
Our music industry is heavily dominated by films . But with the Indie scene , do you think things are changing differently ?
Salim : These days , even big labels are making independent music and change is something that is constant .
What about the artists who are not backed up by any popular record labels ?
Salim : Well , they can release the music over their own independent channel .
Sulaiman : Yes , you may not get as much recognition or fame when you perform under a popular record label as an independent artist . But the audiences that you can reach via popular music streaming platforms like Spotify , Jio Saavn , or Jio Music gives scope for an incredible journey and this has removed categorisation of music . A film song , remix or the label doesn ’ t matter . If the song is liked , it is becoming popular and that ’ s the listening pattern of the new generation . When we look at this ecosystem , Covid has taken film music out of the scene . Independent music has been coming into the forefront and we are getting used to it .
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Sulaiman : I ’ d say some of the songs we did in films didn ’ t get much recognition . If you take Band Baaja Baarat , Ainvayi Ainvayi got more push than the other songs which unfortunately didn ’ t get recognition . It always happens . For example , Aaja Nachle ’ s title song got more popular while Ore Piya did not get lot of recognition . That hunger always stays with the composer .
How long did it take for you guys to produce Bhoomi 2021 ? From artist lineup , production and bringing the end product ?
Salim : It was done pretty quickly , in just three months because we were busy doing lot of different things and during April-May , there was Covid second wave kicking in . We were doing stuff for Olympics , Merchant Records and planning to release this album in October . The work was quite slow because of second wave and started during May . But somehow we managed to pull it off .
When you come up with something like this , what is your process like ?
Salim : The first thing we come across is the idea . And the second thing is a collaboration that clicks . I go by the sound and theme it with a story such as Jallianwala Bagh . When Clinton heard about the massacre , he saw the date was 13th April , which happened to be his birthday . It was then I said he had to do this song . Apart from Qawwali , we wanted to do something bhajan centric and I came across this beautiful Sai bhajan played by Raj PANDIT and we wanted to do something in Pop and composed with a power couple . So , we were thinking of different genres , history , tradition , devotion and I wanted to do something on classical side that led to Ja Ja Re in Bhoomi 2021 . We did have a sketch of ideas which are totally different and from there you build towards a specific direction .
What is your take on music education ?
Sulaiman : We have to seriously think of introducing music education at a primary level . Some schools already have it and my daughter goes to such a school where it is a part of the curriculum . Music brings you together , like a band to perform and gives a cultural education as well and inner peace . Learning an instrument is one of the most essential things that we are missing out in the educational system . We have speech , drama , arts- why not music .