Musicians, professional and amateur, agree on one thing. Music is like an endless ocean that no one has yet been able to discover entirely. Think of yourself as a diver. Keep going deeper into this ocean and rejoice as unexplored and unseen treasures reveal themselves in each fathom you cross. That’s the magical power and beauty of Music. It’s only right, therefore, that we celebrate an entire day dedicated to this mesmerizing pull of notes, strains, form, harmony, melody, rhythm and everything else that goes into producing music. Ergo, World Music Day, also called Fête de la Musique.
World Music Day is a global celebration of music that takes place on June 21st each year. It is a deep affirmation of the fact that music is truly a language without barriers, a means in which humans from opposite ends of the Earth can express and communicate themselves, overcoming dialect, culture, social background, and economic status without effort.
Think of a haunting song that floats to you from behind the hill when you are vacationing – it tells you in a trice that the singer is sad and missing someone. Or the full-throated songs of farmers tilling their fields. Or church choirs practicing carols joyously. Or, military bands marching with josh. In any part of the world, you can “feel” the music, can’t you? In this way, music may be said to be an expression of the human spirit itself.
We all love music. Maybe we all don’t vibe to the same kind of music; that will never be because of the sheer range of music genres available to choose from. But surely there is no one who absolutely hates all kind of music, who has never ever loved music. “A man who hates music can’t be trusted, I always say,” so declared George R.R. Martin, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of many books. There’s no reason to disbelieve him!
In this blog, we bring you snippets of conversation braided on music and musical memories that some of our well-loved artists shared with Camongo. Read on –
Shrestha Das – When the song you have sung playback for starts reaching more and more people and you actually get to watch them enjoying it, it is an overwhelming feeling for any artist. I guess it is surreal, no matter what! Well, I was not even aware that the song I had sung was meant for a Windows film though I had given every bit of me in the delivery. It was a pleasant surprise then to see it being approved for Bohurupi and then going on to be such a big hit. I have been so lucky to watch scores of people enjoying my songs in the film.
Durnibar Saha – My playlist is pretty varied. I listen to Micheal Buble and I listen to Advaita as well. I love to listen to an eclectic mix of artists, too many to mention. If I were to pick a favourite genre, it would be jazz. I listen to jazz a lot. I am set to attend all the music concerts that are scheduled to take place in Kolkata in 2025, having already ticked Bryan Adams off the list. On the personal front, I am looking forward to the shows that are lined up for me in ’25 before fixing any further plans for myself this year!
Arko Tuhin Chowdhury – For every artist, an interactive and appreciate audience is always a boon. When you perform in front of a crowd that feels and responds to your vibe, that’s all that you need to put your best out there. My favourite singer is Sonu Nigam. He’s my inspiration and my personal musical journey starts from him. There are others, of course, but Sonu Nigam heads the list for me. He is my personal inspiration. If I had my way, I wouldn’t miss a single Sonu Nigam concert, either in India or overseas!
Abhijit Barman Pata – Is it possible to pinpoint just one ‘Most Favourite Song’? No, I guess not. I love several songs by a variety of composers. Coming from a badminton player background, I never really trained myself to be in the music industry. I remember the days when my mother (my very first music teacher) would literally drag me by the hair and force me to practice my music notes. Did I listen to her then? No! I wish now that I had, it would make it a tad easier for me to explore the vast arena of music and take me a few notches higher. No regrets, however. From the playground as I progressed to the music hall, there were several talented folks who helped me a lot, encouraging me to hone my skills and become what I am today. I remember each one of them with fondness and respect.
Rajiv Mitra – Some music memories are etched in your mind and I’ll remember this forever! When the 2020-21 pandemic was on its way out, several members of our Kolkata music fraternity got together to organize a show. The year was 2022. We were meeting each other in person and face-to-face after an extremely uncertain and unsettling period in our lives. In our minds, all through the lockdown each of us had been secretly thinking – will we ever be able to make music and perform before an audience? We had no answer at the time, and to think in the negative was unimaginable and heartrending. Then, lockdown was lifted as the situation got progressively better and we were allowed to come together. The sheer joy of seeing one another after what seemed like ages was unparalleled. We were speechless with joy. I remember we rehearsed happily all through the day from the morning till late evening.
Ishan Mitra – I have a deep connection with bands and band culture. I grew up listening to Lakkhichhara, Fossils, Bryan Adams, Jason Mraz, Jason Myers – I feel there’s something of value that I can learn from each artist. My all-time favourite is Dil Dhadakne Ka Sabab Yaad Aya by Nasir Kazmi and rendered beautifully by Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan. It’s extremely close to my heart and he’s my favourite artist as well.
Inputs by Neha Karmakar
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