Talent has to be there in order for you to learn music because if you don't belong to the class of people blessed with music by mother nature you will only create noise.
1.Tell us more about your background and journey.
I belong to a family of Doctors, my Grandfather G.M.Rizvi was serving as a Radiologist in civil Hospital Shimla (British India) when partition happened. My Father (Prof. Dr Syed Mehdi Raza Rizvi) and Mother (Dr Zahida Raza Rizvi) both are working Radiologists, being born to them as a second child, I was raised and brought up in Faisalabad (Lyallpur), Pakistan.
My parents were avid music listeners and appreciated the arts in general, I guess that's where I picked up music from. My mom tells me that even as a kid when elders would ask what do you want to become when you grow up, my answer would be "I want to become a singer".
I used to sing in the car while going to school, in my home when I was alone and of course in my school where I was the anthem singer in the school assembly. My first musical performance on stage was as a 4-year-old singing "Mera Joota Hai Japani" by Mukesh sb while my elder brother played keyboard with me on my mamoo's wedding.
2. When did you first decide you wanted to pursue music and how did you start?
Getting to know about my interest in music my Father asked Ustad Asad Amanat Ali Khan (son of the legendary Ustad Amanat Ali Khan of Patiyala Gharana) who was a frequent visitor at our place to train me and my elder brother Haseeb Rizvi as their students the basic of eastern classical music so that we develop a base of the art.
2. When did you first decide you wanted to pursue music and how did you start?
Getting to know about my interest in music my Father asked Ustad Asad Amanat Ali Khan (son of the legendary Ustad Amanat Ali Khan of Patiyala Gharana) who was a frequent visitor at our place to train me and my elder brother Haseeb Rizvi as their students the basic of eastern classical music so that we develop a base of the art.
My Maternal Uncle (Capt. Taqi Mustehsan) who was a pilot and is now a flying instructor living in Newyork, used to play the Acoustic guitar. So I learnt the basics of acoustic guitar playing from him simultaneously along with my vocal training.
My Mamoo also gave me a playbook which had pictures of different chord shapes and also instructions of how to play them, so since my mamoo had a hectic flight schedule roster that book provided me with the insights of guitar playing.
3. Who is your favourite artist and why?
There are many if I start naming them this whole page will be filled with just names. See as a music learner you need to listen to all sort of music and learn from anywhere where there is good music. Every artist holds their own signature style and aesthetics which make them unique.
3. Who is your favourite artist and why?
There are many if I start naming them this whole page will be filled with just names. See as a music learner you need to listen to all sort of music and learn from anywhere where there is good music. Every artist holds their own signature style and aesthetics which make them unique.
I love listening to good sureela music from old Bollywood classics to eastern classical music (which was my parent's playlist in the car while we used to go on road trips). While I was growing up my personal liking was more drawn towards Pakistani/Indian Pop music, Pakistani more because Indian pop only lasted for 3-4 years.
Basically, I loved album of Vital signs' Hum Tum, Junoon's Azadi, Lucky Ai's O Sanam, Noori's Sonu ke mein hun jawaan, eP's Irtiqa, Mekaal Hasan Band's Samporan, Shaan's Tanha Dil, Silk Route's dooba dooba and Euphoria's Dhoom and Mehfooz to name a few, and of course Sonu Nigam's classically mild.
Most of the albums contain rock music and I basically am a rocker and started out being a member of an underground rock band in school, so my personal liking is more inclined to towards rock music ;)
4. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a musician?
You get to travel, see the world, meet new people, explore new cities, and become friends with strangers just because they know you because of music it's an amazing thing :)
5. Is format training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?
Formal training helps you a great deal because it provides you with a base and gives you a sense of music notes, until or unless you know what scales are notes are you playing with, most of your music will be out of tune.
4. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a musician?
You get to travel, see the world, meet new people, explore new cities, and become friends with strangers just because they know you because of music it's an amazing thing :)
5. Is format training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?
Formal training helps you a great deal because it provides you with a base and gives you a sense of music notes, until or unless you know what scales are notes are you playing with, most of your music will be out of tune.
Having said that, then there are people with God-given talent, they are unmatchable but they too are identified by people who have music knowledge, see talent has to be there in order for you to learn music because if you don't belong to the class of people blessed with music by mother nature you will only create noise.
My mamoo said, "Son you need to know if you are in tune or not, because if you are not in tune then you are only creating noise, and noise is irritating.." I love these words ;)
6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?
Get to know yourself as people, then your music, when you understand the two try learning the art of music based on the knowledge you hold about yourself and your capabilities. And most importantly remain humble during this whole process, for mother nature only bestows upon the ones who ask for help from the cosmos and remain humble.
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?
Get to know yourself as people, then your music, when you understand the two try learning the art of music based on the knowledge you hold about yourself and your capabilities. And most importantly remain humble during this whole process, for mother nature only bestows upon the ones who ask for help from the cosmos and remain humble.
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
The hundred (the 100) by Micheal hart. It's about the 100 most influential people who have lived in this world and what they have achieved in the respective environment and time period. Read it to find out why I like it :D
- Mujeeb Mustafa (Musician)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mujeebmrizvi/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MujeebMRizvi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mujeebmustafa/
Interviewed By Tuhina Rana
.jpeg)
){kind=link}
0 Comments