January 15, 2015 was the day when the team ‘Resham Filili’ uploaded the lyrical video of their sound track ‘Jaalma…’ on you-tube. The song was already a hit among the team but they were not quite sure about how it would fare among the general public. They needn’t have worried though because soon everybody was singing ‘Timira ma ghumna jaauna…’ and ‘Timi pirati ko chhataa odhauna…’
The man behind this popular creation is Kali Prasad Baskota. The music composer and lyricist of lots of well-loved songs like Chahana Sakiyo…, Laaijare…, Roghoki dosh…, Jaadoo…, Daiba Hey… is now singer for the movie ‘Resham Filili’. The song ‘Jaalma…’ has become a rage among youth, ‘Resham Filili’ has earned good critical response too.
JAALMA… Resham Filili… CLICK HERE TO WATCH LYRICAL VIDEO SONG
We got a chance to grab a coffee with the dimpled man. Let’s check out the chit-chat with Kali Prasad Baskota.
You have established yourself as a Composer and Lyricist and now you are getting known as a Singer. How do you like to introduce yourself to your audience?
I love to do creative work within the musical periphery. When I create music, the first one to lend the vocal is myself. So this time I thought to sing for others too. I’m always specific about the voice I select for my tunes. For Jaalma I thought I’d be the most suitable singer. So I went for it. So I’m a composer by heart but I sing as well.
How do you create Music? Do you first come up with a tune or lyrics?
There is no hard and fast rule for me. It depends upon the situation. All I need is to justify myself with my creation. That is all that matters to me.
You are accused of working in a close circle? Is it true? How do you defend yourself?
Reliablity, Compatibility, Creativity and accessibility. These are the crucial factors that I look for when I choose partners in my musical collaborations. If an artist fulfills those criteria, we work together. The People I’ve worked with have never said that they aren’t comfortable with me and devoid of any prejudice I’ve always welcomed interested people to work with me.
What or who is your inspiration for creating music?
I don’t have any particular artist, group or genre, which has inspired me. But there are lots of creations that compel me to create. They might be a Nepali Folk tune, A Bollywood song or a western one. I get inspired by any good piece of music I come across.
How do you see yourself as an artist in the coming 10 years?
The music market is very dynamic. It changes day by day. I see myself as a more dynamic artist than I’m today. I’d be composing songs even then and I’ll sing few of them. (He laughs…)
Your latest release ‘Jaalma…’ is going Viral and our sources revealed that your upcoming releases are of the same type. Do you think you’ll be labeled as a categorical singer? Would you like to establish yourself as a versatile singer or are you happy being a categorical singer?
As I mentioned before, I’m a composer. I’m very particular about the singer for my tunes. I’d ask any other singer if I think I’m not suitable for them or vice-versa. It is not a question of being categorical. I started as a singer but later I enjoyed creating music more. I can sing any kind or genre but my first priority is to find the right voice for my tune.
Studio artists are blamed of being incapable of performing live or with a band. How do you see yourself as a stage performer?
Live music is the most enjoyable form of music presentation. To do that, the performer has to develop their stamina to perform on stage. This is not an easy task but it can be done if we enjoy it. I enjoy my work so I definitely enjoy performing live on stage. After all when we create, we create it for our audiences. Every singer or artist does that, be it in a close circle or in front of huge mass. There is no such thing as a studio artist or a stage artist. An artist is always a performer.
You were a successful artist and you have now become a celebrity. Do you feel different?
I don’t see myself as a celebrity here. I’m just an artist who loves to create tunes and now people have recognized my name along with my work. I’m living my life normally like before. My daily routine is the same. But it definitely feels good when people love your work and their appreciation will have a positive impact on my future creations.
-By jayan subba manandhar
