Inspired by A R Rehman, Indian classical music, but creating urban Bangla music.
By Rehnuma Majid
WASHINGTON, DC: Canadian-Bengali singer and producer, Master-D, is no stranger to the international music scene, having previously been fulltime with the popular group – The Bilz & Kashif and also being featured on the BBC Asian Network, where we watched it steadily climb up the charts above other more veteran artists.
Most recently he has gone on to pursue solo projects with the release of his R&B and folk inspired Bangla song, “Aye Raat” ft. Nivla.
How does one combine two genres that aren’t often seen together? And how does one do this without the music sounding too fragmented?
“Aye Raat” is both the answer and product of that.
With steady vocals, which are reminiscent of a more country and Bengali style of singing, Master-D weaves this in with a modern set of beats which compliments the song perfectly. Neither aspect of the song overpowers the other and that’s truly the best part. Often when musicians attempt to bend and crossover several genres, what the audience gets is a mess. Master-D has paid respects to his roots in this song, as well as his upbringing.
Excerpts of an interview with Master D:
Tell me about your upcoming solo album. What sort of collaborations should we expect from it?
I am really excited about my upcoming solo album. I have been working hard on this project for the past 2 years and now it’s finally ready to take over the Bangla scene. It’s going to be the first of its kind bringing an urban sound and setting the bar for the bangla music industry. As far as collaborations go, I can’t disclose those details yet, but all I can say is that the first single called “Tension Stress” will feature a massive artist who is well known in the urban desi scene.
How did you first get started with music, especially Bengali music? Was it something you grew up with, or rather, was it something you were introduced to and really enjoyed?
Growing up, practicing music was always part of my life in my family. As soon as my homework was done in the evening, I would pick up the harmonium and start to sing along side my mom who mentored me. After coming to Canada, I became really fond of learning the Tabla, which I did eventually. I was glad to have found a great Master, my guruji Dr. Narendra Verma who is a disciple of late Ustad Allah Rakha Khan. That’s really what gave me an additional edge of understanding of Indian classical music, which led me to perform with international artists at major outdoor festivals like the Montreal Jazz Festival.
Tell me a bit about your background. Where did you grow up?
I was born in Bangladesh and immigrated to Canada at a very young age. Montreal, Canada is where I grew up, so Je parle le francais also.
Are there artists out there who really inspire you?
As a kid I was into Bollywood songs of S.D Burman , R.D Burman and A.R. Rehman who I adored listening to. After immigrating to Canada I got introduced to the urban music scene. Just to name a few of my favorite Urban producers and artists who has inspired me are Michael Jackson, R. Kelly, Timbaland , Bruno Mars, Usher, Justin Timberlake and the Dream. That’s why when you hear my music you’ll hear that Urban sound I’m bringing to the Bangla market.
Being able to work with Runa Laila is an amazing opportunity. Did it make you nervous?
It’s always an honor performing alongside artist(s) who’ve left a mark in the history of music and she is one of them, especially for the Bengali community. I have been performing on stage since childhood and accompanied many established artists. So no, I wasn’t nervous; it was more of a happy feeling because I remember watching her on TV as a kid. And now sharing a stage with her was a just “wow” and it was great meeting and chatting with her a little about Bangla music.
What made you decide to pursue solo activities?
After touring the world, earning 3 international awards along with having immense success with the group – The Bilz & Kashif, I felt it was time for me to represent the Bangla community. Always innovate! I have fans all over the world now, where we broke barriers taking Hindi/Punjabi music to mainstream audiences with 2Step Bhangra, and that’s when I realized that our music is universal and has the power to unit people. The solo album now is a new journey and is an extension of what I do as an artist and as a producer; it’s an opportunity for me to try different things and showcase my versatility. So far the response has been amazing and I’m getting to connect with new fans! I have sung in Hindi, Punjabi and in Tamil. Now it’s time for me to go back to my roots and take over the Bangla market and make the new generation proud of their culture.
Combining folk and pop is a unique artistic choice. What made you decide to do that? And how did you find a balance between the two, so as to avoid the music sounding too much like one or the other?
Growing up in Canada in a diverse multicultural society and performing with artists of different cultural backgrounds, gave me the experience I need on how to create music that can enter both worlds – folk and pop. I’m all about creating a new sound, a new movement and experimenting new things that trend set. I was the first to take Punjabi music and give it a Jazz/Blues sound on The Bilz & Kashif album, represent a sound which takes Garba music with pop, taking Soca and giving it a house feel, so I’m all about taking risks to innovate. At the end of the day, it’s about how you feel when you make music, if you enjoy it with the passion you create it with, then that’s what matters. And now I’m doing the same by setting a bar with Bangla music with my signature sound.
2 Comments
Thanks Rehnuma Majid for mentoring such a beautiful interview of Master D.
I really like your song Nd I really enjoy . phenomenon is my fav song