***The multi dimensional talents of Najam Sheraz claim international acclaim, making him All for music
Najam Sheraz is not really a newcomer in the music scene of Pakistan, yet his work remained unnoticed for a long time. “The ‘problem’ with Najam’s compositions”, according to a music critic, “is that the music is far ahead of its time.” Despite all the difficulties, his single-minded determination and uncompromising hard work finally bore fruit. Today, people see in him an artist who has the potential and the genius to introduce new music trends that my revolutionise the very concept of ‘good’ music. Najam worked to prove his worth as a musician, now he is one of the most sought-after young artists of the country.
While the Pakistanis were swinging to bhangara and bubble-gum pop, most of which consisted of copying western melodies and interspersing them with eastern lyric, Najam brought forth Rakh Aasa purely rock album.
Unfortunately, the experiment did not work out. This failure put him down for sometime, “It really was a tremendous blow, after all the hard work that went into the making of the album”, says Najam. Frustrated though he was, he just wasn’t ready to give up and so, he was back in h is studios working like a man possessed on his second album Roop Nagar.
The idea behind Roop Nagar was to compose an album that would portray his unique interpretation of a postmodern fusion. The result, and album lauded by all music critics but the masses still felt that it was too heavy for them. Thoroughly disappointed with the reaction of the audiences, he decided to risk everything and simply take the plunge.
Najam decided to put his work before the ‘international jury’. Fortunately for him, this was on risk that paid off!
“I can still remember the time when I presented my album to BMG international. I was at their headquarters hours before our scheduled appointment and by the time they called me in, I had chewed up every nail that I had. From the very first song, there was a smile on their faces and when with the second song they started tapping their feet and humming along with it, I couldn’t help the tears. I had worked so hard on this album, which hadn’t really done that great in Pakistan. Having BMG approve the album restored my faith in my self.” BMG not only approved the album, they also launched it all over south Asia on the 1st of January 2000, making Najam the first vocalist from Pakistan to have succeeded in doing so.
The contract with BMG was just the first step-now everything that Najam touches turns to Gold. One of his compositions Mera Jee Nahin Lagay has been selected for the soundtrack of the movie ‘Split Wide Open’, along with other international stars like Air Supply, Garbage and Asha Bhosle. The album is expected to be released later this year in the US and UK. That’s not all, Najam’s music video for Pal Do Pal Ki Chahat from the album Mahiya Ve Mahiya is the first video on 35mm to be released in the international markeet. Also, it was the first video in the top 5 videos selected by CNN for the Asian profile. It is interesting to note that the local channel PTV (Pakistan Television) banned this same video under the context of it being too daring.
Despite all his successful ventures abroad, the fact that his own country didn’t consider him star-material kept bothering him. “No matter what, one needs appreciation from home, from family and if that does not happen then '‘success’ no more than just a superficial word”. At the on-set of the new millennium Najam saw his dream become a reality. His latest venture, a Punjabi bhangara album, is one of the biggest commercial releases of this year in Pakistan and at long last Roop Nagar has also started to pick up. He realises that retaining his success means a lot of hard work but he’s not one to shy away from responsibility. Besides, for Najam music is not just entertainment, it is life. The love for music flows in him like an untamed river of energy that needs to be channeled and released in the form of lyrical compositions. As for his future plans, he will continue to make music that is completely his own.
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